diff --git a/ipalib/plugins/dns.py b/ipalib/plugins/dns.py
index ef282c946..48d6f740e 100644
--- a/ipalib/plugins/dns.py
+++ b/ipalib/plugins/dns.py
@@ -2231,7 +2231,11 @@ class DNSZoneBase_disable(LDAPQuery):
         ldap = self.obj.backend
 
         dn = self.obj.get_dn(*keys, **options)
-        entry = ldap.get_entry(dn, ['idnszoneactive', 'objectclass'])
+        try:
+            entry = ldap.get_entry(dn, ['idnszoneactive', 'objectclass'])
+        except errors.NotFound:
+            self.obj.handle_not_found(*keys)
+
         if not _check_entry_objectclass(entry, self.obj.object_class):
             self.obj.handle_not_found(*keys)
 
@@ -2252,7 +2256,11 @@ class DNSZoneBase_enable(LDAPQuery):
         ldap = self.obj.backend
 
         dn = self.obj.get_dn(*keys, **options)
-        entry = ldap.get_entry(dn, ['idnszoneactive', 'objectclass'])
+        try:
+            entry = ldap.get_entry(dn, ['idnszoneactive', 'objectclass'])
+        except errors.NotFound:
+            self.obj.handle_not_found(*keys)
+
         if not _check_entry_objectclass(entry, self.obj.object_class):
             self.obj.handle_not_found(*keys)
 
diff --git a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_dns_plugin.py b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_dns_plugin.py
index f0b8edaa1..e5d1374d0 100644
--- a/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_dns_plugin.py
+++ b/ipatests/test_xmlrpc/test_dns_plugin.py
@@ -4319,7 +4319,9 @@ class test_forward_zones(Declarative):
         dict(
             desc='Try to disable non-existent forward zone',
             command=('dnsforwardzone_disable', [nonexistent_fwzone], {}),
-            expected=errors.NotFound(reason="no such entry")
+            expected=errors.NotFound(
+                reason=u'%s: DNS forward zone not found' % nonexistent_fwzone
+                )
         ),
 
 
@@ -4364,7 +4366,9 @@ class test_forward_zones(Declarative):
         dict(
             desc='Try to enable non-existent forward zone',
             command=('dnsforwardzone_enable', [nonexistent_fwzone], {}),
-            expected=errors.NotFound(reason="no such entry")
+            expected=errors.NotFound(
+                reason=u'%s: DNS forward zone not found' % nonexistent_fwzone
+                )
         ),
 
     ]