diff --git a/src/server/middleware/couch.js b/src/server/middleware/couch.js
index c0c207cd..0a5f3031 100644
--- a/src/server/middleware/couch.js
+++ b/src/server/middleware/couch.js
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ function onGetError(ctx, e, secure) {
     if (config.debugrest) {
         ctx.body += `\n\n${e}\n${e.stack}`;
     }
-    ctx.body = JSON.stringify({error: ctx.body});
+    ctx.body = {error: ctx.body};
 }
 
 function handleCouchError(ctx, e, secure) {
diff --git a/test/rest-api/api.js b/test/rest-api/api.js
index 1fabf60c..f8c2f97d 100644
--- a/test/rest-api/api.js
+++ b/test/rest-api/api.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ describe('basic rest-api as anonymous (noRights)', function () {
 
     it('forbidden datbase names', function () {
         return request.get('/db/_a$aa/entry/aaa').expect(403).then((data) => {
-            data.text.should.equal('invalid database name');
+            data.body.should.deepEqual({error: 'invalid database name'});
         });
     });
 });