diff --git a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
index 145b2cb6d..cfc5df532 100644
--- a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
+++ b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server.go
@@ -1722,9 +1722,6 @@ func (s *Server) getStateRoot(ps params.Params) (any, *neorpc.Error) {
 
 func (s *Server) getStorage(ps params.Params) (any, *neorpc.Error) {
 	id, rErr := s.contractIDFromParam(ps.Value(0))
-	if rErr == neorpc.ErrUnknownContract {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
 	if rErr != nil {
 		return nil, rErr
 	}
@@ -1736,7 +1733,7 @@ func (s *Server) getStorage(ps params.Params) (any, *neorpc.Error) {
 
 	item := s.chain.GetStorageItem(id, key)
 	if item == nil {
-		return "", nil
+		return "", neorpc.ErrUnknownStorageItem
 	}
 
 	return []byte(item), nil
diff --git a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
index 35e58dbd9..bc098e3ca 100644
--- a/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/rpcsrv/server_test.go
@@ -621,12 +621,10 @@ var rpcTestCases = map[string][]rpcTestCase{
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			name:   "missing key",
-			params: fmt.Sprintf(`["%s", "dGU="]`, testContractHash),
-			result: func(e *executor) any {
-				v := ""
-				return &v
-			},
+			name:    "missing key",
+			params:  fmt.Sprintf(`["%s", "dGU="]`, testContractHash),
+			fail:    true,
+			errCode: neorpc.ErrUnknownStorageItemCode,
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "no params",