diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/permissions.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/permissions.spec.ts
index bee794da47..838e1aca0b 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/permissions.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/permissions.spec.ts
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ describe("/permission", () => {
       // replicate changes before checking permissions
       await config.publish()
 
-      await config.api.viewV2.publicSearch(view.id, undefined, { status: 403 })
+      await config.api.viewV2.publicSearch(view.id, undefined, { status: 401 })
     })
 
     it("should ignore the view permissions if the flag is not on", async () => {
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ describe("/permission", () => {
       await config.publish()
 
       await config.api.viewV2.publicSearch(view.id, undefined, {
-        status: 403,
+        status: 401,
       })
     })
 
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@ describe("/permission", () => {
         .send(basicRow(table._id))
         .set(config.publicHeaders())
         .expect("Content-Type", /json/)
-        .expect(403)
-      expect(res.status).toEqual(403)
+        .expect(401)
+      expect(res.status).toEqual(401)
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/utilities/TestFunctions.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/utilities/TestFunctions.ts
index 27d8592849..15a3ede39b 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/utilities/TestFunctions.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/utilities/TestFunctions.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ export const checkPermissionsEndpoint = async ({
   await exports
     .createRequest(config.request, method, url, body)
     .set(failHeader)
-    .expect(403)
+    .expect(401)
 }
 
 export const getDB = () => {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
index ba044acf81..e9853e5dff 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
@@ -1490,7 +1490,7 @@ describe.each([
       it("does not allow public users to fetch by default", async () => {
         await config.publish()
         await config.api.viewV2.publicSearch(view.id, undefined, {
-          status: 403,
+          status: 401,
         })
       })
 
@@ -1534,7 +1534,7 @@ describe.each([
         await config.publish()
 
         await config.api.viewV2.publicSearch(view.id, undefined, {
-          status: 403,
+          status: 401,
         })
       })
     })
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.ts b/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.ts
index ec8a3711cf..b23a9846b7 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/authorized.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ const authorized =
     }
 
     if (!ctx.user) {
-      return ctx.throw(403, "No user info found")
+      return ctx.throw(401, "No user info found")
     }
 
     // get the resource roles
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ const authorized =
 
     // check authenticated
     if (!ctx.isAuthenticated) {
-      return ctx.throw(403, "Session not authenticated")
+      return ctx.throw(401, "Session not authenticated")
     }
 
     // check general builder stuff, this middleware is a good way
diff --git a/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.ts
index 79cfeca54e..e8fe8bd914 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/middleware/tests/authorized.spec.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ describe("Authorization middleware", () => {
     it("throws when no user data is present in context", async () => {
       await config.executeMiddleware()
 
-      expect(config.throw).toHaveBeenCalledWith(403, "No user info found")
+      expect(config.throw).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401, "No user info found")
     })
 
     it("passes on to next() middleware if user is an admin", async () => {
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ describe("Authorization middleware", () => {
 
       await config.executeMiddleware()
       expect(config.throw).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        403,
+        401,
         "Session not authenticated"
       )
     })