diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows.js
index 9240a85d3..811d7b5cb 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows.js
@@ -194,14 +194,13 @@ var api = module.exports = {
             var id = opts.id;
             return runtime.flows.removeFlow(id, opts.user).then(function () {
                 runtime.log.audit({event: "flow.remove", id: id}, opts.req);
-                return resolve();
+                return;
             }).catch(function (err) {
                 if (err.code === 404) {
                     runtime.log.audit({event: "flow.remove", id: id, error: "not_found"}, opts.req);
                     // TODO: this swap around of .code and .status isn't ideal
                     err.status = 404;
                     err.code = "not_found";
-                    return reject(err);
                 } else {
                     runtime.log.audit({
                         event: "flow.remove",
diff --git a/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows_spec.js b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows_spec.js
index c0b7d1cb3..9062ef52f 100644
--- a/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows_spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/flows_spec.js
@@ -255,7 +255,9 @@ describe("runtime-api/flows", function() {
                     var err = new Error();
                     // TODO: quirk of internal api - uses .code for .status
                     err.code = 404;
-                    throw err;
+                    var p = Promise.reject(err);
+                    p.catch(()=>{});
+                    return p;
                 } else if (id === "error") {
                     var err = new Error();
                     // TODO: quirk of internal api - uses .code for .status
@@ -311,7 +313,9 @@ describe("runtime-api/flows", function() {
                     var err = new Error();
                     // TODO: quirk of internal api - uses .code for .status
                     err.code = 404;
-                    throw err;
+                    var p = Promise.reject(err);
+                    p.catch(()=>{});
+                    return p;
                 } else if (flow === "error") {
                     var err = new Error();
                     // TODO: quirk of internal api - uses .code for .status