diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 733458dc0..de8518d97 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Fixed
+
+- A deletion of a nonexistant resource no longer leads to a client error
+
 ## [9.4.0](https://github.com/dbmdz/metadata-service/releases/tag/9.4.0) - 2024-12-06
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/metasvc-client/pom.xml b/metasvc-client/pom.xml
index 5899c5f19..8232b25dd 100644
--- a/metasvc-client/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-client/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Client</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-client/src/main/java/de/digitalcollections/client/BaseRestClient.java b/metasvc-client/src/main/java/de/digitalcollections/client/BaseRestClient.java
index 67f2d1e4d..786e1cb69 100644
--- a/metasvc-client/src/main/java/de/digitalcollections/client/BaseRestClient.java
+++ b/metasvc-client/src/main/java/de/digitalcollections/client/BaseRestClient.java
@@ -191,13 +191,14 @@ private HttpRequest createPutRequest(String requestUrl, Object bodyObject)
   protected String doDeleteRequestForString(String requestUrl) throws TechnicalException {
     HttpRequest req = createDeleteRequest(requestUrl);
     try {
-      HttpResponse<String> response = http.send(req, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());
+      HttpResponse<byte[]> response = http.send(req, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofByteArray());
       Integer statusCode = response.statusCode();
       if (statusCode >= 400) {
         throw HttpErrorDecoder.decode("DELETE " + requestUrl, statusCode, response);
       }
-      String body = response.body();
-      if (body == null || body.isBlank()) {
+      // This is the most performant approach for Jackson
+      final byte[] body = response.body();
+      if (body == null || body.length == 0) {
         return null;
       }
       String result = mapper.readerFor(String.class).readValue(body);
diff --git a/metasvc-lobid-client/pom.xml b/metasvc-lobid-client/pom.xml
index 03d6daa2e..773423279 100644
--- a/metasvc-lobid-client/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-lobid-client/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: lobid.org Client</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-model/pom.xml b/metasvc-model/pom.xml
index 3dd55a2ed..6e2d81d4f 100644
--- a/metasvc-model/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-model/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Model</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/backend-api/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/backend-api/pom.xml
index d698dca02..734c8fe67 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/backend-api/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/backend-api/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Backend API)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/backend-file/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/backend-file/pom.xml
index 321bc08ba..d1dde616a 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/backend-file/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/backend-file/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Backend IMPL File)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/backend-inmemory/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/backend-inmemory/pom.xml
index d493291a9..7dbb4f3c4 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/backend-inmemory/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/backend-inmemory/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Backend IMPL InMemory)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/backend-jdbi/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/backend-jdbi/pom.xml
index 770523a6c..42259c334 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/backend-jdbi/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/backend-jdbi/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Backend IMPL JDBI PostgreSql)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/backend-lobid/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/backend-lobid/pom.xml
index e9e0cf99b..87e102205 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/backend-lobid/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/backend-lobid/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Backend IMPL External System lobid.org)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/business/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/business/pom.xml
index 152a90935..fd29a5e41 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/business/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/business/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Business)</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/pom.xml
index 34cc4e1e3..ef4cfc77d 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server</name>
diff --git a/metasvc-server/webapp/pom.xml b/metasvc-server/webapp/pom.xml
index 4e6f548b6..a7b9d4f5f 100644
--- a/metasvc-server/webapp/pom.xml
+++ b/metasvc-server/webapp/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
     <artifactId>metasvc-server</artifactId>
-    <version>9.4.0</version>
+    <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service: Repository Server (Webapp)</name>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a803b8682..cfd726643 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
   <groupId>io.github.dbmdz.metadata</groupId>
   <artifactId>metasvc</artifactId>
-  <version>9.4.0</version>
+  <version>9.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
   <name>Metadata-Service</name>