diff --git a/engine/classes/Elgg/Application/CacheHandler.php b/engine/classes/Elgg/Application/CacheHandler.php
index e2c412cbb93..359247e4273 100644
--- a/engine/classes/Elgg/Application/CacheHandler.php
+++ b/engine/classes/Elgg/Application/CacheHandler.php
@@ -189,6 +189,9 @@ public function handleRequest(Request $request, Application $app) {
 			$this->simplecache->cacheAsset($viewtype, $view, $content);
 		} else {
 			// if wrong timestamp, don't send HTTP cache
+			// also report that the resource has gone away
+			$response->setStatusCode(ELGG_HTTP_GONE);
+			
 			$content = $this->getProcessedView($view, $viewtype);
 		}