diff --git a/moto/s3/responses.py b/moto/s3/responses.py
index 5ec9ae321..3fe391cd3 100644
--- a/moto/s3/responses.py
+++ b/moto/s3/responses.py
@@ -400,7 +400,10 @@ class ResponseObject(_TemplateEnvironmentMixin):
             upload_id = query['uploadId'][0]
             self.backend.cancel_multipart(bucket_name, upload_id)
             return 204, headers, ""
-        removed_key = self.backend.delete_key(bucket_name, key_name)
+        try:
+            removed_key = self.backend.delete_key(bucket_name, key_name)
+        except KeyError:
+            return 404, headers, ""
         template = self.response_template(S3_DELETE_OBJECT_SUCCESS)
         return 204, headers, template.render(bucket=removed_key)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_s3/test_s3.py b/tests/test_s3/test_s3.py
index 7138d2de3..662b22cbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_s3/test_s3.py
+++ b/tests/test_s3/test_s3.py
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ def test_multipart_invalid_order():
     bucket.complete_multipart_upload.when.called_with(
         multipart.key_name, multipart.id, xml).should.throw(S3ResponseError)
 
+
 @mock_s3
 @reduced_min_part_size
 def test_multipart_duplicate_upload():
@@ -226,7 +227,8 @@ def test_multipart_duplicate_upload():
     multipart.complete_upload()
     # We should get only one copy of part 1.
     bucket.get_key("the-key").get_contents_as_string().should.equal(part1 + part2)
-    
+
+
 @mock_s3
 def test_list_multiparts():
     # Create Bucket so that test can run
@@ -475,6 +477,14 @@ def test_post_with_metadata_to_bucket():
     bucket.get_key('the-key').get_metadata('test').should.equal('metadata')
 
 
+@mock_s3
+def test_delete_missing_key():
+    conn = boto.connect_s3('the_key', 'the_secret')
+    bucket = conn.create_bucket('foobar')
+
+    bucket.delete_key.when.called_with('foobar').should.throw(S3ResponseError)
+
+
 @mock_s3
 def test_delete_keys():
     conn = boto.connect_s3('the_key', 'the_secret')