diff --git a/docs/client/repository.go b/docs/client/repository.go
index 2d198314..0fcb17dc 100644
--- a/docs/client/repository.go
+++ b/docs/client/repository.go
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ func (ms *manifests) GetByTag(tag string, options ...distribution.ManifestServic
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotModified {
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil, distribution.ErrManifestNotModified
 	} else if SuccessStatus(resp.StatusCode) {
 		var sm schema1.SignedManifest
 		decoder := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body)
diff --git a/docs/client/repository_test.go b/docs/client/repository_test.go
index b211b1f9..6e4a017e 100644
--- a/docs/client/repository_test.go
+++ b/docs/client/repository_test.go
@@ -603,13 +603,10 @@ func TestManifestFetchWithEtag(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	m2, err := ms.GetByTag("latest", AddEtagToTag("latest", d1.String()))
-	if err != nil {
+	_, err = ms.GetByTag("latest", AddEtagToTag("latest", d1.String()))
+	if err != distribution.ErrManifestNotModified {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if m2 != nil {
-		t.Fatal("Expected empty manifest for matching etag")
-	}
 }
 
 func TestManifestDelete(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/docs/proxy/proxymanifeststore.go b/docs/proxy/proxymanifeststore.go
index 1400cf02..610d695e 100644
--- a/docs/proxy/proxymanifeststore.go
+++ b/docs/proxy/proxymanifeststore.go
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ func (pms proxyManifestStore) GetByTag(tag string, options ...distribution.Manif
 fromremote:
 	var sm *schema1.SignedManifest
 	sm, err = pms.remoteManifests.GetByTag(tag, client.AddEtagToTag(tag, localDigest.String()))
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err != distribution.ErrManifestNotModified {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if sm == nil {
+	if err == distribution.ErrManifestNotModified {
 		context.GetLogger(pms.ctx).Debugf("Local manifest for %q is latest, dgst=%s", tag, localDigest.String())
 		return localManifest, nil
 	}