Index: subversion/include/svn_error_codes.h
===================================================================
--- subversion/include/svn_error_codes.h	(revision 6521)
+++ subversion/include/svn_error_codes.h	(working copy)
@@ -551,6 +551,11 @@
               SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_CATEGORY_START + 6,
               "Invalid configuration value")
 
+  SVN_ERRDEF (SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND,
+              SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_CATEGORY_START + 7,
+              "HTTP Path Not Found")
+
+
   /* ra_local errors */
   
   SVN_ERRDEF (SVN_ERR_RA_LOCAL_REPOS_NOT_FOUND,
Index: subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/props.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/props.c	(revision 6521)
+++ subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/props.c	(working copy)
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@
       if (! err)
         break;   /* found an existing parent! */
       
-      if (err->apr_err != SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_REQUEST_FAILED)
+      if (err->apr_err != SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND)
         return err;  /* found a _real_ error */
 
       /* else... lop off the basename and try again. */
Index: subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/util.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/util.c	(revision 6521)
+++ subversion/libsvn_ra_dav/util.c	(working copy)
@@ -383,8 +383,16 @@
   if ((code != expected_code) 
       || (rv != NE_OK))
     {
-      msg = apr_psprintf(pool, "%s of '%s'", method, url);
-      err = svn_ra_dav__convert_error(sess, msg, rv);
+      if (code == 404)
+      {
+        msg = apr_psprintf(pool, "'%s' path not found", url);
+        err = svn_error_create(SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND, NULL, msg);
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        msg = apr_psprintf(pool, "%s of '%s'", method, url);
+        err = svn_ra_dav__convert_error(sess, msg, rv);
+      }
       goto error;
     }