Index: subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/serf.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/serf.c	(revision 31189)
+++ subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/serf.c	(working copy)
@@ -977,9 +977,21 @@ svn_ra_serf__stat(svn_ra_session_t *ra_session,
   const char *path;
   svn_revnum_t fetched_rev;
   svn_dirent_t *entry;
+  svn_error_t *err;
 
-  SVN_ERR(fetch_path_props(&prop_ctx, &props, &path, &fetched_rev,
-                           session, rel_path, revision, all_props, pool));
+  err = fetch_path_props(&prop_ctx, &props, &path, &fetched_rev,
+                         session, rel_path, revision, all_props, pool);
+  if (err)
+    {
+      if (err->apr_err == SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND)
+        {
+          svn_error_clear(err);
+          *dirent = NULL;
+          return SVN_NO_ERROR;
+        }
+      else
+        return err;
+    }
 
   entry = apr_pcalloc(pool, sizeof(*entry));
 
Index: subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/util.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/util.c	(revision 31189)
+++ subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/util.c	(working copy)
@@ -1369,30 +1369,40 @@ svn_ra_serf__discover_root(const char **vcc_url,
 
   do
     {
-      SVN_ERR(svn_ra_serf__retrieve_props(props, session, conn,
-                                          path, SVN_INVALID_REVNUM,
-                                          "0", base_props, pool));
-      *vcc_url =
-          svn_ra_serf__get_ver_prop(props, path,
-                                    SVN_INVALID_REVNUM,
-                                    "DAV:",
-                                    "version-controlled-configuration");
+      svn_error_t *err = svn_ra_serf__retrieve_props(props, session, conn,
+                                                     path, SVN_INVALID_REVNUM,
+                                                     "0", base_props, pool);
+      if (! err)
+        {
+          *vcc_url =
+              svn_ra_serf__get_ver_prop(props, path,
+                                        SVN_INVALID_REVNUM,
+                                        "DAV:",
+                                        "version-controlled-configuration");
 
-      if (*vcc_url)
-        {
           relative_path = svn_ra_serf__get_ver_prop(props, path,
                                                     SVN_INVALID_REVNUM,
                                                     SVN_DAV_PROP_NS_DAV,
                                                     "baseline-relative-path");
           break;
         }
+      else
+        {
+          if (err->apr_err != SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND)
+            {
+              return err;  /* found a _real_ error */
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              /* This happens when the file is missing in HEAD. */
+              svn_error_clear(err);
 
-      /* This happens when the file is missing in HEAD. */
-
-      /* Okay, strip off. */
-      present_path = svn_path_join(svn_path_basename(path, pool),
-                                   present_path, pool);
-      path = svn_path_dirname(path, pool);
+              /* Okay, strip off. */
+              present_path = svn_path_join(svn_path_basename(path, pool),
+                                           present_path, pool);
+              path = svn_path_dirname(path, pool);
+            }
+        }
     }
   while (!svn_path_is_empty(path));
 
Index: subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/property.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/property.c	(revision 31189)
+++ subversion/libsvn_ra_serf/property.c	(working copy)
@@ -612,6 +612,13 @@ svn_ra_serf__wait_for_props(svn_ra_serf__propfind_
       svn_error_clear(err);
       SVN_ERR(prop_ctx->parser_ctx->error);
     }
+  if (*prop_ctx->parser_ctx->status_code == 404)
+    {
+      return svn_error_create(SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND, NULL,
+                              apr_psprintf(pool, _("'%s' path not found"),
+                                           prop_ctx->path));
+    }
+
   return err;
 }