diff --git a/control/Director.php b/control/Director.php
index c7337de93..a1ef3b0e4 100644
--- a/control/Director.php
+++ b/control/Director.php
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@ class Director implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 				}
 			}
 		}
+
+		// No URL rules matched, so return a 404 error.
+		return new SS_HTTPResponse('No URL rule was matched', 404);
 	}
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/tests/control/DirectorTest.php b/tests/control/DirectorTest.php
index 4d1ccae17..bffe804c6 100644
--- a/tests/control/DirectorTest.php
+++ b/tests/control/DirectorTest.php
@@ -281,6 +281,10 @@ class DirectorTest extends SapphireTest {
 		$this->assertEquals($headers, Director::extract_request_headers($request));
 	}
 
+	public function testUnmatchedRequestReturns404() {
+		$this->assertEquals(404, Director::test('no-route')->getStatusCode());
+	}
+
 }
 
 class DirectorTestRequest_Controller extends Controller implements TestOnly {