diff --git a/api/handlers/listhandler.py b/api/handlers/listhandler.py
index eb2822a5a1b6e32790a0cacf91a4bd1b6d00aade..5f731a7e9add3343aab95942c6c73a7d0c9e2b93 100644
--- a/api/handlers/listhandler.py
+++ b/api/handlers/listhandler.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from ..auth import listauth, always_ok
 from ..dao import noop
 from ..dao import liststorage
 from ..dao import containerutil
-from ..web.errors import APIStorageException
+from ..web.errors import APIStorageException, APIPermissionException
 from ..web.request import AccessType
 
 
@@ -573,7 +573,8 @@ class FileListHandler(ListHandler):
             analyses = containerutil.get_referring_analyses(cont_name, _id, filename=filename)
             if analyses:
                 analysis_ids = [str(a['_id']) for a in analyses]
-                self.abort(400, 'Cannot delete file {} referenced by analyses {}'.format(filename, analysis_ids))
+                raise APIPermissionException('Cannot delete file {} referenced by analyses {}'.format(filename, analysis_ids),
+                    errors={'reason': 'analysis_conflict'})
 
         self.log_user_access(AccessType.delete_file, cont_name=cont_name, cont_id=_id, filename=filename)
         try:
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/python/test_containers.py b/tests/integration_tests/python/test_containers.py
index 9b807de69e96ddacc6c7952ffea6ff48a14db5bf..792481a7d774886485b2bb558beff080269c958e 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/python/test_containers.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/python/test_containers.py
@@ -1326,7 +1326,8 @@ def test_container_delete_tag(data_builder, default_payload, as_root, as_admin,
 
     # try to delete acquisition file referenced by analysis
     r = as_admin.delete('/acquisitions/' + acquisition + '/files/test.csv')
-    assert r.status_code == 400
+    assert r.status_code == 403
+    assert r.json()['reason'] == 'analysis_conflict'
 
     # verify that a non-referenced file _can_ be deleted from the same acquisition
     assert as_admin.delete('/acquisitions/' + acquisition + '/files/test2.csv').ok