diff --git a/modules/document_repository/jsx/uploadForm.js b/modules/document_repository/jsx/uploadForm.js
index 05241200a65..2adb8f10df5 100644
--- a/modules/document_repository/jsx/uploadForm.js
+++ b/modules/document_repository/jsx/uploadForm.js
@@ -222,17 +222,15 @@ class DocUploadForm extends Component {
               );
             });
           } else {
-            resp.json().then((data) => {
-              console.error(resp);
-              swal.fire('Could not upload files', data.error, 'error');
-            }).catch((error) => {
-              console.error(error);
-              swal.fire(
-                'Error reading error response',
-                'Please report the issue or contact your administrator',
-                'error'
-              );
-            });
+              if (resp.status == 413) {
+                swal.fire('File too large', 'Could not upload file', 'error');
+              }
+              if (resp.status == 403) {
+                swal.fire('Permission denied',
+                    'Could not upload file',
+                    'error'
+                );
+              }
           }
         }).catch((error) => {
           console.error(error);
diff --git a/modules/document_repository/php/files.class.inc b/modules/document_repository/php/files.class.inc
index 726cd2c996b..3eb5efc6a97 100644
--- a/modules/document_repository/php/files.class.inc
+++ b/modules/document_repository/php/files.class.inc
@@ -307,9 +307,8 @@ class Files extends \NDB_Page
         $name     = $user->getUsername();
 
         if (! $user->hasPermission('document_repository_edit')) {
-            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Forbidden(
-                self::FORBIDDEN
-            );
+            header("HTTP/1.1 403 Forbidden");
+            exit;
         }
 
         // Do some validation and fail early on bad inputs.
@@ -328,9 +327,8 @@ class Files extends \NDB_Page
         $uploadedFiles = $request->getUploadedFiles()['files'] ?? null;
 
         if (is_null($uploadedFiles)) {
-            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
-                'No files uploaded'
-            );
+            header("HTTP/1.1 413 Too_large");
+            exit;
         }
 
         $uploadedFiles = is_array($uploadedFiles)