diff --git a/r2/r2/config/middleware.py b/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
index f0c0d8d11..34270d1a0 100644
--- a/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
+++ b/r2/r2/config/middleware.py
@@ -447,11 +447,24 @@ class LimitUploadSize(object):
def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
cl_key = 'CONTENT_LENGTH'
if environ['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST':
- if ((cl_key not in environ)
- or int(environ[cl_key]) > self.max_size):
+ if cl_key not in environ:
r = Response()
- r.status_code = 500
- r.content = 'request too big'
+ r.status_code = 411
+ r.content = 'length required'
+ return r(environ, start_response)
+
+ try:
+ cl_int = int(environ[cl_key])
+ except ValueError:
+ r = Response()
+ r.status_code = 400
+ r.content = 'bad request'
+ return r(environ, start_response)
+
+ if cl_int > self.max_size:
+ r = Response()
+ r.status_code = 413
+ r.content = 'request entity too large'
return r(environ, start_response)
return self.app(environ, start_response)