diff --git a/classes/Kohana/Request.php b/classes/Kohana/Request.php
index f92e5c305..e5ee71e5d 100644
--- a/classes/Kohana/Request.php
+++ b/classes/Kohana/Request.php
@@ -974,9 +974,10 @@ public function execute()
 
 		if ( ! $this->_route instanceof Route)
 		{
-			throw HTTP_Exception::factory(404, 'Unable to find a route to match the URI: :uri', array(
+			return HTTP_Exception::factory(404, 'Unable to find a route to match the URI: :uri', array(
 				':uri' => $this->_uri,
-			))->request($this);
+			))->request($this)
+				->get_response();
 		}
 
 		if ( ! $this->_client instanceof Request_Client)
diff --git a/tests/kohana/RequestTest.php b/tests/kohana/RequestTest.php
index d0b510c34..681513233 100644
--- a/tests/kohana/RequestTest.php
+++ b/tests/kohana/RequestTest.php
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ public function test_initial()
 
 	/**
 	 * Tests that the allow_external flag prevents an external request.
-	 * 
-	 * @expectedException HTTP_Exception_404
 	 *
 	 * @return null
 	 */
@@ -89,7 +87,8 @@ public function test_disable_external_tests()
 		);
 
 		$request = new Request('http://www.google.com/', array(), FALSE);
-		$request->execute();
+
+		$this->assertEquals(FALSE, $request->is_external());
 	}
 
 	/**