diff --git a/collects/web-server/configuration/responders.rkt b/collects/web-server/configuration/responders.rkt
index 40170664e5..3d76156942 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/configuration/responders.rkt
+++ b/collects/web-server/configuration/responders.rkt
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 (define (pretty-exception-response url exn)
   (response/xexpr
+   #:code 500
    `(html
      (head
       (title "Servlet Error")
diff --git a/collects/web-server/servlet/web.rkt b/collects/web-server/servlet/web.rkt
index 8efa13f2d2..2a2c7f5a25 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/servlet/web.rkt
+++ b/collects/web-server/servlet/web.rkt
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@
         (lambda (exn)
           (send/finish-or-back
            (response/xexpr
+            #:code 500
             `(html (head (title "Servlet Error"))
                    (body ([bgcolor "white"])
                          (p "The following error occured: "