diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_op.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_op.cc
index 35bff735dbd..70d51f484d7 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_op.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_op.cc
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ void RGWListBuckets::execute()
                                 marker, read_count, should_get_stats());
 
     if (!started) {
-      send_response_begin();
+      send_response_begin(buckets.count() > 0);
       started = true;
     }
 
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ void RGWListBuckets::execute()
 
 send_end:
   if (!started) {
-    send_response_begin();
+    send_response_begin(false);
   }
   send_response_end();
 }
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_op.h b/src/rgw/rgw_op.h
index f0f773b5ac8..b3e8c86e3f0 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_op.h
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_op.h
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ public:
   void execute();
 
   virtual int get_params() = 0;
-  virtual void send_response_begin() = 0;
+  virtual void send_response_begin(bool has_buckets) = 0;
   virtual void send_response_data(RGWUserBuckets& buckets) = 0;
   virtual void send_response_end() = 0;
   virtual void send_response() {}
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
index 6866d17e8aa..38fab1bd2c1 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.cc
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ send_data:
   return 0;
 }
 
-void RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_S3::send_response_begin()
+void RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_S3::send_response_begin(bool has_buckets)
 {
   if (ret)
     set_req_state_err(s, ret);
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
index 16325978a7a..bf97c1a2993 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_s3.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public:
   ~RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_S3() {}
 
   int get_params() { return 0; }
-  virtual void send_response_begin();
+  virtual void send_response_begin(bool has_buckets);
   virtual void send_response_data(RGWUserBuckets& buckets);
   virtual void send_response_end();
 };
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.cc b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.cc
index 635bd2e7a01..f656bfb6821 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.cc
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.cc
@@ -43,10 +43,14 @@ int RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_SWIFT::get_params()
   return 0;
 }
 
-void RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_SWIFT::send_response_begin()
+void RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_SWIFT::send_response_begin(bool has_buckets)
 {
-  if (ret)
+  if (ret) {
     set_req_state_err(s, ret);
+  } else if (!has_buckets && s->format == RGW_FORMAT_PLAIN) {
+    ret = STATUS_NO_CONTENT;
+    set_req_state_err(s, ret);
+  }
   dump_errno(s);
   end_header(s);
 
diff --git a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.h b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.h
index e721f1cd1c1..e4b6f0bccee 100644
--- a/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.h
+++ b/src/rgw/rgw_rest_swift.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public:
   ~RGWListBuckets_ObjStore_SWIFT() {}
 
   int get_params();
-  void send_response_begin();
+  void send_response_begin(bool has_buckets);
   void send_response_data(RGWUserBuckets& buckets);
   void send_response_end();