diff --git a/integreat_cms/cms/views/error_handler/error_handler.py b/integreat_cms/cms/views/error_handler/error_handler.py
index 9f5ee23fce..84e6ab74e6 100644
--- a/integreat_cms/cms/views/error_handler/error_handler.py
+++ b/integreat_cms/cms/views/error_handler/error_handler.py
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.http import (
-    HttpResponseBadRequest,
-    HttpResponseForbidden,
-    HttpResponseNotFound,
-    HttpResponseServerError,
-)
+from django.http import HttpResponse, JsonResponse
 from django.template.loader import render_to_string
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 
@@ -23,6 +18,19 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def is_api_request(request: HttpRequest) -> bool:
+    """
+    Check whether the given request is directed at the API
+
+    :param request: Object representing the user call
+    :return: Whether the request belongs to the API namespace
+    """
+    if request.resolver_match:
+        return request.resolver_match.app_name == "api"
+    # If the url could not be resolved at all, fall back to the url prefix of the API
+    return request.path.startswith("/api/")
+
+
 def render_error_template(context: dict[str, Any]) -> SafeString:
     """
     Render the HTTP error template
@@ -41,13 +49,27 @@ def render_error_template(context: dict[str, Any]) -> SafeString:
     return render_to_string("error_handler/http_error.html", context)
 
 
-def handler400(request: HttpRequest, exception: BadRequest) -> HttpResponseBadRequest:
+def render_error_response(context: dict[str, Any]) -> HttpResponse:
+    """
+    Render the HTTP error response
+
+    Requests to the API always return JSON, all other requests return the rendered HTML error template.
+
+    :param context: The context data for the error
+    :return: The error response
+    """
+    if is_api_request(context["request"]):
+        return JsonResponse({"error": context["message"]}, status=context["code"])
+    return HttpResponse(render_error_template(context), status=context["code"])
+
+
+def handler400(request: HttpRequest, exception: BadRequest) -> HttpResponse:
     """
     Render a HTTP 400 Error code
 
     :param request: Object representing the user call
     :param exception: Exception (unused)
-    :return: The rendered template response
+    :return: The error response
     """
     context = {
         "request": request,
@@ -56,19 +78,19 @@ def handler400(request: HttpRequest, exception: BadRequest) -> HttpResponseBadRe
         "message": _("There was an error in your request."),
     }
     logger.debug(exception)
-    return HttpResponseBadRequest(render_error_template(context))
+    return render_error_response(context)
 
 
 def handler403(
     request: HttpRequest,
     exception: PermissionDenied,
-) -> HttpResponseForbidden:
+) -> HttpResponse:
     """
     Render a HTTP 403 Error code
 
     :param request: Object representing the user call
     :param exception: Exception (unused)
-    :return: The rendered template response
+    :return: The error response
     """
     context = {
         "request": request,
@@ -77,16 +99,16 @@ def handler403(
         "message": _("You don't have the permission to access this page."),
     }
     logger.debug(exception)
-    return HttpResponseForbidden(render_error_template(context))
+    return render_error_response(context)
 
 
-def handler404(request: HttpRequest, exception: Http404) -> HttpResponseNotFound:
+def handler404(request: HttpRequest, exception: Http404) -> HttpResponse:
     """
     Render a HTTP 404 Error code
 
     :param request: Object representing the user call
     :param exception: Exception (unused)
-    :return: The rendered template response
+    :return: The error response
     """
     context = {
         "request": request,
@@ -95,15 +117,15 @@ def handler404(request: HttpRequest, exception: Http404) -> HttpResponseNotFound
         "message": _("The page you requested could not be found."),
     }
     logger.debug(exception)
-    return HttpResponseNotFound(render_error_template(context))
+    return render_error_response(context)
 
 
-def handler500(request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponseServerError:
+def handler500(request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
     """
     Render a HTTP 500 Error code
 
     :param request: Object representing the user call
-    :return: The rendered template response
+    :return: The error response
     """
     context = {
         "request": request,
@@ -111,16 +133,16 @@ def handler500(request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponseServerError:
         "title": _("Internal Server Error"),
         "message": _("An unexpected error has occurred."),
     }
-    return HttpResponseServerError(render_error_template(context))
+    return render_error_response(context)
 
 
-def csrf_failure(request: HttpRequest, reason: str) -> HttpResponseForbidden:
+def csrf_failure(request: HttpRequest, reason: str) -> HttpResponse:
     """
     Render a CSRF failure notice
 
     :param request: Object representing the user call
     :param reason: Description of reason for CSRF failure
-    :return: The rendered template response
+    :return: The error response
     """
     context = {
         "request": request,
@@ -129,4 +151,4 @@ def csrf_failure(request: HttpRequest, reason: str) -> HttpResponseForbidden:
         "message": _("Please try to reload the page."),
     }
     logger.debug(reason)
-    return HttpResponseForbidden(render_error_template(context))
+    return render_error_response(context)
diff --git a/integreat_cms/release_notes/current/unreleased/2308.yml b/integreat_cms/release_notes/current/unreleased/2308.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e25fe99035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/integreat_cms/release_notes/current/unreleased/2308.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+en: Fix errors not being returned as JSON for the API
+de: Behebe Fehler, die für die API nicht als JSON zurückgegeben wurden