diff --git a/common/database/mongo_database.go b/common/database/mongo_database.go
index 223d9df3..7a45b90a 100644
--- a/common/database/mongo_database.go
+++ b/common/database/mongo_database.go
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ func (db *MongoDatabase) Connect(host string) error {
 		return ErrConnection
 	}
 
+	dial_info.Timeout = 60 * time.Second
 	if config.IS_PRODUCTION {
 		dial_info.DialServer = func(addr *mgo.ServerAddr) (net.Conn, error) {
 			tls_config := &tls.Config{}
 			connection, err := tls.Dial("tcp", addr.String(), tls_config)
 			return connection, err
 		}
-		dial_info.Timeout = 60 * time.Second
 	}
 
 	session, err := mgo.DialWithInfo(dial_info)
diff --git a/common/errors/DatabaseError.go b/common/errors/DatabaseError.go
index 7d032b1a..e6cc910e 100644
--- a/common/errors/DatabaseError.go
+++ b/common/errors/DatabaseError.go
@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
 package errors
 
-import "net/http"
+import (
+	"net/http"
+)
+
+const MONGO_NOT_FOUND_ERR = "Error: NOT_FOUND"
 
 // An error that occurs when a database operation (e.g. fetch / insert / update) doesn't work.
 func DatabaseError(raw_error string, message string) ApiError {
-	return ApiError{Status: http.StatusInternalServerError, Type: "DATABASE_ERROR", Message: message, RawError: raw_error}
+	http_status_error := http.StatusInternalServerError
+	if raw_error == MONGO_NOT_FOUND_ERR {
+		http_status_error = http.StatusNotFound
+	}
+
+	return ApiError{Status: http_status_error, Type: "DATABASE_ERROR", Message: message, RawError: raw_error}
 }
diff --git a/services/project/main.go b/services/project/main.go
index cb127762..5b12881f 100644
--- a/services/project/main.go
+++ b/services/project/main.go
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package project
 
 import (
+	"log"
+
 	"github.com/HackIllinois/api/common/apiserver"
 	"github.com/HackIllinois/api/services/project/config"
 	"github.com/HackIllinois/api/services/project/controller"
 	"github.com/HackIllinois/api/services/project/service"
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
-	"log"
 )
 
 func Initialize() error {