diff --git a/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java b/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
index 8207b986bfc..065937c1eb7 100644
--- a/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
+++ b/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ public class ProxyServlet extends HttpServlet
 
         if (rewrittenURI == null)
         {
-            response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN);
+            onRewriteFailed(request, response);
             return;
         }
 
@@ -490,6 +490,11 @@ public class ProxyServlet extends HttpServlet
         proxyRequest.send(new ProxyResponseListener(request, response));
     }
 
+    protected void onRewriteFailed(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws IOException
+    {
+        response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN);
+    }
+
     protected Request addViaHeader(Request proxyRequest)
     {
         return proxyRequest.header(HttpHeader.VIA, "http/1.1 " + getViaHost());