diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException.java
index eac49adbe9e..48ab291de8d 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus;
+
 /**
  * @author kimchy (Shay Banon)
  */
@@ -35,4 +37,8 @@ public class ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException extends ElasticSearchExceptio
     public ElasticSearchIllegalArgumentException(String msg, Throwable cause) {
         super(msg, cause);
     }
+
+    @Override public RestStatus status() {
+        return RestStatus.BAD_REQUEST;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/alias/RestIndicesAliasesAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/alias/RestIndicesAliasesAction.java
index 0ca90923a4c..974093bdf37 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/alias/RestIndicesAliasesAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/alias/RestIndicesAliasesAction.java
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ public class RestIndicesAliasesAction extends BaseRestHandler {
                 channel.sendResponse(new XContentThrowableRestResponse(request, e));
             } catch (IOException e1) {
                 logger.warn("Failed to send response", e1);
-                return;
             }
+            return;
         }
         client.admin().indices().aliases(indicesAliasesRequest, new ActionListener<IndicesAliasesResponse>() {
             @Override public void onResponse(IndicesAliasesResponse response) {