diff --git a/src/controllers.rs b/src/controllers.rs
index 6179e6399ec..1440bc67187 100644
--- a/src/controllers.rs
+++ b/src/controllers.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 mod cargo_prelude {
     pub use super::prelude::*;
-    pub use crate::util::errors::cargo_err;
 }
 
 mod frontend_prelude {
diff --git a/src/controllers/version/yank.rs b/src/controllers/version/yank.rs
index bb01734d897..801428f412e 100644
--- a/src/controllers/version/yank.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/version/yank.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use crate::models::Rights;
 use crate::models::{insert_version_owner_action, VersionAction};
 use crate::rate_limiter::LimitedAction;
 use crate::schema::versions;
-use crate::util::errors::version_not_found;
+use crate::util::errors::{custom, version_not_found};
 use crate::worker::jobs;
 use tokio::runtime::Handle;
 
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ fn modify_yank(
                 user.gh_login, krate.name, version.num
             );
         } else {
-            return Err(cargo_err("must already be an owner to yank or unyank"));
+            return Err(custom(
+                StatusCode::FORBIDDEN,
+                "must already be an owner to yank or unyank",
+            ));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tests/routes/crates/versions/yank_unyank.rs b/src/tests/routes/crates/versions/yank_unyank.rs
index d6016ab18b0..155b0863976 100644
--- a/src/tests/routes/crates/versions/yank_unyank.rs
+++ b/src/tests/routes/crates/versions/yank_unyank.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ fn yank_by_a_non_owner_fails() {
     });
 
     let response = token.yank("foo_not", "1.0.0");
-    assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::FORBIDDEN);
     assert_eq!(
         response.json(),
         json!({ "errors": [{ "detail": "must already be an owner to yank or unyank" }] })