diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cca9e09f49a7..7033f7869f77 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
 
 - [#6707](https://github.com/ChainSafe/forest/issues/6707): Added missing `GoldenWeek` network upgrade entry in `Filecoin.StateGetNetworkParams` RPC method.
 
+- [#6817](https://github.com/ChainSafe/forest/pull/6817): Fixed `StateSearchMsg` to return null instead of error when not found to match Lotus behaviour.
+
 ## Forest v0.32.4 "Mild Inconvenience"
 
 This is a non-mandatory release for all node operators. It enables F3 finality resolution on ETH v1 RPC methods.
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index c922f966e953..669d89f21f47 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -241,8 +241,7 @@ tail -n +2 .config/forest.dic | diff - "$TMPFILE"
 [tasks.insta]
 description = "Update insta snapshots."
 run = '''
-cargo test --lib -- rpc::tests::openrpc
-cargo insta accept
+cargo test --lib -- rpc::tests::openrpc || cargo insta accept
 '''
 tools.cargo-insta = "1.46"
 
diff --git a/src/rpc/methods/state.rs b/src/rpc/methods/state.rs
index d786d9df31ad..93dbc80bbe84 100644
--- a/src/rpc/methods/state.rs
+++ b/src/rpc/methods/state.rs
@@ -1267,11 +1267,12 @@ impl RpcMethod<4> for StateSearchMsg {
         ["tipsetKey", "messageCid", "lookBackLimit", "allowReplaced"];
     const API_PATHS: BitFlags<ApiPaths> = ApiPaths::all();
     const PERMISSION: Permission = Permission::Read;
-    const DESCRIPTION: Option<&'static str> =
-        Some("Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in.");
+    const DESCRIPTION: Option<&'static str> = Some(
+        "Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in, or null if the message was not found.",
+    );
 
     type Params = (ApiTipsetKey, Cid, i64, bool);
-    type Ok = MessageLookup;
+    type Ok = Option<MessageLookup>;
 
     async fn handle(
         ctx: Ctx<impl Blockstore + Send + Sync + 'static>,
@@ -1281,7 +1282,7 @@ impl RpcMethod<4> for StateSearchMsg {
         let from = tsk
             .map(|k| ctx.chain_index().load_required_tipset(&k))
             .transpose()?;
-        let (tipset, receipt) = ctx
+        let Some((tipset, receipt)) = ctx
             .state_manager
             .search_for_message(
                 from,
@@ -1290,15 +1291,17 @@ impl RpcMethod<4> for StateSearchMsg {
                 Some(allow_replaced),
             )
             .await?
-            .with_context(|| format!("message {message_cid} not found."))?;
+        else {
+            return Ok(None);
+        };
         let ipld = receipt.return_data().deserialize().unwrap_or(Ipld::Null);
-        Ok(MessageLookup {
+        Ok(Some(MessageLookup {
             receipt,
             tipset: tipset.key().clone(),
             height: tipset.epoch(),
             message: message_cid,
             return_dec: ipld,
-        })
+        }))
     }
 }
 
@@ -1311,31 +1314,31 @@ impl RpcMethod<2> for StateSearchMsgLimited {
     const API_PATHS: BitFlags<ApiPaths> = make_bitflags!(ApiPaths::V0); // Not supported in V1
     const PERMISSION: Permission = Permission::Read;
     const DESCRIPTION: Option<&'static str> = Some(
-        "Looks back up to limit epochs in the chain for a message, and returns its receipt and the tipset where it was executed.",
+        "Looks back up to limit epochs in the chain for a message, and returns its receipt and the tipset where it was executed, or null if it was not found.",
     );
     type Params = (Cid, i64);
-    type Ok = MessageLookup;
+    type Ok = Option<MessageLookup>;
 
     async fn handle(
         ctx: Ctx<impl Blockstore + Send + Sync + 'static>,
         (message_cid, look_back_limit): Self::Params,
         _: &http::Extensions,
     ) -> Result<Self::Ok, ServerError> {
-        let (tipset, receipt) = ctx
+        let Some((tipset, receipt)) = ctx
             .state_manager
             .search_for_message(None, message_cid, Some(look_back_limit), None)
             .await?
-            .with_context(|| {
-                format!("message {message_cid} not found within the last {look_back_limit} epochs")
-            })?;
+        else {
+            return Ok(None);
+        };
         let ipld = receipt.return_data().deserialize().unwrap_or(Ipld::Null);
-        Ok(MessageLookup {
+        Ok(Some(MessageLookup {
             receipt,
             tipset: tipset.key().clone(),
             height: tipset.epoch(),
             message: message_cid,
             return_dec: ipld,
-        })
+        }))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v0.snap b/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v0.snap
index 5d385bf493fa..78f1cb5494ef 100644
--- a/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v0.snap
+++ b/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v0.snap
@@ -3515,7 +3515,7 @@ methods:
         $ref: "#/components/schemas/ApiInvocResult"
     paramStructure: by-position
   - name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsg
-    description: Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in.
+    description: "Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in, or null if the message was not found."
     params:
       - name: tipsetKey
         required: true
@@ -3540,12 +3540,14 @@ methods:
           type: boolean
     result:
       name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsg.Result
-      required: true
+      required: false
       schema:
-        $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+        anyOf:
+          - $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+          - type: "null"
     paramStructure: by-position
   - name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsgLimited
-    description: "Looks back up to limit epochs in the chain for a message, and returns its receipt and the tipset where it was executed."
+    description: "Looks back up to limit epochs in the chain for a message, and returns its receipt and the tipset where it was executed, or null if it was not found."
     params:
       - name: message_cid
         required: true
@@ -3558,9 +3560,11 @@ methods:
           format: int64
     result:
       name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsgLimited.Result
-      required: true
+      required: false
       schema:
-        $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+        anyOf:
+          - $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+          - type: "null"
     paramStructure: by-position
   - name: Filecoin.StateSectorExpiration
     description: Returns the epoch at which the specified sector will expire.
diff --git a/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v1.snap b/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v1.snap
index 7a718c0d6c61..6045bf27290f 100644
--- a/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v1.snap
+++ b/src/rpc/snapshots/forest__rpc__tests__rpc__v1.snap
@@ -3575,7 +3575,7 @@ methods:
         $ref: "#/components/schemas/ApiInvocResult"
     paramStructure: by-position
   - name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsg
-    description: Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in.
+    description: "Returns the receipt and tipset the specified message was included in, or null if the message was not found."
     params:
       - name: tipsetKey
         required: true
@@ -3600,9 +3600,11 @@ methods:
           type: boolean
     result:
       name: Filecoin.StateSearchMsg.Result
-      required: true
+      required: false
       schema:
-        $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+        anyOf:
+          - $ref: "#/components/schemas/MessageLookup"
+          - type: "null"
     paramStructure: by-position
   - name: Filecoin.StateSectorExpiration
     description: Returns the epoch at which the specified sector will expire.
diff --git a/src/tool/subcommands/api_cmd/api_compare_tests.rs b/src/tool/subcommands/api_cmd/api_compare_tests.rs
index 8490123bff31..3339b32f622e 100644
--- a/src/tool/subcommands/api_cmd/api_compare_tests.rs
+++ b/src/tool/subcommands/api_cmd/api_compare_tests.rs
@@ -1226,11 +1226,11 @@ fn state_tests_with_tipset<DB: Blockstore>(
         for msg_cid in sample_message_cids(bls_messages.iter(), secp_messages.iter()) {
             tests.extend([
                 RpcTest::identity(StateReplay::request((tipset.key().into(), msg_cid))?),
-                validate_message_lookup(
+                validate_message_wait(
                     StateWaitMsg::request((msg_cid, 0, 10101, true))?
                         .with_timeout(Duration::from_secs(15)),
                 ),
-                validate_message_lookup(
+                validate_message_wait(
                     StateWaitMsg::request((msg_cid, 0, 10101, false))?
                         .with_timeout(Duration::from_secs(15)),
                 ),
@@ -2780,7 +2780,7 @@ fn dump_test_data(dump_dir: &Path, success: bool, test_dump: &TestDump) -> anyho
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn validate_message_lookup(req: rpc::Request<MessageLookup>) -> RpcTest {
+fn validate_message_wait(req: rpc::Request<MessageLookup>) -> RpcTest {
     RpcTest::validate(req, |mut forest, mut lotus| {
         // TODO(hanabi1224): https://github.com/ChainSafe/forest/issues/3784
         forest.return_dec = Ipld::Null;
@@ -2789,6 +2789,19 @@ fn validate_message_lookup(req: rpc::Request<MessageLookup>) -> RpcTest {
     })
 }
 
+fn validate_message_lookup(req: rpc::Request<Option<MessageLookup>>) -> RpcTest {
+    RpcTest::validate(req, |mut forest, mut lotus| {
+        // TODO(hanabi1224): https://github.com/ChainSafe/forest/issues/3784
+        if let Some(forest) = &mut forest {
+            forest.return_dec = Ipld::Null;
+        }
+        if let Some(lotus) = &mut lotus {
+            lotus.return_dec = Ipld::Null;
+        }
+        forest == lotus
+    })
+}
+
 fn validate_tagged_tipset_v2(req: rpc::Request<Tipset>, offline: bool) -> RpcTest {
     RpcTest::validate(req, move |forest, lotus| {
         if offline {