diff --git a/libraries/src/MVC/Controller/ApiController.php b/libraries/src/MVC/Controller/ApiController.php
index 557209af4e55e..681438ece2c93 100644
--- a/libraries/src/MVC/Controller/ApiController.php
+++ b/libraries/src/MVC/Controller/ApiController.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 use Joomla\CMS\MVC\Model\ListModel;
 use Joomla\CMS\MVC\Model\State;
 use Joomla\CMS\MVC\View\JsonApiView;
+use Joomla\CMS\Response\JsonResponse;
 use Joomla\Input\Input;
 use Joomla\Registry\Registry;
 use Tobscure\JsonApi\Exception\InvalidParameterException;
@@ -304,6 +305,23 @@ public function delete($id = null)
             if ($model->getError() !== false) {
                 throw new \RuntimeException($model->getError(), 500);
             }
+
+            // If the model has set a 409 status code in the session, we return a 409 http status codee
+            if ($this->app->getSession()->get('http_status_code_409', false)) {
+                $this->app->getSession()->clear('http_status_code_409');
+                $this->app->setHeader('status', 409, true);
+                $this->app->setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
+                $this->app->sendHeaders();
+                $body = [
+                    'status'  => 'Conflict',
+                    'code'    => 409,
+                    'message' => 'Resource not in state that can be deleted, must be trashed before it can be deleted',
+                ];
+                echo new JsonResponse($body);
+                $this->app->close();
+            } else {
+                throw new \RuntimeException(Text::_('JLIB_APPLICATION_ERROR_DELETE'), 500);
+            }
         }
 
         $this->app->setHeader('status', 204);
diff --git a/libraries/src/MVC/Model/AdminModel.php b/libraries/src/MVC/Model/AdminModel.php
index e451ebccf39a9..78e57662704f0 100644
--- a/libraries/src/MVC/Model/AdminModel.php
+++ b/libraries/src/MVC/Model/AdminModel.php
@@ -953,14 +953,30 @@ public function delete(&$pks)
                         return false;
                     }
 
+                    if (Factory::getApplication()->isClient('api')) {
+                        $session = Factory::getApplication()->getSession();
+                        $session->set('http_status_code_409', true);
+                    }
+
                     Log::add(Text::_('JLIB_APPLICATION_ERROR_DELETE_NOT_PERMITTED'), Log::WARNING, 'jerror');
 
                     return false;
                 }
             } else {
-                $this->setError($table->getError());
+                $error = $this->getError();
+                if ($error) {
+                    $this->setError($table->getError());
 
-                return false;
+                    return false;
+                }
+                if (Factory::getApplication()->isClient('api')) {
+                    $session = Factory::getApplication()->getSession();
+                    $session->set('http_status_code_409', true);
+                }
+
+                Log::add(Text::_('JLIB_APPLICATION_ERROR_DELETE_NOT_PERMITTED'), Log::WARNING, 'jerror');
+
+                return true;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/phpstan-baseline.neon b/phpstan-baseline.neon
index 7840bbd8a9d78..0d1c784fef2ce 100644
--- a/phpstan-baseline.neon
+++ b/phpstan-baseline.neon
@@ -13104,7 +13104,7 @@ parameters:
 				             Catch thrown Exceptions instead of getError$#
 			'''
 			identifier: method.deprecated
-			count: 1
+			count: 2
 			path: libraries/src/MVC/Model/AdminModel.php
 
 		-
diff --git a/tests/System/integration/api/com_banners/Banners.cy.js b/tests/System/integration/api/com_banners/Banners.cy.js
index 6619b1ed4ee6f..e7c8d2b524ac5 100644
--- a/tests/System/integration/api/com_banners/Banners.cy.js
+++ b/tests/System/integration/api/com_banners/Banners.cy.js
@@ -48,4 +48,28 @@ describe('Test that banners API endpoint', () => {
     cy.db_createBanner({ name: 'automated test banner', state: -2 })
       .then((banner) => cy.api_delete(`/banners/${banner.id}`));
   });
+
+  it('check correct response for delete a not existent contact', () => {
+     cy.api_delete('/banners/9999')
+      .then((result) => expect(result.status).to.eq(204));
+  });
+
+  it('cannot delete a banner that is not trashed', () => {
+    cy.db_createBanner({ name: 'automated test banner' })
+      .then((banner) => {
+        cy.api_getBearerToken().then((token) => {
+          cy.request({
+            method: 'DELETE',
+            url: `/api/index.php/v1/banners/${banner.id}`,
+            headers: {
+              Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+            },
+            failOnStatusCode: false
+          }).then((response) => {
+            expect(response.status).to.equal(409);
+            expect(response.body.data.message).to.include('must be trashed before it can be deleted');
+          });
+        });
+      });
+  });
 });