diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/edit/EntityEditController.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/edit/EntityEditController.java
index 564d0f0e1..cd8f7aeed 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/edit/EntityEditController.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/controller/edit/EntityEditController.java
@@ -72,7 +72,18 @@ public class EntityEditController extends BaseEditController {
 
         Individual ent = vreq.getAssertionsWebappDaoFactory().getIndividualDao().getIndividualByURI(entURI);
         if (ent == null) {
-        	ent = new IndividualImpl(entURI);
+        	try {
+        		RequestDispatcher rd = request.getRequestDispatcher(Controllers.BASIC_JSP);
+        		request.setAttribute("bodyJsp","/jenaIngest/notfound.jsp");
+        		request.setAttribute("portalBean",portal);
+        		request.setAttribute("title","Individual Not Found");
+        		request.setAttribute("css", "<link rel=\"stylesheet\" type=\"text/css\" href=\""+portal.getThemeDir()+"css/edit.css\"/>");
+        		rd.forward(request, response);
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                log.error("EntityEditController could not forward to view.");
+                log.error(e.getMessage());
+                log.error(e.getStackTrace());
+            }
         }
         
         Individual inferredEnt = vreq.getFullWebappDaoFactory().getIndividualDao().getIndividualByURI(entURI);