diff --git a/changelog/23171.txt b/changelog/23171.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75bd32d4cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/23171.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+```release-note:bug
+plugins: Runtime catalog returns 404 instead of 500 when reading a runtime that does not exist
+```
+```release-note:bug
+plugins: `vault plugin runtime list` can successfully list plugin runtimes with GET
+```
diff --git a/vault/logical_system.go b/vault/logical_system.go
index 49353b838c..fea383a6af 100644
--- a/vault/logical_system.go
+++ b/vault/logical_system.go
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) handlePluginRuntimeCatalogRead(ctx context.Context, _ *l
 	}
 
 	conf, err := b.Core.pluginRuntimeCatalog.Get(ctx, runtimeName, runtimeType)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, ErrPluginRuntimeNotFound) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if conf == nil {
diff --git a/vault/logical_system_paths.go b/vault/logical_system_paths.go
index 94edd873a6..8aedee519e 100644
--- a/vault/logical_system_paths.go
+++ b/vault/logical_system_paths.go
@@ -2224,6 +2224,21 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) pluginsRuntimesCatalogCRUDPath() *framework.Path {
 }
 
 func (b *SystemBackend) pluginsRuntimesCatalogListPaths() []*framework.Path {
+	handler := &framework.PathOperation{
+		Callback: b.handlePluginRuntimeCatalogList,
+		Responses: map[int][]framework.Response{
+			http.StatusOK: {{
+				Description: "OK",
+				Fields: map[string]*framework.FieldSchema{
+					"runtimes": {
+						Type:        framework.TypeSlice,
+						Description: "List of all plugin runtimes in the catalog",
+						Required:    true,
+					},
+				},
+			}},
+		},
+	}
 	return []*framework.Path{
 		{
 			Pattern: "plugins/runtimes/catalog/?$",
@@ -2235,21 +2250,8 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) pluginsRuntimesCatalogListPaths() []*framework.Path {
 			},
 
 			Operations: map[logical.Operation]framework.OperationHandler{
-				logical.ListOperation: &framework.PathOperation{
-					Callback: b.handlePluginRuntimeCatalogList,
-					Responses: map[int][]framework.Response{
-						http.StatusOK: {{
-							Description: "OK",
-							Fields: map[string]*framework.FieldSchema{
-								"runtimes": {
-									Type:        framework.TypeSlice,
-									Description: "List of all plugin runtimes in the catalog",
-									Required:    true,
-								},
-							},
-						}},
-					},
-				},
+				logical.ReadOperation: handler,
+				logical.ListOperation: handler,
 			},
 
 			HelpSynopsis:    strings.TrimSpace(sysHelp["plugin-runtime-catalog-list-all"][0]),
diff --git a/vault/logical_system_test.go b/vault/logical_system_test.go
index 5e45e468ad..45b8a8eb02 100644
--- a/vault/logical_system_test.go
+++ b/vault/logical_system_test.go
@@ -6122,17 +6122,19 @@ func TestSystemBackend_pluginRuntimeCRUD(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// List the plugin runtimes (untyped or all)
-	req = logical.TestRequest(t, logical.ListOperation, "plugins/runtimes/catalog")
-	resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), req)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
-	}
+	for _, op := range []logical.Operation{logical.ListOperation, logical.ReadOperation} {
+		req = logical.TestRequest(t, op, "plugins/runtimes/catalog")
+		resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), req)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	listExp := map[string]interface{}{
-		"runtimes": []map[string]any{readExp},
-	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(resp.Data, listExp) {
-		t.Fatalf("got: %#v expect: %#v", resp.Data, listExp)
+		listExp := map[string]interface{}{
+			"runtimes": []map[string]any{readExp},
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(resp.Data, listExp) {
+			t.Fatalf("got: %#v expect: %#v", resp.Data, listExp)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Delete the plugin runtime
@@ -6156,8 +6158,8 @@ func TestSystemBackend_pluginRuntimeCRUD(t *testing.T) {
 	// Read the plugin runtime (deleted)
 	req = logical.TestRequest(t, logical.ReadOperation, "plugins/runtimes/catalog/container/foo")
 	resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), req)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected a read error after the runtime was deleted")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected a 404")
 	}
 	if resp != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", resp)
@@ -6170,7 +6172,7 @@ func TestSystemBackend_pluginRuntimeCRUD(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	listExp = map[string]interface{}{}
+	listExp := map[string]interface{}{}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(resp.Data, listExp) {
 		t.Fatalf("got: %#v expect: %#v", resp.Data, listExp)
 	}
diff --git a/vault/plugin_runtime_catalog.go b/vault/plugin_runtime_catalog.go
index 87cae43a1b..9ce5a6e844 100644
--- a/vault/plugin_runtime_catalog.go
+++ b/vault/plugin_runtime_catalog.go
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ func (c *PluginRuntimeCatalog) Get(ctx context.Context, name string, prt consts.
 	defer c.lock.RUnlock()
 	entry, err := c.catalogView.Get(ctx, storageKey)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve plugin runtime %q %q: %w", prt.String(), name, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve %s plugin runtime %q: %w", prt.String(), name, err)
 	}
 	if entry == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve plugin %q %q: %w", prt.String(), name, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve %s plugin runtime %q: %w", prt.String(), name, ErrPluginRuntimeNotFound)
 	}
 	runner := new(pluginruntimeutil.PluginRuntimeConfig)
 	if err := jsonutil.DecodeJSON(entry.Value, runner); err != nil {