diff --git a/api/views.py b/api/views.py
index 6b1719b2d..6baac6095 100644
--- a/api/views.py
+++ b/api/views.py
@@ -752,11 +752,8 @@ def get(self, request, format=None):
                 currency=currency, type=type, status=Order.Status.PUB
             )
 
-        if len(queryset) == 0:
-            return Response(
-                {"not_found": "No orders found, be the first to make one"},
-                status=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND,
-            )
+        if not queryset.exists():
+            return Response([], status=status.HTTP_200_OK)
 
         book_data = []
         for order in queryset:
diff --git a/frontend/src/models/Coordinator.model.ts b/frontend/src/models/Coordinator.model.ts
index adb086251..8b36b1719 100644
--- a/frontend/src/models/Coordinator.model.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/models/Coordinator.model.ts
@@ -196,16 +196,13 @@ export class Coordinator {
     apiClient
       .get(this.url, `/api/book/`, undefined, true)
       .then((data) => {
-        if (!data?.not_found) {
-          this.book = (data as PublicOrder[]).reduce<Record<string, PublicOrder>>((book, order) => {
-            order.coordinatorShortAlias = this.shortAlias;
-            return { ...book, [`${this.shortAlias}${order.id}`]: order };
-          }, {});
-          void this.generateAllMakerAvatars();
-          onDataLoad();
-        } else {
-          onDataLoad();
-        }
+        const orders = Array.isArray(data) ? data : [];
+        this.book = orders.reduce<Record<string, PublicOrder>>((book, order) => {
+          order.coordinatorShortAlias = this.shortAlias;
+          return { ...book, [`${this.shortAlias}${order.id}`]: order };
+        }, {});
+        void this.generateAllMakerAvatars();
+        onDataLoad();
       })
       .catch((e) => {
         console.log(e);
diff --git a/tests/test_trade_pipeline.py b/tests/test_trade_pipeline.py
index 724ee49df..f8481bd9d 100644
--- a/tests/test_trade_pipeline.py
+++ b/tests/test_trade_pipeline.py
@@ -2019,6 +2019,18 @@ def test_book(self):
         # Cancel order to avoid leaving pending HTLCs after a successful test
         trade.cancel_order()
 
+    def test_book_empty(self):
+        """
+        Tests public book view when there are no public orders.
+        """
+        path = reverse("book")
+
+        response = self.client.get(path)
+        data = response.json()
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(data, [])
+
     def test_robot_creation_with_valid_nostr_pubkey(self):
         """
         Test that a robot can be created with a valid 64-character hex nostr pubkey.