diff --git a/lib/application.js b/lib/application.js
index f421f706..eb01d398 100644
--- a/lib/application.js
+++ b/lib/application.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ app.model = function (Model, config) {
     configureModel(Model, config, this);
     isPublic = config.public !== false;
   } else {
-    assert(Model.prototype instanceof loopback.Model,
+    assert(Model.prototype instanceof registry.Model,
       'Model must be a descendant of loopback.Model');
   }
 
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ app.dataSources = app.datasources = {};
 
 app.enableAuth = function() {
   var remotes = this.remotes();
+  var app = this;
 
   remotes.before('**', function(ctx, next, method) {
     var req = ctx.req;
@@ -327,6 +328,12 @@ app.enableAuth = function() {
     var modelInstance = ctx.instance;
     var modelId = modelInstance && modelInstance.id || req.param('id');
 
+    var modelSettings = Model.settings || {};
+    var errStatusCode = modelSettings.aclErrorStatus || app.get('aclErrorStatus') || 401;
+    if(!req.accessToken){
+      errStatusCode = 401;
+    }
+
     if(Model.checkAccess) {
       // Pause the request before checking access
       // See https://github.com/strongloop/loopback-storage-service/issues/7
@@ -344,8 +351,15 @@ app.enableAuth = function() {
           } else if(allowed) {
             next();
           } else {
-            var e = new Error('Access Denied');
-            e.statusCode = 401;
+
+            var messages = {
+              403:'Access Denied',
+              404: ('could not find a model with id ' + modelId),
+              401:'Authorization Required'
+            };
+
+            var e = new Error(messages[errStatusCode] || messages[403]);
+            e.statusCode = errStatusCode;
             next(e);
           }
         }
diff --git a/test/access-token.test.js b/test/access-token.test.js
index a9e47aab..75b8874b 100644
--- a/test/access-token.test.js
+++ b/test/access-token.test.js
@@ -81,13 +81,38 @@ describe('app.enableAuth()', function() {
 
   beforeEach(createTestingToken);
 
-  it('should prevent remote method calls if the accessToken doesnt have access', function (done) {
+  it('prevents remote call with 401 status on denied ACL', function (done) {
     createTestAppAndRequest(this.token, done)
       .del('/tests/123')
       .expect(401)
       .set('authorization', this.token.id)
       .end(done);
   });
+
+  it('prevent remote call with app setting status on denied ACL', function (done) {
+    createTestAppAndRequest(this.token, {app:{aclErrorStatus:403}}, done)
+      .del('/tests/123')
+      .expect(403)
+      .set('authorization', this.token.id)
+      .end(done);
+  });
+
+  it('prevent remote call with app setting status on denied ACL', function (done) {
+    createTestAppAndRequest(this.token, {model:{aclErrorStatus:404}}, done)
+      .del('/tests/123')
+      .expect(404)
+      .set('authorization', this.token.id)
+      .end(done);
+  });
+
+  it('prevent remote call if the accessToken is missing and required', function (done) {
+    createTestAppAndRequest(null, done)
+      .del('/tests/123')
+      .expect(401)
+      .set('authorization', null)
+      .end(done);
+  });
+
 });
 
 function createTestingToken(done) {
@@ -99,12 +124,19 @@ function createTestingToken(done) {
   });
 }
 
-function createTestAppAndRequest(testToken, done) {
-  var app = createTestApp(testToken, done);
+function createTestAppAndRequest(testToken, settings, done) {
+  var app = createTestApp(testToken, settings, done);
   return request(app);
 }
 
-function createTestApp(testToken, done) {
+function createTestApp(testToken, settings, done) {
+  done = arguments[arguments.length-1];
+  if(settings == done) settings = {};
+  settings = settings || {};
+
+  var appSettings = settings.app || {};
+  var modelSettings = settings.model || {};
+
   var app = loopback();
 
   app.use(loopback.cookieParser('secret'));
@@ -125,7 +157,11 @@ function createTestApp(testToken, done) {
   app.use(loopback.rest());
   app.enableAuth();
 
-  var TestModel = loopback.PersistedModel.extend('test', {}, {
+  Object.keys(appSettings).forEach(function(key){
+    app.set(key, appSettings[key]);
+  });
+
+  var modelOptions = {
     acls: [
       {
         principalType: "ROLE",
@@ -135,8 +171,14 @@ function createTestApp(testToken, done) {
         property: 'removeById'
       }
     ]
+  };
+
+  Object.keys(modelSettings).forEach(function(key){
+    modelOptions[key] = modelSettings[key];
   });
 
+  var TestModel = loopback.PersistedModel.extend('test', {}, modelOptions);
+
   TestModel.attachTo(loopback.memory());
   app.model(TestModel);