diff --git a/loop/server/loophttp.go b/loop/server/loophttp.go
index 550760c..6fa3aae 100644
--- a/loop/server/loophttp.go
+++ b/loop/server/loophttp.go
@@ -1443,12 +1443,14 @@
 
 	// Get file content using GitCat
 	content, err := git_tools.GitCat(repoDir, path)
-	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+	switch {
+	case err == nil:
+		// continued below
+	case errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist), strings.Contains(err.Error(), "not tracked by git"):
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
 		return
-	}
-	if err != nil {
-		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Error reading file: %v", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	default:
+		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("error reading file: %v", err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/webui/src/web-components/git-data-service.ts b/webui/src/web-components/git-data-service.ts
index b3aec25..6ff89af 100644
--- a/webui/src/web-components/git-data-service.ts
+++ b/webui/src/web-components/git-data-service.ts
@@ -166,6 +166,9 @@
           `Failed to fetch working copy content (${response.status}): ${errorText}`,
         );
       }
+      if (response.status === 204) {
+        return ""; // file doesn't exist
+      }
 
       const data = await response.json();
       return data.output || "";