diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/api_helper.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/api_helper.py
index 2e908fca21..f9febd17d7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/api_helper.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/api_helper.py
@@ -189,13 +189,13 @@ def get_status_from_instructor_task(instructor_task):
      """
     status = {}
 
-    if instructor_task.task_output is not None:
-        status['task_progress'] = json.loads(instructor_task.task_output)
-
-    # status basic information matching what's stored in InstructorTask:
-    status['task_id'] = instructor_task.task_id
-    status['task_state'] = instructor_task.task_state
-    status['in_progress'] = instructor_task.task_state not in READY_STATES
+    if instructor_task is not None:
+        # status basic information matching what's stored in InstructorTask:
+        status['task_id'] = instructor_task.task_id
+        status['task_state'] = instructor_task.task_state
+        status['in_progress'] = instructor_task.task_state not in READY_STATES
+        if instructor_task.task_output is not None:
+            status['task_progress'] = json.loads(instructor_task.task_output)
 
     return status
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_views.py
index 584079830f..9020bf6e60 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_views.py
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ class InstructorTaskReportTest(InstructorTaskTestCase):
         output = json.loads(response.content)
         self.assertEquals(output['task_id'], task_id)
 
+    def test_missing_instructor_task_status(self):
+        task_id = "missing_id"
+        request = Mock()
+        request.REQUEST = {'task_id': task_id}
+        response = instructor_task_status(request)
+        output = json.loads(response.content)
+        self.assertEquals(output, {})
+
     def test_instructor_task_status_list(self):
         # Fetch status for existing tasks by arg list, as if called from ajax.
         # Note that ajax does something funny with the marshalling of
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/views.py
index d0d9cb4454..40f128d08e 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/views.py
@@ -17,6 +17,23 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 STATES_WITH_STATUS = [state for state in READY_STATES] + [PROGRESS]
 
 
+def _get_instructor_task_status(task_id):
+    """
+    Returns status for a specific task.
+
+    Written as an internal method here (rather than as a helper)
+    so that get_task_completion_info() can be called without
+    causing a circular dependency (since it's also called directly).
+    """
+    instructor_task = get_updated_instructor_task(task_id)
+    status = get_status_from_instructor_task(instructor_task)
+    if instructor_task is not None and instructor_task.task_state in STATES_WITH_STATUS:
+        succeeded, message = get_task_completion_info(instructor_task)
+        status['message'] = message
+        status['succeeded'] = succeeded
+    return status
+
+
 def instructor_task_status(request):
     """
     View method that returns the status of a course-related task or tasks.
@@ -57,30 +74,15 @@ def instructor_task_status(request):
           'traceback': optional, returned if task failed and produced a traceback.
 
     """
-    def get_instructor_task_status(task_id):
-        """
-        Returns status for a specific task.
-
-        Written as an internal method here (rather than as a helper)
-        so that get_task_completion_info() can be called without
-        causing a circular dependency (since it's also called directly).
-        """
-        instructor_task = get_updated_instructor_task(task_id)
-        status = get_status_from_instructor_task(instructor_task)
-        if instructor_task.task_state in STATES_WITH_STATUS:
-            succeeded, message = get_task_completion_info(instructor_task)
-            status['message'] = message
-            status['succeeded'] = succeeded
-        return status
 
     output = {}
     if 'task_id' in request.REQUEST:
         task_id = request.REQUEST['task_id']
-        output = get_instructor_task_status(task_id)
+        output = _get_instructor_task_status(task_id)
     elif 'task_ids[]' in request.REQUEST:
         tasks = request.REQUEST.getlist('task_ids[]')
         for task_id in tasks:
-            task_output = get_instructor_task_status(task_id)
+            task_output = _get_instructor_task_status(task_id)
             if task_output is not None:
                 output[task_id] = task_output