diff --git a/modules/gitrepo/commit_test.go b/modules/gitrepo/commit_test.go
index 638795a9855..a97a2bee265 100644
--- a/modules/gitrepo/commit_test.go
+++ b/modules/gitrepo/commit_test.go
@@ -21,19 +21,6 @@ func TestCommitsCount(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(3), commitsCount)
 }
 
-func TestCommitsCountWithoutBase(t *testing.T) {
-	bareRepo1 := &mockRepository{path: "repo1_bare"}
-
-	commitsCount, err := CommitsCount(t.Context(), bareRepo1,
-		CommitsCountOptions{
-			Not:      "master",
-			Revision: []string{"branch1"},
-		})
-
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, int64(2), commitsCount)
-}
-
 func TestCommitsCountWithSinceUntil(t *testing.T) {
 	bareRepo1 := &mockRepository{path: "repo1_bare"}
 	revision := []string{"8006ff9adbf0cb94da7dad9e537e53817f9fa5c0"}
@@ -65,6 +52,19 @@ func TestCommitsCountWithSinceUntil(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCommitsCountWithoutBase(t *testing.T) {
+	bareRepo1 := &mockRepository{path: "repo1_bare"}
+
+	commitsCount, err := CommitsCount(t.Context(), bareRepo1,
+		CommitsCountOptions{
+			Not:      "master",
+			Revision: []string{"branch1"},
+		})
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, int64(2), commitsCount)
+}
+
 func TestGetLatestCommitTime(t *testing.T) {
 	bareRepo1 := &mockRepository{path: "repo1_bare"}
 	lct, err := GetLatestCommitTime(t.Context(), bareRepo1)
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/commits.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/commits.go
index 6f8aaefb6d9..fb7d2986bb6 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/commits.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/commits.go
@@ -258,8 +258,27 @@ func GetAllCommits(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 			ctx.APIErrorInternal(err)
 			return
 		} else if commitsCountTotal == 0 {
-			ctx.APIErrorNotFound()
-			return
+			// when date filters are active, a zero count may just mean no
+			// commits in the requested range — not that the path is invalid
+			if since == "" && until == "" {
+				ctx.APIErrorNotFound()
+				return
+			}
+			// verify the path actually exists in the revision history
+			totalWithoutDate, err := gitrepo.CommitsCount(ctx, ctx.Repo.Repository,
+				gitrepo.CommitsCountOptions{
+					Not:      not,
+					Revision: []string{sha},
+					RelPath:  []string{path},
+				})
+			if err != nil {
+				ctx.APIErrorInternal(err)
+				return
+			}
+			if totalWithoutDate == 0 {
+				ctx.APIErrorNotFound()
+				return
+			}
 		}
 
 		commits, _, err = ctx.Repo.GitRepo.CommitsByFileAndRange(
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_repo_git_commits_test.go b/tests/integration/api_repo_git_commits_test.go
index 9d460a20c08..d7542b38f50 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_repo_git_commits_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_repo_git_commits_test.go
@@ -241,3 +241,27 @@ func TestGetFileHistoryNotOnMaster(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.Equal(t, "1", resp.Header().Get("X-Total"))
 }
+
+func TestGetFileHistoryEmptyDateRange(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+	user := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 2})
+	// Login as User2.
+	session := loginUser(t, user.Name)
+	token := getTokenForLoggedInUser(t, session, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeReadRepository)
+
+	// readme.md exists in repo16 but no commits fall before 1970, so the date
+	// filter yields an empty range: this must return 200 with an empty list,
+	// not 404 (regression: a valid path with an empty date range was a 404).
+	req := NewRequestf(t, "GET", "/api/v1/repos/%s/repo16/commits?path=readme.md&sha=good-sign&until=1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", user.Name).
+		AddTokenAuth(token)
+	resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+
+	apiData := DecodeJSON(t, resp, []api.Commit{})
+	assert.Empty(t, apiData)
+	assert.Equal(t, "0", resp.Header().Get("X-Total"))
+
+	// a path that does not exist must still return 404 even with a date filter
+	req = NewRequestf(t, "GET", "/api/v1/repos/%s/repo16/commits?path=does-not-exist.md&sha=good-sign&until=1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", user.Name).
+		AddTokenAuth(token)
+	MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusNotFound)
+}