diff --git a/controller/Notebooks.py b/controller/Notebooks.py
index 435318f..4fd219a 100644
--- a/controller/Notebooks.py
+++ b/controller/Notebooks.py
@@ -115,7 +115,10 @@ class Notebooks( object ):
     if note_id:
       note = self.__database.load( Note, note_id, revision )
       if note and note.notebook_id != notebook_id:
-        raise Access_error()
+        if note.notebook_id == notebook.trash_id:
+          note = None
+        else:
+          raise Access_error()
     else:
       note = None
 
@@ -158,7 +161,19 @@ class Notebooks( object ):
 
     note = self.__database.load( Note, note_id, revision )
 
+    # if the note has no notebook, it has been deleted "forever"
+    if note and note.notebook_id is None:
+      return dict(
+        note = None,
+      )
+
     if note and note.notebook_id != notebook_id:
+      notebook = self.__database.load( Notebook, notebook_id )
+      if notebook and note.notebook_id == notebook.trash_id:
+        return dict(
+          note = None,
+        )
+
       raise Access_error()
 
     return dict(
@@ -268,8 +283,20 @@ class Notebooks( object ):
     note = self.__database.load( Note, note_id )
 
     if note:
+      if note and note.notebook_id is None:
+        return dict(
+          revisions = None,
+        )
+
       if note.notebook_id != notebook_id:
+        notebook = self.__database.load( Notebook, notebook_id )
+        if notebook and note.notebook_id == notebook.trash_id:
+          return dict(
+            revisions = None,
+          )
+
         raise Access_error()
+
       revisions = self.__database.select_many( unicode, note.sql_load_revisions() )
     else:
       revisions = None
diff --git a/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py b/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
index b99f0d4..f6b68cd 100644
--- a/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
+++ b/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
@@ -336,6 +336,22 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
     user = self.database.load( User, self.user.object_id )
     assert user.storage_bytes == 0
 
+  def test_load_note_without_notebook( self ):
+    self.login()
+
+    self.note.notebook_id = None
+    self.database.save( self.note )
+
+    result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/load_note/", dict(
+      notebook_id = self.notebook.object_id,
+      note_id = self.note.object_id,
+    ), session_id = self.session_id )
+
+    note = result[ "note" ]
+    assert note == None
+    user = self.database.load( User, self.user.object_id )
+    assert user.storage_bytes == 0
+
   def test_load_note_by_title( self ):
     self.login()
 
@@ -1010,7 +1026,7 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
       note_id = self.note.object_id,
     ), session_id = self.session_id )
 
-    assert "access" in result.get( "error" )
+    assert result[ "note" ] is None
 
   def test_delete_note_from_trash( self ):
     self.login()
@@ -1041,7 +1057,7 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
       note_id = self.note.object_id,
     ), session_id = self.session_id )
 
-    assert "access" in result.get( "error" )
+    assert result.get( "note" ) is None
 
   def test_delete_note_without_login( self ):
     result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/delete_note/", dict(
@@ -1260,14 +1276,14 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
       note_id = self.note.object_id,
     ), session_id = self.session_id )
 
-    assert "access" in result.get( "error" )
+    assert result[ "note" ] is None
 
     result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/load_note/", dict(
       notebook_id = self.notebook.object_id,
       note_id = self.note2.object_id,
     ), session_id = self.session_id )
 
-    assert "access" in result.get( "error" )
+    assert result[ "note" ] is None
 
   def test_delete_all_notes_from_trash( self ):
     self.login()
@@ -1292,7 +1308,7 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
       note_id = self.note.object_id,
     ), session_id = self.session_id )
 
-    assert "access" in result.get( "error" )
+    assert result.get( "note" ) is None
 
   def test_delete_all_notes_without_login( self ):
     result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/delete_all_notes/", dict(