diff --git a/changelog.d/15298.bugfix b/changelog.d/15298.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8f29b08444
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/15298.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a bug in which the [`POST /_matrix/client/v3/rooms/{roomId}/report/{eventId}`](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.6/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3roomsroomidreporteventid) endpoint would return the wrong error if the user did not have permission to view the event. This aligns Synapse's implementation with [MSC2249](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/2249).
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/events.py b/synapse/handlers/events.py
index 68c07f0265..33359f6ed7 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/events.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/events.py
@@ -159,15 +159,16 @@ class EventHandler:
         Returns:
             An event, or None if there is no event matching this ID.
         Raises:
-            SynapseError if there was a problem retrieving this event, or
-            AuthError if the user does not have the rights to inspect this
-            event.
+            AuthError: if the user does not have the rights to inspect this event.
         """
         redact_behaviour = (
             EventRedactBehaviour.as_is if show_redacted else EventRedactBehaviour.redact
         )
         event = await self.store.get_event(
-            event_id, check_room_id=room_id, redact_behaviour=redact_behaviour
+            event_id,
+            check_room_id=room_id,
+            redact_behaviour=redact_behaviour,
+            allow_none=True,
         )
 
         if not event:
diff --git a/tests/rest/client/test_report_event.py b/tests/rest/client/test_report_event.py
index 1250685d39..1a8ab067a9 100644
--- a/tests/rest/client/test_report_event.py
+++ b/tests/rest/client/test_report_event.py
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ class ReportEventTestCase(unittest.HomeserverTestCase):
             access_token=self.other_user_tok,
         )
         self.assertEqual(404, channel.code, msg=channel.result["body"])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "Unable to report event: it does not exist or you aren't able to see it.",
+            channel.json_body["error"],
+            msg=channel.result["body"],
+        )
 
     def _assert_status(self, response_status: int, data: JsonDict) -> None:
         channel = self.make_request(