diff --git a/apps/dav/lib/Connector/Sabre/File.php b/apps/dav/lib/Connector/Sabre/File.php
index effbb413dbd8..d6b1bb3bb6f6 100644
--- a/apps/dav/lib/Connector/Sabre/File.php
+++ b/apps/dav/lib/Connector/Sabre/File.php
@@ -353,8 +353,8 @@ public function get() {
 			}
 			return $res;
 		} catch (GenericEncryptionException $e) {
-			// returning 503 will allow retry of the operation at a later point in time
-			throw new ServiceUnavailable("Encryption not ready: " . $e->getMessage());
+			// returning 403 because some apps stops syncing if 503 is returned.
+			throw new Forbidden("Encryption not ready: " . $e->getMessage());
 		} catch (StorageNotAvailableException $e) {
 			throw new ServiceUnavailable("Failed to open file: " . $e->getMessage());
 		} catch (ForbiddenException $ex) {
diff --git a/apps/dav/tests/unit/Connector/Sabre/FileTest.php b/apps/dav/tests/unit/Connector/Sabre/FileTest.php
index 732d7950e081..ef332dde0c50 100644
--- a/apps/dav/tests/unit/Connector/Sabre/FileTest.php
+++ b/apps/dav/tests/unit/Connector/Sabre/FileTest.php
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 use OC\Files\Storage\Local;
 use OC\Files\View;
 use OCA\DAV\Connector\Sabre\Exception\FileLocked;
+use OCA\DAV\Connector\Sabre\Exception\Forbidden;
 use OCA\DAV\Connector\Sabre\File;
 use OCP\Constants;
 use OCP\Encryption\Exceptions\GenericEncryptionException;
@@ -1257,6 +1258,30 @@ public function testGetFopenThrows() {
 		$file->get();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @expectedException \Sabre\Dav\Exception\Forbidden
+	 * @expectedExceptionMessage Encryption not ready
+	 */
+	public function testFopenForbiddenExceptionEncryption() {
+		$view = $this->getMockBuilder(View::class)
+			->setMethods(['fopen', 'file_exists'])
+			->getMock();
+		$view->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
+			->method('fopen')
+			->willThrowException(new Exception\Forbidden('Encryption not ready', true));
+		$view->expects($this->atLeastOnce())
+			->method('file_exists')
+			->will($this->returnValue(true));
+
+		$info = new FileInfo('/test.txt', $this->getMockStorage(), null, [
+			'permissions' => Constants::PERMISSION_ALL
+		], null);
+
+		$file = new File($view, $info);
+
+		$file->get();
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @expectedException \Sabre\DAV\Exception\NotFound
 	 */