diff --git a/rest_framework/request.py b/rest_framework/request.py
index a1827ba48..8b714380a 100644
--- a/rest_framework/request.py
+++ b/rest_framework/request.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class Request(object):
         self._method = Empty
         self._content_type = Empty
         self._stream = Empty
+        self._authenticated = False
 
         if self.parser_context is None:
             self.parser_context = {}
@@ -288,6 +289,7 @@ class Request(object):
         for authenticator in self.authenticators:
             user_auth_tuple = authenticator.authenticate(self)
             if not user_auth_tuple is None:
+                self._authenticated = True
                 return user_auth_tuple
         return self._not_authenticated()
 
diff --git a/rest_framework/tests/authentication.py b/rest_framework/tests/authentication.py
index 8ab4c4e40..c8b47f56e 100644
--- a/rest_framework/tests/authentication.py
+++ b/rest_framework/tests/authentication.py
@@ -25,8 +25,13 @@ class MockView(APIView):
 
 MockView.authentication_classes += (TokenAuthentication,)
 
+class AdminMockView(MockView):
+    permission_classes = (permissions.IsAdminUser,)
+
+
 urlpatterns = patterns('',
     (r'^$', MockView.as_view()),
+    (r'^admin/$', AdminMockView.as_view()),
 )
 
 
@@ -54,13 +59,14 @@ class BasicAuthTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
 
     def test_post_form_failing_basic_auth(self):
-        """Ensure POSTing form over basic auth without correct credentials fails"""
+        """Ensure POSTing form over basic auth without correct credentials is denied with 401"""
         response = self.csrf_client.post('/', {'example': 'example'})
-        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 401)
 
-    def test_post_json_failing_basic_auth(self):
-        """Ensure POSTing json over basic auth without correct credentials fails"""
-        response = self.csrf_client.post('/', json.dumps({'example': 'example'}), 'application/json')
+    def test_post_json_no_permissions(self):
+        """Ensure POSTing json over basic auth to restricted endpoint is denied with 403"""
+        auth = 'Basic %s' % base64.encodestring('%s:%s' % (self.username, self.password)).strip()
+        response = self.csrf_client.post('/admin/', json.dumps({'example': 'example'}), 'application/json', HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=auth)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
 
 
@@ -105,10 +111,10 @@ class SessionAuthTests(TestCase):
 
     def test_post_form_session_auth_failing(self):
         """
-        Ensure POSTing form over session authentication without logged in user fails.
+        Ensure POSTing form over session authentication without logged is denied with 401
         """
         response = self.csrf_client.post('/', {'example': 'example'})
-        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 401)
 
 
 class TokenAuthTests(TestCase):
@@ -138,13 +144,19 @@ class TokenAuthTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
 
     def test_post_form_failing_token_auth(self):
-        """Ensure POSTing form over token auth without correct credentials fails"""
+        """Ensure POSTing form over token auth without correct credentials is denied with 401"""
         response = self.csrf_client.post('/', {'example': 'example'})
-        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 401)
 
     def test_post_json_failing_token_auth(self):
-        """Ensure POSTing json over token auth without correct credentials fails"""
+        """Ensure POSTing json over token auth without correct credentials is denied with 401"""
         response = self.csrf_client.post('/', json.dumps({'example': 'example'}), 'application/json')
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 401)
+
+    def test_post_json_no_permissions(self):
+        """Ensure POSTing json over token auth to restricted endpoint is denied with 403"""
+        auth = "Token " + self.key
+        response = self.csrf_client.post('/admin/', json.dumps({'example': 'example'}), 'application/json', HTTP_AUTHORIZATION=auth)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
 
     def test_token_has_auto_assigned_key_if_none_provided(self):
diff --git a/rest_framework/tests/decorators.py b/rest_framework/tests/decorators.py
index 41864d71e..f4a7a20c2 100644
--- a/rest_framework/tests/decorators.py
+++ b/rest_framework/tests/decorators.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
 
         request = self.factory.get('/')
         response = view(request)
-        self.assertEquals(response.status_code, status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
+        self.assertEquals(response.status_code, status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED)
 
     def test_throttle_classes(self):
         class OncePerDayUserThrottle(UserRateThrottle):
diff --git a/rest_framework/views.py b/rest_framework/views.py
index 1afbd6974..3f5ec2caf 100644
--- a/rest_framework/views.py
+++ b/rest_framework/views.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from rest_framework.compat import View, apply_markdown
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.request import Request
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
-
+from rest_framework.exceptions import NotAuthenticated
 
 def _remove_trailing_string(content, trailing):
     """
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ class APIView(View):
         """
         If request is not permitted, determine what kind of exception to raise.
         """
+        if not request._authenticated:
+            raise exceptions.NotAuthenticated()
         raise exceptions.PermissionDenied()
 
     def throttled(self, request, wait):
@@ -331,6 +333,10 @@ class APIView(View):
             return Response({'detail': 'Permission denied'},
                             status=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
                             exception=True)
+        elif isinstance(exc, NotAuthenticated):
+            return Response({'detail': self.get_authenticators()[0].authenticate_header()},
+                            status=status.HTTP_401_FORBIDDEN,
+                            exception=True)
         raise
 
     # Note: session based authentication is explicitly CSRF validated,