diff --git a/internal/tender/handler.go b/internal/tender/handler.go
index cf72e6e..e978418 100644
--- a/internal/tender/handler.go
+++ b/internal/tender/handler.go
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func (h *TenderHandler) GetDocumentSummaries(c echo.Context) error {
 // @Param id path string true "Tender ID"
 // @Success 200 {object} response.APIResponse{data=TenderDocumentsResponse}
 // @Failure 400 {object} response.APIResponse
-// @Failure 404 {object} response.APIResponse
+// @Failure 404 {object} response.APIResponse "Tender not found"
 // @Failure 500 {object} response.APIResponse
 // @Router /api/v1/tenders/{id}/documents [get]
 func (h *TenderHandler) GetDocuments(c echo.Context) error {
@@ -412,7 +412,10 @@ func (h *TenderHandler) GetDocuments(c echo.Context) error {
 
 	documents, err := h.service.GetDocuments(c.Request().Context(), id)
 	if err != nil {
-		return response.NotFound(c, "Tender documents not found")
+		if errors.Is(err, orm.ErrDocumentNotFound) {
+			return response.NotFound(c, "Tender not found")
+		}
+		return response.InternalServerError(c, "Failed to retrieve tender documents")
 	}
 
 	return response.Success(c, documents, "Tender documents retrieved successfully")
diff --git a/internal/tender/service.go b/internal/tender/service.go
index 23e9ada..eb118cd 100644
--- a/internal/tender/service.go
+++ b/internal/tender/service.go
@@ -346,9 +346,6 @@ func (s *tenderService) GetDocuments(ctx context.Context, id string) (*TenderDoc
 	if id == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("tender ID cannot be empty")
 	}
-	if s.aiSummarizerStorage == nil {
-		return nil, ErrTenderDocumentStorageUnavailable
-	}
 
 	tender, err := s.repository.GetByID(ctx, id)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -358,25 +355,34 @@ func (s *tenderService) GetDocuments(ctx context.Context, id string) (*TenderDoc
 		})
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get tender: %w", err)
 	}
-	if tender == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("tender not found")
+
+	empty := func() *TenderDocumentsResponse {
+		return &TenderDocumentsResponse{
+			TenderID:  id,
+			Documents: []TenderDocumentResponse{},
+		}
 	}
+
+	if s.aiSummarizerStorage == nil {
+		s.logger.Debug("AI summarizer storage not configured; returning empty tender documents list", map[string]interface{}{
+			"tender_id": id,
+		})
+		return empty(), nil
+	}
+
 	if strings.TrimSpace(tender.ContractFolderID) == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("tender has no contract folder id")
-	}
-	if strings.TrimSpace(tender.NoticePublicationID) == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("tender notice publication ID is empty")
+		return empty(), nil
 	}
 
 	storedDocuments, err := s.listDocumentsForTender(ctx, tender)
 	if err != nil {
-		s.logger.Error("Failed to list tender documents from storage", map[string]interface{}{
+		s.logger.Warn("Listing tender documents failed; returning empty list", map[string]interface{}{
 			"tender_id":          id,
 			"contract_folder_id": tender.ContractFolderID,
 			"notice_id":          tender.NoticePublicationID,
 			"error":              err.Error(),
 		})
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list tender documents: %w", err)
+		storedDocuments = nil
 	}
 
 	documents := make([]TenderDocumentResponse, 0, len(storedDocuments))