diff --git a/src/components/like-button.tsx b/src/components/like-button.tsx
index 0bdf6f9..9bfbb86 100644
--- a/src/components/like-button.tsx
+++ b/src/components/like-button.tsx
@@ -105,12 +105,19 @@ export function LikeButton({
         reactionUriRef.current = result.uri
       }
     } catch (err) {
-      // Revert optimistic update
-      setLiked(wasLiked)
-      setCount(previousCount)
-      reactionUriRef.current = previousUri
       const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to update reaction'
-      toast({ title: 'Error', description: message, variant: 'destructive' })
+      const isNotFound = message === 'Not Found' || message.includes('not found')
+
+      if (wasLiked && isNotFound) {
+        // Reaction was already deleted server-side -- accept the unliked state
+        reactionUriRef.current = null
+      } else {
+        // Revert optimistic update
+        setLiked(wasLiked)
+        setCount(previousCount)
+        reactionUriRef.current = previousUri
+        toast({ title: 'Error', description: message, variant: 'destructive' })
+      }
     } finally {
       setPending(false)
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/api/client.ts b/src/lib/api/client.ts
index 3e225ac..a4a799b 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/client.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/client.ts
@@ -139,11 +139,17 @@ async function apiFetch<T>(path: string, options: FetchOptions = {}): Promise<T>
     await throwApiError(response)
   }
 
-  if (response.status === 204) {
+  const contentLength = response.headers.get('content-length')
+  if (response.status === 204 || contentLength === '0') {
     return undefined as T
   }
 
-  return response.json() as Promise<T>
+  const text = await response.text()
+  if (!text) {
+    return undefined as T
+  }
+
+  return JSON.parse(text) as T
 }
 
 function buildQuery(params: Record<string, string | number | undefined>): string {