diff --git a/superset/viz.py b/superset/viz.py
index 31e06967a1285..3595ebf767fa0 100644
--- a/superset/viz.py
+++ b/superset/viz.py
@@ -151,9 +151,6 @@ def get_df(self, query_obj=None):
         # If the datetime format is unix, the parse will use the corresponding
         # parsing logic.
         if df is None or df.empty:
-            self.status = utils.QueryStatus.FAILED
-            if not self.error_message:
-                self.error_message = 'No data.'
             return pd.DataFrame()
         else:
             if DTTM_ALIAS in df.columns:
@@ -290,10 +287,11 @@ def get_payload(self, query_obj=None):
         payload = self.get_df_payload(query_obj)
 
         df = payload.get('df')
-        if df is not None and len(df.index) == 0:
-            raise Exception('No data')
         if self.status != utils.QueryStatus.FAILED:
-            payload['data'] = self.get_data(df)
+            if df is None or df.empty:
+                payload['error'] = 'No data'
+            else:
+                payload['data'] = self.get_data(df)
         if 'df' in payload:
             del payload['df']
         return payload
@@ -327,8 +325,9 @@ def get_df_payload(self, query_obj=None):
         if query_obj and not is_loaded:
             try:
                 df = self.get_df(query_obj)
-                stats_logger.incr('loaded_from_source')
-                is_loaded = True
+                if self.status != utils.QueryStatus.FAILED:
+                    stats_logger.incr('loaded_from_source')
+                    is_loaded = True
             except Exception as e:
                 logging.exception(e)
                 if not self.error_message:
@@ -612,7 +611,7 @@ def query_obj(self):
         return None
 
     def get_df(self, query_obj=None):
-        return None
+        return pd.DataFrame()
 
     def get_data(self, df):
         markup_type = self.form_data.get('markup_type')
diff --git a/tests/core_tests.py b/tests/core_tests.py
index 91ae56f158679..43a3bdfc716c7 100644
--- a/tests/core_tests.py
+++ b/tests/core_tests.py
@@ -909,6 +909,34 @@ def test_slice_url_overrides(self):
         resp = self.get_resp(url)
         assert '"CA"' in resp
 
+    def test_slice_payload_no_data(self):
+        self.login(username='admin')
+        slc = self.get_slice('Girls', db.session)
+
+        url = slc.get_explore_url(
+            base_url='/superset/explore_json',
+            overrides={
+                'filters': [{'col': 'state', 'op': 'in', 'val': ['N/A']}],
+            },
+        )
+
+        data = self.get_json_resp(url)
+        self.assertEqual(data['status'], utils.QueryStatus.SUCCESS)
+        assert 'No data' in data['error']
+
+    def test_slice_payload_invalid_query(self):
+        self.login(username='admin')
+        slc = self.get_slice('Girls', db.session)
+
+        url = slc.get_explore_url(
+            base_url='/superset/explore_json',
+            overrides={'groupby': ['N/A']},
+        )
+
+        data = self.get_json_resp(url)
+        self.assertEqual(data['status'], utils.QueryStatus.FAILED)
+        assert 'KeyError' in data['stacktrace']
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/viz_tests.py b/tests/viz_tests.py
index 2fe73677bd19d..6822837e28312 100644
--- a/tests/viz_tests.py
+++ b/tests/viz_tests.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 from mock import Mock, patch
 import pandas as pd
 
-import superset.utils as utils
 from superset.utils import DTTM_ALIAS
 import superset.viz as viz
 
@@ -53,8 +52,6 @@ def test_get_df_returns_empty_df(self):
         result = test_viz.get_df(query_obj)
         self.assertEqual(type(result), pd.DataFrame)
         self.assertTrue(result.empty)
-        self.assertEqual(test_viz.error_message, 'No data.')
-        self.assertEqual(test_viz.status, utils.QueryStatus.FAILED)
 
     def test_get_df_handles_dttm_col(self):
         datasource = Mock()