diff --git a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-impl-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/persistence/service/v1/external/api/impl/controller/FileManagementController.java b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-impl-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/persistence/service/v1/external/api/impl/controller/FileManagementController.java
index 6560a9118..655a2bf2f 100644
--- a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-impl-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/persistence/service/v1/external/api/impl/controller/FileManagementController.java
+++ b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-impl-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/persistence/service/v1/external/api/impl/controller/FileManagementController.java
@@ -205,8 +205,12 @@ public class FileManagementController implements FileManagementResource {
 
         accessControlService.checkDossierExistenceAndAccessPermissionsToDossier(dossierId);
         fileIds.forEach(fileId -> {
-            if (fileStatusManagementService.getFileStatus(fileId).getAssignee() != null) {
-                accessControlService.verifyUserIsReviewerOrApprover(dossierId, fileId);
+            try {
+                if (fileStatusManagementService.getFileStatus(fileId).getAssignee() != null) {
+                    accessControlService.verifyUserIsReviewerOrApprover(dossierId, fileId);
+                }
+            } catch (NotFoundException e) {
+                log.warn("File {} to be deleted was not found.", fileId);
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/service/v1/api/external/resource/FileManagementResource.java b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/service/v1/api/external/resource/FileManagementResource.java
index 21058fe45..9fc16cbbc 100644
--- a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/service/v1/api/external/resource/FileManagementResource.java
+++ b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-external-api-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/service/v1/api/external/resource/FileManagementResource.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public interface FileManagementResource {
     @ResponseStatus(value = HttpStatus.NO_CONTENT)
     @PostMapping(value = HARD_DELETE_PATH + DOSSIER_ID_PATH_VARIABLE)
     @Operation(summary = "Hard deletes a list of files", description = "None")
-    @ApiResponses(value = {@ApiResponse(responseCode = "204", description = "Successfully hard deleted the files."), @ApiResponse(responseCode = "404", description = "Not found")})
+    @ApiResponses(value = {@ApiResponse(responseCode = "202", description = "Successfully hard deleted the files."), @ApiResponse(responseCode = "404", description = "Not found")})
     void hardDeleteFiles(@PathVariable(DOSSIER_ID) String dossierId, @RequestBody List<String> files);
 
 
diff --git a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-processor-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/management/v1/processor/service/FileService.java b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-processor-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/management/v1/processor/service/FileService.java
index d2361d745..05fd59ea0 100644
--- a/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-processor-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/management/v1/processor/service/FileService.java
+++ b/persistence-service-v1/persistence-service-processor-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/persistence/management/v1/processor/service/FileService.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import org.springframework.scheduling.annotation.Async;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
 import com.iqser.red.service.persistence.management.v1.processor.exception.ConflictException;
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ public class FileService {
     }
 
 
+    @Async
     public void hardDeleteFiles(String dossierId, List<String> fileIds) {
 
         var dossier = dossierService.getDossierById(dossierId);