diff --git a/src/datatype/index.d.ts b/src/datatype/index.d.ts
index f7f36a8a..39922b26 100644
--- a/src/datatype/index.d.ts
+++ b/src/datatype/index.d.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import TranslationApi from '../translation-api.js'
 type MapeoDocTableName = `${MapeoDoc['schemaName']}Table`
 type GetMapeoDocTables<T> = T[keyof T & MapeoDocTableName]
 /** Union of Drizzle schema tables that correspond to MapeoDoc types (e.g. excluding backlink tables and other utility tables) */
-export type MapeoDocTables =
+type MapeoDocTables =
   | GetMapeoDocTables<typeof import('../schema/project.js')>
   | GetMapeoDocTables<typeof import('../schema/client.js')>
 type MapeoDocTablesMap = {
@@ -87,8 +87,12 @@ export class DataType<
 
   getByDocId(
     docId: string,
-    opts?: { lang?: string }
+    opts?: { mustBeFound?: true; lang?: string }
   ): Promise<TDoc & { forks: string[] }>
+  getByDocId(
+    docId: string,
+    opts?: { mustBeFound?: boolean; lang?: string }
+  ): Promise<null | (TDoc & { forks: string[] })>
 
   getByVersionId(versionId: string, opts?: { lang?: string }): Promise<TDoc>
 
diff --git a/src/datatype/index.js b/src/datatype/index.js
index 82459ca2..1784987c 100644
--- a/src/datatype/index.js
+++ b/src/datatype/index.js
@@ -164,16 +164,30 @@ export class DataType extends TypedEmitter {
   }
 
   /**
+   * @overload
    * @param {string} docId
-   * @param {{ lang?: string }} [opts]
+   * @param {object} [options]
+   * @param {true} [options.mustBeFound]
+   * @param {string} [options.lang]
+   * @returns {Promise<TDoc & { forks: string[] }>}
+   */
+  /**
+   * @param {string} docId
+   * @param {object} [options]
+   * @param {boolean} [options.mustBeFound]
+   * @param {string} [options.lang]
+   * @returns {Promise<null | (TDoc & { forks: string[] })>}
    */
-  async getByDocId(docId, { lang } = {}) {
+  async getByDocId(docId, { mustBeFound = true, lang } = {}) {
     await this.#dataStore.indexer.idle()
-    const result = /** @type {undefined | MapeoDoc} */ (
-      this.#sql.getByDocId.get({ docId })
-    )
-    if (!result) throw new NotFoundError()
-    return this.#translate(deNullify(result), { lang })
+    const result = this.#sql.getByDocId.get({ docId })
+    if (result) {
+      return this.#translate(deNullify(result), { lang })
+    } else if (mustBeFound) {
+      throw new NotFoundError()
+    } else {
+      return null
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -186,7 +200,7 @@ export class DataType extends TypedEmitter {
   }
 
   /**
-   * @param {MapeoDoc} doc
+   * @param {any} doc
    * @param {{ lang?: string }} [opts]
    */
   async #translate(doc, { lang } = {}) {
@@ -278,7 +292,6 @@ export class DataType extends TypedEmitter {
     const doc = {
       ...existingDoc,
       updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-      // @ts-expect-error - TS just doesn't work in this class
       links: [existingDoc.versionId, ...existingDoc.forks],
       deleted: true,
     }