diff --git a/pkg/api/plugin_checks.go b/pkg/api/plugin_checks.go
index 9a7deb87630..dc1225cbb1f 100644
--- a/pkg/api/plugin_checks.go
+++ b/pkg/api/plugin_checks.go
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ func checkAppEnabled(pluginStore pluginstore.Store, pluginSettings pluginsetting
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, pluginsettings.ErrPluginSettingNotFound) {
-				c.JsonApiErr(http.StatusNotFound, "Plugin not found", nil)
+				// If the plugin is auto enabled, we don't want to return an error because auto enabling allows us
+				// to enable plugins that are not explicitly configured.
+				if p.AutoEnabled {
+					return
+				}
+
+				c.JsonApiErr(http.StatusNotFound, "Plugin setting not found", nil)
 				return
 			}
 			c.JsonApiErr(http.StatusInternalServerError, "Failed to get plugin settings", err)
diff --git a/pkg/api/plugin_checks_test.go b/pkg/api/plugin_checks_test.go
index fffa04453f3..1f92a1cd172 100644
--- a/pkg/api/plugin_checks_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/plugin_checks_test.go
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ func TestHTTPServer_CheckEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 			pluginID:     "grafana-test-app_disabled",
 			expectedCode: 404,
 		},
+		{
+			name:         "should not set an error code if the plugin is auto enabled, without a saved plugin setting",
+			pluginID:     "grafana-test-app_autoEnabled",
+			expectedCode: 0,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -50,6 +55,7 @@ func TestHTTPServer_CheckEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 					{JSONData: plugins.JSONData{ID: "mysql"}},
 					{JSONData: plugins.JSONData{Type: plugins.TypeApp, ID: "grafana-test-app"}},
 					{JSONData: plugins.JSONData{Type: plugins.TypeApp, ID: "grafana-test-app_disabled"}},
+					{JSONData: plugins.JSONData{Type: plugins.TypeApp, ID: "grafana-test-app_autoEnabled", AutoEnabled: true}},
 				},
 			}
 			hs.PluginSettings = &pluginsettings.FakePluginSettings{Plugins: map[string]*pluginsettings.DTO{