diff --git a/src/http-api.ts b/src/http-api.ts
index 6fcc20f..4f9c3b3 100644
--- a/src/http-api.ts
+++ b/src/http-api.ts
@@ -129,10 +129,17 @@ export class HttpApi {
 
     // Returns the data for the most recently published record under a given protocol path collection, if one is present
     this.#api.get('/:did/read/protocols/:protocol/*', async (req, res) => {
+      if (!req.params[0]) {
+        return res.status(400).send('protocol path is required');
+      }
+
+      const protocolPath = req.params[0].replace(leadTailSlashRegex, '');
+      const protocol = req.params.protocol;
+
       const query = await RecordsQuery.create({
         filter: {
-          protocol: req.params.protocol,
-          protocolPath: (req.params[0] || '').replace(leadTailSlashRegex)
+          protocol,
+          protocolPath,
         },
         pagination: { limit: 1 },
         dateSort: DateSort.PublishedDescending
diff --git a/tests/http-api.spec.ts b/tests/http-api.spec.ts
index 003a152..5d59638 100644
--- a/tests/http-api.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/http-api.spec.ts
@@ -887,6 +887,19 @@ describe('http api', function () {
       expect(record.recordId).to.equal(recordsWrite.message.recordId);
     });
 
+    it('removes the trailing slash from the protocol path', async function () {
+      const recordsQueryCreateSpy = sinon.spy(RecordsQuery, 'create');
+
+      const urlEncodedProtocol = encodeURIComponent('http://example.com/protocol');
+      const protocolUrl = `http://localhost:3000/${alice.did}/read/protocols/${urlEncodedProtocol}/foo/`; // trailing slash
+      const recordReadResponse = await fetch(protocolUrl);
+      expect(recordReadResponse.status).to.equal(404);
+
+      expect(recordsQueryCreateSpy.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+      const recordsQueryFilter = recordsQueryCreateSpy.getCall(0).args[0].filter;
+      expect(recordsQueryFilter.protocolPath).to.equal('foo');
+    });
+
     it('returns a 404 if record for a given protocol and protocolPath is not published', async function () {
       // Create and publish a protocol
       const protocolConfigure = await ProtocolsConfigure.create({
@@ -956,6 +969,15 @@ describe('http api', function () {
       const recordReadResponse = await fetch(protocolUrl);
       expect(recordReadResponse.status).to.equal(404);
     });
+
+    it('returns a 400 if protocol path is not provided', async function () {
+      // Fetch a protocol record without providing a protocol path 
+      const urlEncodedProtocol = encodeURIComponent('http://example.com/protocol');
+      const protocolUrl = `http://localhost:3000/${alice.did}/read/protocols/${urlEncodedProtocol}/`; // missing protocol path
+      const recordReadResponse = await fetch(protocolUrl);
+      expect(recordReadResponse.status).to.equal(400);
+      expect(await recordReadResponse.text()).to.equal('protocol path is required');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('/:did/query', function () {