diff --git a/go-concourse/concourse/configs.go b/go-concourse/concourse/configs.go
index 2bea7707f5e..a412e3efafd 100644
--- a/go-concourse/concourse/configs.go
+++ b/go-concourse/concourse/configs.go
@@ -86,36 +86,34 @@ func (team *team) CreateOrUpdatePipelineConfig(pipelineRef atc.PipelineRef, conf
 
 	switch response.StatusCode {
 	case http.StatusOK, http.StatusCreated:
-		if response.Header.Get("Content-Type") == "application/json" {
-			configResponse := setConfigResponse{}
-			err = json.Unmarshal(body, &configResponse)
-			if err != nil {
-				return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, fmt.Errorf("client: unable to JSON parse the response body: %w", err)
-			}
-			created := response.StatusCode == http.StatusCreated
-			return created, !created, configResponse.Warnings, nil
-		} else {
+		if response.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json" {
 			return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, internal.UnexpectedResponseError{
 				StatusCode: response.StatusCode,
 				Status:     response.Status,
 				Body:       string(body),
 			}
 		}
+		configResponse := setConfigResponse{}
+		err = json.Unmarshal(body, &configResponse)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, fmt.Errorf("parsing JSON: %w", err)
+		}
+		created := response.StatusCode == http.StatusCreated
+		return created, !created, configResponse.Warnings, nil
 	case http.StatusBadRequest:
-		if response.Header.Get("Content-Type") == "application/json" {
-			var validationErr atc.SaveConfigResponse
-			err = json.Unmarshal(body, &validationErr)
-			if err != nil {
-				return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, fmt.Errorf("client: unable to JSON parse the response body: %w", err)
-			}
-			return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, InvalidConfigError{Errors: validationErr.Errors}
-		} else {
+		if response.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "application/json" {
 			return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, internal.UnexpectedResponseError{
 				StatusCode: response.StatusCode,
 				Status:     response.Status,
 				Body:       string(body),
 			}
 		}
+		var validationErr atc.SaveConfigResponse
+		err = json.Unmarshal(body, &validationErr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, fmt.Errorf("parsing JSON: %w", err)
+		}
+		return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, InvalidConfigError{Errors: validationErr.Errors}
 	case http.StatusForbidden:
 		return false, false, []ConfigWarning{}, internal.ForbiddenError{
 			Reason: string(body),
diff --git a/go-concourse/concourse/configs_test.go b/go-concourse/concourse/configs_test.go
index 22d77660a8b..af66b82d2f3 100644
--- a/go-concourse/concourse/configs_test.go
+++ b/go-concourse/concourse/configs_test.go
@@ -243,21 +243,9 @@ var _ = Describe("ATC Handler Configs", func() {
 				}))
 			})
 
-			Context("when response contains bad JSON", func() {
-				BeforeEach(func() {
-					returnBody = []byte(`bad-json`)
-				})
-
-				It("returns an error", func() {
-					_, _, _, err := team.CreateOrUpdatePipelineConfig(pipelineRef, expectedVersion, expectedConfig, checkCredentials)
-					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
-					Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("client: unable to JSON parse the response body"))
-				})
-			})
-
 			Context("when response does not contain application/json header", func() {
 				BeforeEach(func() {
-					contentType = "text/plain"
+					contentType = ""
 					returnBody = []byte(`server error`)
 				})
 
@@ -331,15 +319,16 @@ var _ = Describe("ATC Handler Configs", func() {
 				}))
 			})
 
-			Context("when response contains bad JSON", func() {
+			Context("when response does not contain application/json header", func() {
 				BeforeEach(func() {
-					returnBody = []byte(`bad-json`)
+					contentType = ""
+					returnBody = []byte(`server error`)
 				})
 
 				It("returns an error", func() {
 					_, _, _, err := team.CreateOrUpdatePipelineConfig(pipelineRef, expectedVersion, expectedConfig, checkCredentials)
 					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
-					Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("client: unable to JSON parse the response body"))
+					Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("server error"))
 				})
 			})
 
@@ -393,21 +382,9 @@ var _ = Describe("ATC Handler Configs", func() {
 				Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("fake-error1\nfake-error2"))
 			})
 
-			Context("when response contains bad JSON", func() {
-				BeforeEach(func() {
-					returnBody = []byte(`bad-json`)
-				})
-
-				It("returns an error", func() {
-					_, _, _, err := team.CreateOrUpdatePipelineConfig(pipelineRef, expectedVersion, expectedConfig, checkCredentials)
-					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
-					Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring("client: unable to JSON parse the response body"))
-				})
-			})
-
 			Context("when response does not contain application/json header", func() {
 				BeforeEach(func() {
-					contentType = "text/plain"
+					contentType = ""
 					returnBody = []byte(`server error`)
 				})