diff --git a/includes/ApiVisualEditor.php b/includes/ApiVisualEditor.php
index 08410adb4e..32457c3ff1 100644
--- a/includes/ApiVisualEditor.php
+++ b/includes/ApiVisualEditor.php
@@ -485,10 +485,15 @@ class ApiVisualEditor extends ApiBase {
 						/* allow IP users*/ false
 					);
 
-					if (
-						!( $targetUser && $targetUser->isLoggedIn() ) &&
-						!User::isIP( $targetUsername )
+					$targetUserExists = ( $targetUser && $targetUser->isLoggedIn() );
+					if ( $targetUserExists && $targetUser->isHidden() &&
+						!$user->isAllowed( 'hideuser' )
 					) {
+						// If the user exists, but is hidden, and the viewer cannot see hidden
+						// users, pretend like they don't exist at all. See T120883/T270453
+						$targetUserExists = false;
+					}
+					if ( !$targetUserExists && !User::isIP( $targetUsername ) ) {
 						// User does not exist
 						$notices[] = "<div class=\"mw-userpage-userdoesnotexist error\">\n" .
 							$this->msg( 'userpage-userdoesnotexist', wfEscapeWikiText( $targetUsername ) ) .