diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index 0c50d0a26a..584e04c217 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ struct ref **get_remote_heads(int in, struct ref **list,
 		if (buffer[len-1] == '\n')
 			buffer[--len] = 0;
 
+		if (len > 4 && !prefixcmp(buffer, "ERR "))
+			die("remote error: %s", buffer + 4);
+
 		if (len < 42 || get_sha1_hex(buffer, old_sha1) || buffer[40] != ' ')
 			die("protocol error: expected sha/ref, got '%s'", buffer);
 		name = buffer + 41;