diff --git a/git-fetch.sh b/git-fetch.sh
index 38101a6ace..ffbd44f0e1 100755
--- a/git-fetch.sh
+++ b/git-fetch.sh
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ fi
 
 # Global that is reused later
 ls_remote_result=$(git ls-remote $upload_pack "$remote") ||
-	die "Cannot find the reflist at $remote"
+	die "Cannot get the repository state from $remote"
 
 append_fetch_head () {
     head_="$1"
diff --git a/git-ls-remote.sh b/git-ls-remote.sh
index 0f88953f29..03b624ef33 100755
--- a/git-ls-remote.sh
+++ b/git-ls-remote.sh
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ while read sha1 path
 do
 	case "$sha1" in
 	failed)
-		die "Failed to find remote refs"
+		exit 1 ;;
 	esac
 	case "$path" in
 	refs/heads/*)
diff --git a/pkt-line.c b/pkt-line.c
index c1e81f976f..b4cb7e2756 100644
--- a/pkt-line.c
+++ b/pkt-line.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static void safe_read(int fd, void *buffer, unsigned size)
 		if (ret < 0)
 			die("read error (%s)", strerror(errno));
 		if (!ret)
-			die("unexpected EOF");
+			die("The remote end hung up unexpectedly");
 		n += ret;
 	}
 }