diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStreamTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStreamTest.java
index 717a58bcb..e9ae1909e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStreamTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStreamTest.java
@@ -201,21 +201,21 @@ public void testConstructor_RejectsBadChannel() {
 			new SideBandOutputStream(-1, MAX_BUF, rawOut);
 			fail("Accepted -1 channel number");
 		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-			assertEquals("channel -1 must be in range [0, 255]", e.getMessage());
+			assertEquals("channel -1 must be in range [1, 255]", e.getMessage());
 		}
 
 		try {
 			new SideBandOutputStream(0, MAX_BUF, rawOut);
 			fail("Accepted 0 channel number");
 		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-			assertEquals("channel 0 must be in range [0, 255]", e.getMessage());
+			assertEquals("channel 0 must be in range [1, 255]", e.getMessage());
 		}
 
 		try {
 			new SideBandOutputStream(256, MAX_BUF, rawOut);
 			fail("Accepted 256 channel number");
 		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-			assertEquals("channel 256 must be in range [0, 255]", e
+			assertEquals("channel 256 must be in range [1, 255]", e
 					.getMessage());
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties b/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
index 524aa3e6a..76c709422 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ canOnlyRevertCommitsWithOneParent=Cannot revert commit ''{0}'' because it has {1
 commitDoesNotHaveGivenParent=The commit ''{0}'' does not have a parent number {1}.
 cantFindObjectInReversePackIndexForTheSpecifiedOffset=Can''t find object in (reverse) pack index for the specified offset {0}
 cantPassMeATree=Can't pass me a tree!
-channelMustBeInRange0_255=channel {0} must be in range [0, 255]
+channelMustBeInRange1_255=channel {0} must be in range [1, 255]
 characterClassIsNotSupported=The character class {0} is not supported.
 checkoutConflictWithFile=Checkout conflict with file: {0}
 checkoutConflictWithFiles=Checkout conflict with files: {0}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
index dd1be0d5f..d1f0deec9 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public static JGitText get() {
 	/***/ public String commitDoesNotHaveGivenParent;
 	/***/ public String cantFindObjectInReversePackIndexForTheSpecifiedOffset;
 	/***/ public String cantPassMeATree;
-	/***/ public String channelMustBeInRange0_255;
+	/***/ public String channelMustBeInRange1_255;
 	/***/ public String characterClassIsNotSupported;
 	/***/ public String checkoutConflictWithFile;
 	/***/ public String checkoutConflictWithFiles;
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStream.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStream.java
index 770fcbed8..0303eed9a 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStream.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/SideBandOutputStream.java
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public class SideBandOutputStream extends OutputStream {
 	 * @param chan
 	 *            channel number to prefix all packets with, so the remote side
 	 *            can demultiplex the stream and get back the original data.
-	 *            Must be in the range [0, 255].
+	 *            Must be in the range [1, 255].
 	 * @param sz
 	 *            maximum size of a data packet within the stream. The remote
 	 *            side needs to agree to the packet size to prevent buffer
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public class SideBandOutputStream extends OutputStream {
 	public SideBandOutputStream(final int chan, final int sz, final OutputStream os) {
 		if (chan <= 0 || chan > 255)
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException(MessageFormat.format(
-					JGitText.get().channelMustBeInRange0_255,
+					JGitText.get().channelMustBeInRange1_255,
 					Integer.valueOf(chan)));
 		if (sz <= HDR_SIZE)
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException(MessageFormat.format(