diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/RepositoryFilter.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/RepositoryFilter.java
index 571183682..5b336b2f9 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/RepositoryFilter.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/RepositoryFilter.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.RepositoryNotFoundException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ServiceMayNotContinueException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.resolver.RepositoryResolver;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.resolver.ServiceNotAuthorizedException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.resolver.ServiceNotEnabledException;
@@ -141,6 +142,9 @@ public void doFilter(final ServletRequest request,
 		} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
 			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
 			return;
+		} catch (ServiceMayNotContinueException e) {
+			sendError(req, res, SC_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.getMessage());
+			return;
 		}
 		try {
 			request.setAttribute(ATTRIBUTE_REPOSITORY, db);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/Daemon.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/Daemon.java
index e301f4242..78306766d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/Daemon.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/Daemon.java
@@ -366,7 +366,8 @@ synchronized DaemonService matchService(final String cmd) {
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	Repository openRepository(DaemonClient client, String name) {
+	Repository openRepository(DaemonClient client, String name)
+			throws ServiceMayNotContinueException {
 		// Assume any attempt to use \ was by a Windows client
 		// and correct to the more typical / used in Git URIs.
 		//
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/DaemonService.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/DaemonService.java
index e88b4abb7..a9481c4d2 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/DaemonService.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/DaemonService.java
@@ -130,7 +130,16 @@ void execute(final DaemonClient client, final String commandLine)
 			throws IOException, ServiceNotEnabledException,
 			ServiceNotAuthorizedException {
 		final String name = commandLine.substring(command.length() + 1);
-		Repository db = client.getDaemon().openRepository(client, name);
+		Repository db;
+		try {
+			db = client.getDaemon().openRepository(client, name);
+		} catch (ServiceMayNotContinueException e) {
+			// An error when opening the repo means the client is expecting a ref
+			// advertisement, so use that style of error.
+			PacketLineOut pktOut = new PacketLineOut(client.getOutputStream());
+			pktOut.writeString("ERR " + e.getMessage() + "\n");
+			db = null;
+		}
 		if (db == null)
 			return;
 		try {
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/resolver/RepositoryResolver.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/resolver/RepositoryResolver.java
index 611d9a921..c7f0d32cb 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/resolver/RepositoryResolver.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/resolver/RepositoryResolver.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.RepositoryNotFoundException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ServiceMayNotContinueException;
 
 /**
  * Locate a Git {@link Repository} by name from the URL.
@@ -82,7 +83,12 @@ public Repository open(Object req, String name)
 	 * @throws ServiceNotEnabledException
 	 *             the repository may exist, but HTTP access is not allowed on the
 	 *             target repository, for the current user.
+	 * @throws ServiceMayNotContinueException
+	 *             the repository may exist, but HTTP access is not allowed for
+	 *             the current request. The exception message contains a detailed
+	 *             message that should be shown to the user.
 	 */
 	Repository open(C req, String name) throws RepositoryNotFoundException,
-			ServiceNotAuthorizedException, ServiceNotEnabledException;
+			ServiceNotAuthorizedException, ServiceNotEnabledException,
+			ServiceMayNotContinueException;
 }