diff --git a/Documentation/technical/pack-protocol.txt b/Documentation/technical/pack-protocol.txt
index 6ac774d5f6..7a2375a55d 100644
--- a/Documentation/technical/pack-protocol.txt
+++ b/Documentation/technical/pack-protocol.txt
@@ -22,6 +22,16 @@ protocol-common.txt. When the grammar indicate `PKT-LINE(...)`, unless
 otherwise noted the usual pkt-line LF rules apply: the sender SHOULD
 include a LF, but the receiver MUST NOT complain if it is not present.
 
+An error packet is a special pkt-line that contains an error string.
+
+----
+  error-line     =  PKT-LINE("ERR" SP explanation-text)
+----
+
+Throughout the protocol, where `PKT-LINE(...)` is expected, an error packet MAY
+be sent. Once this packet is sent by a client or a server, the data transfer
+process defined in this protocol is terminated.
+
 Transports
 ----------
 There are three transports over which the packfile protocol is
@@ -89,13 +99,6 @@ process on the server side over the Git protocol is this:
      "0039git-upload-pack /schacon/gitbook.git\0host=example.com\0" |
      nc -v example.com 9418
 
-If the server refuses the request for some reasons, it could abort
-gracefully with an error message.
-
-----
-  error-line     =  PKT-LINE("ERR" SP explanation-text)
-----
-
 
 SSH Transport
 -------------
@@ -398,12 +401,11 @@ from the client).
 Then the server will start sending its packfile data.
 
 ----
-  server-response = *ack_multi ack / nak / error-line
+  server-response = *ack_multi ack / nak
   ack_multi       = PKT-LINE("ACK" SP obj-id ack_status)
   ack_status      = "continue" / "common" / "ready"
   ack             = PKT-LINE("ACK" SP obj-id)
   nak             = PKT-LINE("NAK")
-  error-line     =  PKT-LINE("ERR" SP explanation-text)
 ----
 
 A simple clone may look like this (with no 'have' lines):
diff --git a/builtin/archive.c b/builtin/archive.c
index d2455237ce..5d179bbd16 100644
--- a/builtin/archive.c
+++ b/builtin/archive.c
@@ -59,8 +59,6 @@ static int run_remote_archiver(int argc, const char **argv,
 	if (strcmp(buf, "ACK")) {
 		if (starts_with(buf, "NACK "))
 			die(_("git archive: NACK %s"), buf + 5);
-		if (starts_with(buf, "ERR "))
-			die(_("remote error: %s"), buf + 4);
 		die(_("git archive: protocol error"));
 	}
 
diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index 24281b6082..4813f005ab 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -296,7 +296,6 @@ struct ref **get_remote_heads(struct packet_reader *reader,
 	struct ref **orig_list = list;
 	int len = 0;
 	enum get_remote_heads_state state = EXPECTING_FIRST_REF;
-	const char *arg;
 
 	*list = NULL;
 
@@ -306,8 +305,6 @@ struct ref **get_remote_heads(struct packet_reader *reader,
 			die_initial_contact(1);
 		case PACKET_READ_NORMAL:
 			len = reader->pktlen;
-			if (len > 4 && skip_prefix(reader->line, "ERR ", &arg))
-				die(_("remote error: %s"), arg);
 			break;
 		case PACKET_READ_FLUSH:
 			state = EXPECTING_DONE;
diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index 9691046e64..e66cd7b71b 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -178,8 +178,6 @@ static enum ack_type get_ack(int fd, struct object_id *result_oid)
 			return ACK;
 		}
 	}
-	if (skip_prefix(line, "ERR ", &arg))
-		die(_("remote error: %s"), arg);
 	die(_("git fetch-pack: expected ACK/NAK, got '%s'"), line);
 }
 
diff --git a/pkt-line.c b/pkt-line.c
index 04d10bbd03..ce9e42d10e 100644
--- a/pkt-line.c
+++ b/pkt-line.c
@@ -346,6 +346,10 @@ enum packet_read_status packet_read_with_status(int fd, char **src_buffer,
 		return PACKET_READ_EOF;
 	}
 
+	if (starts_with(buffer, "ERR ")) {
+		die(_("remote error: %s"), buffer + 4);
+	}
+
 	if ((options & PACKET_READ_CHOMP_NEWLINE) &&
 	    len && buffer[len-1] == '\n')
 		len--;
diff --git a/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh b/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
index 3f58f05cbb..d2a9d0c127 100755
--- a/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
+++ b/t/t5703-upload-pack-ref-in-want.sh
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ test_expect_success 'server is initially ahead - no ref in want' '
 	cp -r "$LOCAL_PRISTINE" local &&
 	inconsistency master 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890 &&
 	test_must_fail git -C local fetch 2>err &&
-	grep "ERR upload-pack: not our ref" err
+	grep "fatal: remote error: upload-pack: not our ref" err
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'server is initially ahead - ref in want' '
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ test_expect_success 'server loses a ref - ref in want' '
 	echo "s/master/raster/" >"$HTTPD_ROOT_PATH/one-time-sed" &&
 	test_must_fail git -C local fetch 2>err &&
 
-	grep "ERR unknown ref refs/heads/raster" err
+	grep "fatal: remote error: unknown ref refs/heads/raster" err
 '
 
 stop_httpd
