diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/AsIsFileFilter.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/AsIsFileFilter.java
index e8d809659..d33362b4b 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/AsIsFileFilter.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/AsIsFileFilter.java
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ class AsIsFileFilter implements Filter {
 			asIs.access(req, db);
 			chain.doFilter(request, response);
 		} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
+			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 		} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
-			res.sendError(SC_FORBIDDEN);
+			res.sendError(SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/ReceivePackServlet.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/ReceivePackServlet.java
index 030287b5c..41217d997 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/ReceivePackServlet.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/ReceivePackServlet.java
@@ -137,11 +137,10 @@ class ReceivePackServlet extends HttpServlet {
 			try {
 				rp = receivePackFactory.create(req, getRepository(req));
 			} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-				rsp.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
+				rsp.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 				return;
-
 			} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
-				sendError(req, rsp, SC_FORBIDDEN);
+				sendError(req, rsp, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
 				return;
 			}
 
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 58404020c..a021c1ff5 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
@@ -137,10 +137,10 @@ public class RepositoryFilter implements Filter {
 			sendError(req, res, SC_NOT_FOUND);
 			return;
 		} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
-			sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN);
+			sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
 			return;
 		} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
+			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 			return;
 		} catch (ServiceMayNotContinueException e) {
 			sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/SmartServiceInfoRefs.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/SmartServiceInfoRefs.java
index 51332194b..7d4f21b5c 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/SmartServiceInfoRefs.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/SmartServiceInfoRefs.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ abstract class SmartServiceInfoRefs implements Filter {
 			try {
 				begin(req, db);
 			} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-				res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
+				res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 				return;
 			} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
 				sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
@@ -132,11 +132,9 @@ abstract class SmartServiceInfoRefs implements Filter {
 			advertise(req, new PacketLineOutRefAdvertiser(out));
 			buf.close();
 		} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
-
+			res.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 		} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
-			sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN);
-
+			sendError(req, res, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
 		} catch (ServiceMayNotContinueException e) {
 			if (e.isOutput())
 				buf.close();
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/UploadPackServlet.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/UploadPackServlet.java
index 44d4b1bcf..8c27b712b 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/UploadPackServlet.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/UploadPackServlet.java
@@ -137,11 +137,10 @@ class UploadPackServlet extends HttpServlet {
 			try {
 				rp = uploadPackFactory.create(req, getRepository(req));
 			} catch (ServiceNotAuthorizedException e) {
-				rsp.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
+				rsp.sendError(SC_UNAUTHORIZED, e.getMessage());
 				return;
-
 			} catch (ServiceNotEnabledException e) {
-				sendError(req, rsp, SC_FORBIDDEN);
+				sendError(req, rsp, SC_FORBIDDEN, e.getMessage());
 				return;
 			}