diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/GitSmartHttpTools.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/GitSmartHttpTools.java
index 03c9d8da6..cfe48223d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/GitSmartHttpTools.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.http.server/src/org/eclipse/jgit/http/server/GitSmartHttpTools.java
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ public class GitSmartHttpTools {
 		} else {
 			if (httpStatus < 400)
 				ServletUtils.consumeRequestBody(req);
-			res.sendError(httpStatus);
+			res.sendError(httpStatus, textForGit);
 		}
 	}