diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index 222cd3ad8960f3..b0d3e028d1c7dd 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -613,11 +613,12 @@ static void check_non_tip(struct object_array *want_obj,
 	for (i = 0; i < want_obj->nr; i++) {
 		struct object *o = want_obj->objects[i].item;
 		if (!is_our_ref(o)) {
+			warning("git upload-pack: not our ref %s",
+				oid_to_hex(&o->oid));
 			packet_writer_error(writer,
 					    "upload-pack: not our ref %s",
 					    oid_to_hex(&o->oid));
-			die("git upload-pack: not our ref %s",
-			    oid_to_hex(&o->oid));
+			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
 }