diff --git a/expfmt/text_parse.go b/expfmt/text_parse.go
index 84433bc4f..bd170b167 100644
--- a/expfmt/text_parse.go
+++ b/expfmt/text_parse.go
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ func (p *TextParser) TextToMetricFamilies(in io.Reader) (map[string]*dto.MetricF
 			delete(p.metricFamiliesByName, k)
 		}
 	}
+	// If p.err is io.EOF now, we have run into a premature end of the input
+	// stream. Turn this error into something nicer and more
+	// meaningful. (io.EOF is often used as a signal for the legitimate end
+	// of an input stream.)
+	if p.err == io.EOF {
+		p.parseError("unexpected end of input stream")
+	}
 	return p.metricFamiliesByName, p.err
 }
 
diff --git a/expfmt/text_parse_test.go b/expfmt/text_parse_test.go
index 589c87a9d..7e7388ce9 100644
--- a/expfmt/text_parse_test.go
+++ b/expfmt/text_parse_test.go
@@ -434,8 +434,10 @@ func testTextParseError(t testing.TB) {
 	}{
 		// 0: No new-line at end of input.
 		{
-			in:  `bla 3.14`,
-			err: "EOF",
+			in: `
+bla 3.14
+blubber 42`,
+			err: "text format parsing error in line 3: unexpected end of input stream",
 		},
 		// 1: Invalid escape sequence in label value.
 		{