diff --git a/mercurial/sshrepo.py b/mercurial/sshrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/sshrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/sshrepo.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class sshrepository(remoterepository):
             lines.append(l)
             max_noise -= 1
         else:
-            raise hg.RepoError(_("no response from remote hg"))
+            raise hg.RepoError(_("no suitable response from remote hg"))
 
         self.capabilities = ()
         lines.reverse()
diff --git a/tests/test-ssh b/tests/test-ssh
--- a/tests/test-ssh
+++ b/tests/test-ssh
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ echo 'changegroup = echo changegroup in 
 
 cd ..
 
+echo "# repo not found error"
+hg clone -e ./dummyssh ssh://user@dummy/nonexistent local
+
 echo "# clone remote via stream"
 hg clone -e ./dummyssh --uncompressed ssh://user@dummy/remote local-stream 2>&1 | \
   sed -e 's/[0-9][0-9.]*/XXX/g' -e 's/[KM]\(B\/sec\)/X\1/'
diff --git a/tests/test-ssh.out b/tests/test-ssh.out
--- a/tests/test-ssh.out
+++ b/tests/test-ssh.out
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 # creating 'remote'
+# repo not found error
+abort: no suitable response from remote hg!
+remote: abort: repository nonexistent not found!
 # clone remote via stream
 streaming all changes
 XXX files to transfer, XXX bytes of data
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ remote: adding changesets
 remote: adding manifests
 remote: adding file changes
 remote: added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
+Got arguments 1:user@dummy 2:hg -R nonexistent serve --stdio 3: 4: 5:
 Got arguments 1:user@dummy 2:hg -R remote serve --stdio 3: 4: 5:
 Got arguments 1:user@dummy 2:hg -R remote serve --stdio 3: 4: 5:
 Got arguments 1:user@dummy 2:hg -R remote serve --stdio 3: 4: 5: