@@ -309,9 +309,10 @@ def __del__(self):
         def __getattr__(self, attr):
             return getattr(self.proc, attr)
 
-        def wait(self):
+        def wait(self, stderr=None):
             """Wait for the process and return its status code.
 
+            :param stderr: Previously read value of stderr, in case stderr is already closed.
             :warn: may deadlock if output or error pipes are used and not handled separately.
             :raise GitCommandError: if the return status is not 0"""
             status = self.proc.wait()
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ def read_all_from_possibly_closed_stream(stream):
                 try:
                     return stream.read()
                 except ValueError:
-                    return ''
+                    return stderr or ''
 
             if status != 0:
                 errstr = read_all_from_possibly_closed_stream(self.proc.stderr)
 
@@ -827,8 +827,8 @@ def _clone(cls, git, url, path, odb_default_type, progress, **kwargs):
             if progress:
                 handle_process_output(proc, None, progress.new_message_handler(), finalize_process)
             else:
-                proc.communicate()
-                finalize_process(proc)
+                (stdout, stderr) = proc.communicate()
+                finalize_process(proc, stderr=stderr)
             # end handle progress
         finally:
             if prev_cwd is not None:
 
@@ -150,9 +150,9 @@ def get_user_id():
     return "%s@%s" % (getpass.getuser(), platform.node())
 
 
-def finalize_process(proc):
+def finalize_process(proc, **kwargs):
     """Wait for the process (clone, fetch, pull or push) and handle its errors accordingly"""
-    proc.wait()
+    proc.wait(**kwargs)
 
 #} END utilities