@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ Changelog
 * `IndexFile.add()` will now write the index without any extension data by default. However, you may override this behaviour with the new `write_extension_data` keyword argument.
 
   - Renamed `ignore_tree_extension_data` keyword argument in `IndexFile.write(...)` to `ignore_extension_data`
+* If the git command executed during `Remote.push(...)|fetch(...)` returns with an non-zero exit code and GitPython didn't 
+  obtain any head-information, the corresponding `GitCommandError` will be raised. This may break previous code which expected
+  these operations to never raise. However, that behavious is undesirable as it would effectively hide the fact that there 
+  was an error. See `this issue <https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/issues/271>`_ for more information.
 
 0.3.6 - Features
 ================
 
@@ -568,7 +568,12 @@ def _get_fetch_info_from_stderr(self, proc, progress):
         # end
 
         # We are only interested in stderr here ...
-        finalize_process(proc)
+        try:
+            finalize_process(proc)
+        except Exception:
+            if len(fetch_info_lines) == 0:
+                raise
+        # end exception handler
 
         # read head information
         fp = open(join(self.repo.git_dir, 'FETCH_HEAD'), 'rb')
@@ -601,7 +606,11 @@ def stdout_handler(line):
             # END exception handling
         # END for each line
 
-        handle_process_output(proc, stdout_handler, progress_handler, finalize_process)
+        try:
+            handle_process_output(proc, stdout_handler, progress_handler, finalize_process)
+        except Exception:
+            if len(output) == 0:
+                raise
         return output
 
     def fetch(self, refspec=None, progress=None, **kwargs):
 
@@ -313,8 +313,7 @@ def _assert_push_and_pull(self, remote, rw_repo, remote_repo):
         self._do_test_push_result(res, remote)
 
         # invalid refspec
-        res = remote.push("hellothere")
-        assert len(res) == 0
+        self.failUnlessRaises(GitCommandError, remote.push, "hellothere")
 
         # push new tags
         progress = TestRemoteProgress()
 
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@
 
 # NOTE:  Some of the unused imports might be used/imported by others.
 # Handle once test-cases are back up and running.
-from .exc import (
-    GitCommandError,
-    InvalidGitRepositoryError
-)
+from .exc import InvalidGitRepositoryError
 
 from .compat import (
     MAXSIZE,
@@ -154,32 +151,7 @@ def get_user_id():
 
 def finalize_process(proc):
     """Wait for the process (clone, fetch, pull or push) and handle its errors accordingly"""
-    try:
-        proc.wait()
-    except GitCommandError:
-        # if a push has rejected items, the command has non-zero return status
-        # a return status of 128 indicates a connection error - reraise the previous one
-        # Everything else will still be parsed and made available through PushInfo flags
-        # Estimated error results look like this:
-        # ```bash
-        # To /var/folders/xp/m48gs2tx2vg95tmtzw7tprs40000gn/T/tmpk5jeBeremote_repo_test_base
-        # !   refs/heads/master:refs/heads/master [rejected] (non-fast-forward)
-        # Done
-        # error: failed to push some refs to
-        # '/var/folders/xp/m48gs2tx2vg95tmtzw7tprs40000gn/T/tmpk5jeBeremote_repo_test_base'
-        # hint: Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind
-        # hint: its remote counterpart. Integrate the remote changes (e.g.
-        # hint: 'git pull ...') before pushing again.
-        # hint: See the 'Note about fast-forwards' in 'git push --help' for details.
-        # ```
-        # See https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/blob/master/git/test/test_remote.py#L305
-        # on how to check for these kinds of errors.
-        # Also see this issue for a reason for this verbosity:
-        # https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/issues/271
-        if proc.poll() == 128:
-            raise
-        pass
-    # END exception handling
+    proc.wait()
 
 #} END utilities