diff --git a/object-file.c b/object-file.c
index ade5f33..8abeb9a 100644
--- a/object-file.c
+++ b/object-file.c
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ enum unpack_loose_header_result unpack_loose_header(git_zstream *stream,
 	 * --allow-unknown-type".
 	 */
 	if (!header)
-		return ULHR_BAD;
+		return ULHR_TOO_LONG;
 
 	/*
 	 * buffer[0..bufsiz] was not large enough.  Copy the partial
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ enum unpack_loose_header_result unpack_loose_header(git_zstream *stream,
 		stream->next_out = buffer;
 		stream->avail_out = bufsiz;
 	} while (status != Z_STREAM_END);
-	return ULHR_BAD;
+	return ULHR_TOO_LONG;
 }
 
 static void *unpack_loose_rest(git_zstream *stream,
@@ -1439,6 +1439,10 @@ static int loose_object_info(struct repository *r,
 		status = error(_("unable to unpack %s header"),
 			       oid_to_hex(oid));
 		break;
+	case ULHR_TOO_LONG:
+		status = error(_("header for %s too long, exceeds %d bytes"),
+			       oid_to_hex(oid), MAX_HEADER_LEN);
+		break;
 	}
 
 	if (status < 0) {