diff --git a/bundle.c b/bundle.c
index 08020bc3a258e0..8a1d53ba29a434 100644
--- a/bundle.c
+++ b/bundle.c
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ static int strbuf_readline_fd(struct strbuf *sb, int fd)
 	while (1) {
 		char ch;
 		ssize_t len = xread(fd, &ch, 1);
-		if (len < 0)
-			return -1;
+		if (len <= 0)
+			return len;
 		strbuf_addch(sb, ch);
 		if (ch == '\n')
 			break;
diff --git a/t/t5704-bundle.sh b/t/t5704-bundle.sh
index 728ccd88c3d69f..4ae127d106c4a8 100755
--- a/t/t5704-bundle.sh
+++ b/t/t5704-bundle.sh
@@ -53,4 +53,10 @@ test_expect_failure 'bundle --stdin <rev-list options>' '
 
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'empty bundle file is rejected' '
+
+    >empty-bundle && test_must_fail git fetch empty-bundle
+
+'
+
 test_done