diff --git a/builtin/update-ref.c b/builtin/update-ref.c
index 0046a87c57..2d68c40ecb 100644
--- a/builtin/update-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/update-ref.c
@@ -573,16 +573,18 @@ static void print_rejected_refs(const char *refname,
 				const char *old_target,
 				const char *new_target,
 				enum ref_transaction_error err,
-				const char *details UNUSED,
+				const char *details,
 				void *cb_data UNUSED)
 {
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *reason = ref_transaction_error_msg(err);
+
+	if (details && *details)
+		error("%s", details);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "rejected %s %s %s %s\n", refname,
 		    new_oid ? oid_to_hex(new_oid) : new_target,
 		    old_oid ? oid_to_hex(old_oid) : old_target,
-		    reason);
+		    ref_transaction_error_msg(err));
 
 	fwrite(sb.buf, sb.len, 1, stdout);
 	strbuf_release(&sb);
diff --git a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
index db7f5444da..db6585b8d8 100755
--- a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
@@ -2093,14 +2093,15 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$(test_oid 001)" "$head" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "invalid new value provided" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $(test_oid 001) $head invalid new value provided" stdout &&
+			test_grep "trying to write ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ} with nonexistent object" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2119,14 +2120,15 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$head_tree" "$head" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "invalid new value provided" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $head_tree $head invalid new value provided" stdout &&
+			test_grep "trying to write non-commit object $head_tree to branch ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2143,12 +2145,13 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$old_head" "$head" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			test_must_fail git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 &&
-			test_grep -q "reference does not exist" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $old_head $head reference does not exist" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}: unable to resolve reference ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2166,13 +2169,14 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$old_head" "$head" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --no-deref --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --no-deref --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			test_must_fail git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 &&
-			test_grep -q "reference does not exist" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $old_head $head reference does not exist" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}: reference is missing but expected $head" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2190,7 +2194,7 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "symref-update refs/heads/ref2" "$old_head" "ref" "refs/heads/nonexistent" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --no-deref --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --no-deref --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
@@ -2198,7 +2202,8 @@ do
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "expected symref but found regular ref" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $ZERO_OID $ZERO_OID expected symref but found regular ref" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}: expected symref with target ${SQ}refs/heads/nonexistent${SQ}: but is a regular ref" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2216,14 +2221,15 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$old_head" "$Z" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "reference already exists" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $old_head $ZERO_OID reference already exists" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}: reference already exists" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2241,14 +2247,15 @@ do
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref1" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref2" "$head" "$old_head" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref1 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref2 >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "incorrect old value provided" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref2 $head $old_head incorrect old value provided" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/ref2${SQ}: is at $head but expected $old_head" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2264,12 +2271,13 @@ do
 			git update-ref refs/heads/ref/foo $head &&
 
 			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref/foo" "$old_head" "$head" >stdin &&
-			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref" "$old_head" "" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref" "$old_head" "$ZERO_OID" >>stdin &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref/foo >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "refname conflict" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref $old_head $ZERO_OID refname conflict" stdout &&
+			test_grep "${SQ}refs/heads/ref/foo${SQ} exists; cannot create ${SQ}refs/heads/ref${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2284,13 +2292,14 @@ do
 			head=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
 			git update-ref refs/heads/ref/foo $head &&
 
-			format_command $type "update refs/heads/foo" "$old_head" "" >stdin &&
-			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref" "$old_head" "" >>stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			format_command $type "update refs/heads/foo" "$old_head" "$ZERO_OID" >stdin &&
+			format_command $type "update refs/heads/ref" "$old_head" "$ZERO_OID" >>stdin &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/foo >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "refname conflict" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/ref $old_head $ZERO_OID refname conflict" stdout &&
+			test_grep "${SQ}refs/heads/ref/foo${SQ} exists; cannot create ${SQ}refs/heads/ref${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2309,14 +2318,15 @@ do
 				format_command $type "create refs/heads/ref" "$old_head" &&
 				format_command $type "create refs/heads/Foo" "$old_head"
 			} >stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
 
 			echo $head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/foo >actual &&
 			echo $old_head >expect &&
 			git rev-parse refs/heads/ref >actual &&
 			test_cmp expect actual &&
-			test_grep -q "reference conflict due to case-insensitive filesystem" stdout
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/Foo $old_head $ZERO_OID reference conflict due to case-insensitive filesystem" stdout &&
+			test_grep -e "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/Foo${SQ}: Unable to create" -e "Foo.lock" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2357,8 +2367,9 @@ do
 			git symbolic-ref refs/heads/symbolic refs/heads/non-existent &&
 
 			format_command $type "delete refs/heads/symbolic" "$head" >stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
-			test_grep "reference does not exist" stdout
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/non-existent $ZERO_OID $head reference does not exist" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/symbolic${SQ}: unable to resolve reference ${SQ}refs/heads/non-existent${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2373,8 +2384,9 @@ do
 			head=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
 
 			format_command $type "delete refs/heads/new-branch" "$head" >stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
-			test_grep "incorrect old value provided" stdout
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/new-branch $ZERO_OID $head incorrect old value provided" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/new-branch${SQ}: is at $(git rev-parse new-branch) but expected $head" err
 		)
 	'
 
@@ -2387,8 +2399,9 @@ do
 			head=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
 
 			format_command $type "delete refs/heads/non-existent" "$head" >stdin &&
-			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout &&
-			test_grep "reference does not exist" stdout
+			git update-ref $type --stdin --batch-updates <stdin >stdout 2>err &&
+			test_grep "rejected refs/heads/non-existent $ZERO_OID $head reference does not exist" stdout &&
+			test_grep "cannot lock ref ${SQ}refs/heads/non-existent${SQ}: unable to resolve reference ${SQ}refs/heads/non-existent${SQ}" err
 		)
 	'
 done