diff --git a/basis/http/client/client.factor b/basis/http/client/client.factor
index 805929d27b..307fdd5031 100644
--- a/basis/http/client/client.factor
+++ b/basis/http/client/client.factor
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ ERROR: download-failed response ;
     present file-name "?" split1 drop "/" ?tail drop ;
 
 : download-to ( url file -- )
-    binary [ [ write ] with-http-get drop ] with-file-writer ;
+    binary [ [ write ] with-http-get check-response drop ] with-file-writer ;
 
 : download ( url -- )
     dup download-name download-to ;
diff --git a/basis/http/http-tests.factor b/basis/http/http-tests.factor
index da50a6f85f..45ad132677 100644
--- a/basis/http/http-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/http/http-tests.factor
@@ -392,4 +392,7 @@ SYMBOL: a
 
 [ "OK" ] [ "data" "http://localhost/a" add-port http-post nip ] unit-test
 
-[ ] [ "http://localhost/quit" add-port http-get 2drop ] unit-test
\ No newline at end of file
+! Check that download throws errors (reported by Chris Double)
+[ "http://localhost/tweet_my_twat" add-port download ] must-fail
+
+[ ] [ "http://localhost/quit" add-port http-get 2drop ] unit-test