diff --git a/lib/storage.js b/lib/storage.js
index 9fbbc17be..a1f7596c3 100644
--- a/lib/storage.js
+++ b/lib/storage.js
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ Storage.prototype._sync_package_with_uplinks = function(name, pkginfo, options,
 		}
 
 		up.get_package(name, _options, function(err, up_res, etag) {
-			if (err && err.message === "bad status code: 304")
+			if (err && err.status === 304)
 				pkginfo._uplinks[up.upname].fetched = Date.now()
 
 			if (err || !up_res) return cb(null, [err || new Error('no data')])
diff --git a/lib/up-storage.js b/lib/up-storage.js
index 0176975f9..ac3d598df 100644
--- a/lib/up-storage.js
+++ b/lib/up-storage.js
@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ Storage.prototype.get_package = function(name, options, callback) {
 			}))
 		}
 		if (!(res.statusCode >= 200 && res.statusCode < 300)) {
-			return callback(new Error('bad status code: ' + res.statusCode))
+			var error = new Error('bad status code: ' + res.statusCode)
+			error.status = res.statusCode
+			return callback(error)
 		}
 		callback(null, body, res.headers.etag)
 	})