diff --git a/library/git b/library/git
index 5395f516a96..89affbba115 100755
--- a/library/git
+++ b/library/git
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ def pull(module, repo, dest, version):
         if b.startswith('* '):
             cur_branch = b
     if is_local_branch(module, dest, version) and not is_current_branch(module, dest, version):
-        (out, err) = switch_version(module, dest, remote, version)
+        (rc, out, err) = switch_version(module, dest, remote, version)
+        if rc != 0:
+            module.fail_json(msg=err)
 
     cmd = "git pull -u origin"
     cmd = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
@@ -219,10 +221,8 @@ def main():
         if rc != 0:
             module.fail_json(msg=err)
         (rc, out, err) = pull(module, repo, dest, version)
-
-    # handle errors from clone or pull
-    if out.find('error') != -1 or err.find('ERROR') != -1:
-        module.fail_json(msg=err)
+        if rc != 0:
+            module.fail_json(msg=err)
 
     # switch to version specified regardless of whether
     # we cloned or pulled