diff --git a/media/libmedia/IMediaHTTPConnection.cpp b/media/libmedia/IMediaHTTPConnection.cpp
index 7e89d7f..0dda0be9 100644
--- a/media/libmedia/IMediaHTTPConnection.cpp
+++ b/media/libmedia/IMediaHTTPConnection.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,14 @@
             return UNKNOWN_ERROR;
         }
 
-        size_t len = reply.readInt32();
+        int32_t lenOrErrorCode = reply.readInt32();
+
+        // Negative values are error codes
+        if (lenOrErrorCode < 0) {
+            return lenOrErrorCode;
+        }
+
+        size_t len = lenOrErrorCode;
 
         if (len > size) {
             ALOGE("requested %zu, got %zu", size, len);