@@ -521,6 +521,9 @@ func postImagesInsert(srv *Server, version float64, w http.ResponseWriter, r *ht

 	job.SetenvBool("json", version > 1.0)

 	job.Stdout.Add(w)

 	if err := job.Run(); err != nil {

+		if !job.Stdout.Used() {

+			return err

+		}

 		sf := utils.NewStreamFormatter(version > 1.0)

 		w.Write(sf.FormatError(err))

 	}

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type Output struct {

 	sync.Mutex

 	dests []io.Writer

 	tasks sync.WaitGroup

+	used  bool

 }

 // NewOutput returns a new Output object with no destinations attached.

@@ -20,6 +21,13 @@ func NewOutput() *Output {

 	return &Output{}

 }

+// Return true if something was written on this output

+func (o *Output) Used() bool {

+	o.Mutex.Lock()

+	defer o.Mutex.Unlock()

+	return o.used

+}

+

 // Add attaches a new destination to the Output. Any data subsequently written

 // to the output will be written to the new destination in addition to all the others.

 // This method is thread-safe.

@@ -82,6 +90,7 @@ func (o *Output) AddString(dst *string) error {

 func (o *Output) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {

 	o.Mutex.Lock()

 	defer o.Mutex.Unlock()

+	o.used = true

 	var firstErr error

 	for _, dst := range o.dests {

 		_, err := dst.Write(p)

@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ func (srv *Server) ImageInsert(job *engine.Job) engine.Status {

 	img, err = srv.runtime.Commit(c, "", "", img.Comment, img.Author, nil)

 	if err != nil {

 		out.Write(sf.FormatError(err))

-		return engine.StatusOK

+		return engine.StatusErr

 	}

 	out.Write(sf.FormatStatus("", img.ID))

 	return engine.StatusOK