diff --git a/gerrit-common/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/common/data/ReviewResult.java b/gerrit-common/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/common/data/ReviewResult.java
index 648b7ddcc9..dc08e07973 100644
--- a/gerrit-common/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/common/data/ReviewResult.java
+++ b/gerrit-common/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/common/data/ReviewResult.java
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ public class ReviewResult {
       PUBLISH_NOT_PERMITTED,
 
       /** Review operation not permitted by rule. */
-      RULE_ERROR
+      RULE_ERROR,
+
+      /** Review operation invalid because patch set is not a draft. */
+      NOT_A_DRAFT,
     }
 
     protected Type type;
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/changedetail/PublishDraft.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/changedetail/PublishDraft.java
index 9f60ccbec6..69406f7d4e 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/changedetail/PublishDraft.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/changedetail/PublishDraft.java
@@ -57,9 +57,14 @@ public class PublishDraft implements Callable<ReviewResult> {
     result.setChangeId(changeId);
     final ChangeControl control = changeControlFactory.validateFor(changeId);
     final PatchSet patch = db.patchSets().get(patchSetId);
-    if (patch == null || !patch.isDraft()) {
+    if (patch == null) {
       throw new NoSuchChangeException(changeId);
     }
+    if (!patch.isDraft()) {
+      result.addError(new ReviewResult.Error(
+          ReviewResult.Error.Type.NOT_A_DRAFT));
+      return result;
+    }
 
     if (!control.canPublish(db)) {
       result.addError(new ReviewResult.Error(
diff --git a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ReviewCommand.java b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ReviewCommand.java
index 96dc7cace5..56faed5fb4 100644
--- a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ReviewCommand.java
+++ b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ReviewCommand.java
@@ -294,6 +294,9 @@ public class ReviewCommand extends BaseCommand {
         case RULE_ERROR:
           errMsg += "rule error";
           break;
+        case NOT_A_DRAFT:
+          errMsg += "change is not a draft";
+          break;
         default:
           errMsg += "failure in review";
       }