diff --git a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.cpp b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.cpp
index aac0ba2f063..12c33627709 100644
--- a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.cpp
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ QString DiffEditorDocument::fallbackSaveAsPath() const
 
 bool DiffEditorDocument::isSaveAsAllowed() const
 {
-    return !isReloading();
+    return state() == LoadOK;
 }
 
 bool DiffEditorDocument::save(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName, bool autoSave)
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ bool DiffEditorDocument::save(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName, boo
     Q_UNUSED(errorString)
     Q_UNUSED(autoSave)
 
-    if (isReloading())
+    if (state() != LoadOK)
         return false;
 
     const bool ok = write(fileName, format(), plainText(), errorString);
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ QString DiffEditorDocument::plainText() const
 void DiffEditorDocument::beginReload()
 {
     emit aboutToReload();
-    m_isReloading = true;
+    m_state = Reloading;
     emit changed();
     const bool blocked = blockSignals(true);
     setDiffFiles(QList<FileData>(), QString());
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void DiffEditorDocument::beginReload()
 
 void DiffEditorDocument::endReload(bool success)
 {
-    m_isReloading = false;
+    m_state = success ? LoadOK : LoadFailed;
     emit changed();
     emit reloadFinished(success);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.h b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.h
index 18c73b61cee..14c04e46024 100644
--- a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.h
+++ b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditordocument.h
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ public:
 
     DiffEditorController *controller() const;
 
+    enum State {
+        LoadOK,
+        Reloading,
+        LoadFailed
+    };
+
     QString makePatch(int fileIndex, int chunkIndex,
                       bool revert, bool addPrefix = false,
                       const QString &overriddenFileName = QString()) const;
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ public:
     bool reload(QString *errorString, ReloadFlag flag, ChangeType type) override;
     OpenResult open(QString *errorString, const QString &fileName,
                     const QString &realFileName) override;
-    bool isReloading() const { return m_isReloading; }
+    State state() const { return m_state; }
     void beginReload();
     void endReload(bool success);
 
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ private:
     int m_contextLineCount;
     bool m_isContextLineCountForced;
     bool m_ignoreWhitespace;
-    bool m_isReloading = false;
+    State m_state = LoadOK;
 
     friend class ::DiffEditor::DiffEditorController;
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditorwidgetcontroller.cpp b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditorwidgetcontroller.cpp
index 53c3d05d4ae..6197da5296f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditorwidgetcontroller.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffeditorwidgetcontroller.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void DiffEditorWidgetController::setDocument(DiffEditorDocument *document)
         disconnect(m_document, &IDocument::reloadFinished, this, &DiffEditorWidgetController::hideProgress);
     }
 
-    const bool wasRunning = m_document && m_document->isReloading();
+    const bool wasRunning = m_document && m_document->state() == DiffEditorDocument::Reloading;
 
     m_document = document;
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void DiffEditorWidgetController::setDocument(DiffEditorDocument *document)
         connect(m_document, &IDocument::reloadFinished, this, &DiffEditorWidgetController::hideProgress);
     }
 
-    const bool isRunning = m_document && m_document->isReloading();
+    const bool isRunning = m_document && m_document->state() == DiffEditorDocument::Reloading;
 
     if (wasRunning == isRunning)
         return;
diff --git a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffview.cpp b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffview.cpp
index 5a8938ba0c0..23e165f58e2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffview.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/diffeditor/diffview.cpp
@@ -117,15 +117,26 @@ void UnifiedView::setDocument(DiffEditorDocument *document)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_widget, return);
     m_widget->setDocument(document);
-    if (document && document->isReloading())
+    if (!document)
+        return;
+
+    switch (document->state()) {
+    case DiffEditorDocument::Reloading:
         m_widget->clear(tr("Waiting for data..."));
+        break;
+    case DiffEditorDocument::LoadFailed:
+        m_widget->clear(tr("Retrieving data failed."));
+        break;
+    default:
+        break;
+    }
 }
 
 void UnifiedView::beginOperation()
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_widget, return);
     DiffEditorDocument *document = m_widget->diffDocument();
-    if (document && !document->isReloading())
+    if (document && document->state() == DiffEditorDocument::LoadOK)
         m_widget->saveState();
     m_widget->clear(tr("Waiting for data..."));
 }
@@ -142,7 +153,7 @@ void UnifiedView::endOperation(bool success)
     if (success)
         m_widget->restoreState();
     else
-        m_widget->clear(tr("Failed"));
+        m_widget->clear(tr("Retrieving data failed."));
 }
 
 void UnifiedView::setCurrentDiffFileIndex(int index)
@@ -192,15 +203,26 @@ void SideBySideView::setDocument(DiffEditorDocument *document)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_widget, return);
     m_widget->setDocument(document);
-    if (document && document->isReloading())
+    if (!document)
+        return;
+
+    switch (document->state()) {
+    case DiffEditorDocument::Reloading:
         m_widget->clear(tr("Waiting for data..."));
+        break;
+    case DiffEditorDocument::LoadFailed:
+        m_widget->clear(tr("Retrieving data failed."));
+        break;
+    default:
+        break;
+    }
 }
 
 void SideBySideView::beginOperation()
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_widget, return);
     DiffEditorDocument *document = m_widget->diffDocument();
-    if (document && !document->isReloading())
+    if (document && document->state() == DiffEditorDocument::LoadOK)
         m_widget->saveState();
     m_widget->clear(tr("Waiting for data..."));
 }
@@ -223,7 +245,7 @@ void SideBySideView::endOperation(bool success)
     if (success)
         m_widget->restoreState();
     else
-        m_widget->clear(tr("Failed"));
+        m_widget->clear(tr("Retrieving data failed."));
 }
 
 void SideBySideView::setSync(bool sync)
diff --git a/src/plugins/diffeditor/sidebysidediffeditorwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/diffeditor/sidebysidediffeditorwidget.cpp
index 7852dc7df2f..80b2564d11b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/diffeditor/sidebysidediffeditorwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/diffeditor/sidebysidediffeditorwidget.cpp
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ void SideBySideDiffEditorWidget::setDiff(const QList<FileData> &diffFileList,
 
     m_controller.m_contextFileData = diffFileList;
     if (m_controller.m_contextFileData.isEmpty()) {
-        const QString msg = tr("No difference");
+        const QString msg = tr("No difference.");
         m_leftEditor->setPlainText(msg);
         m_rightEditor->setPlainText(msg);
     } else {