diff --git a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
index 22e28131505..ca38f48b398 100644
--- a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,12 @@ SshRemoteProcess::SshRemoteProcess(const QByteArray &command, const QStringList
     connect(this,
             static_cast<void (QProcess::*)(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)>(&QProcess::finished),
             [this] {
-        emit done(exitStatus() == QProcess::NormalExit ? QString() : errorString());
+        QString error;
+        if (exitStatus() == QProcess::CrashExit)
+            error = tr("The ssh binary crashed: %1").arg(errorString());
+        else if (exitCode() == 255)
+            error = tr("Remote process crashed.");
+        emit done(error);
     });
     connect(this, &QProcess::errorOccurred, [this](QProcess::ProcessError error) {
         if (error == QProcess::FailedToStart)
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.cpp
index e3cc959a5d1..4f447214f5e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ QProcess::ProcessState SshDeviceProcess::state() const
 
 QProcess::ExitStatus SshDeviceProcess::exitStatus() const
 {
-    return d->exitStatus == QSsh::SshRemoteProcess::NormalExit
+    return d->exitStatus == QSsh::SshRemoteProcess::NormalExit && d->exitCode != 255
             ? QProcess::NormalExit : QProcess::CrashExit;
 }
 
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ void SshDeviceProcess::handleProcessStarted()
     emit started();
 }
 
-void SshDeviceProcess::handleProcessFinished()
+void SshDeviceProcess::handleProcessFinished(const QString &error)
 {
-    d->errorMessage = d->process->errorString();
+    d->errorMessage = error;
     d->exitCode = d->process->exitCode();
     d->setState(SshDeviceProcessPrivate::Inactive);
     emit finished();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.h
index 7bbe942354e..8c1da7cf558 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/devicesupport/sshdeviceprocess.h
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ private:
     void handleConnectionError();
     void handleDisconnected();
     void handleProcessStarted();
-    void handleProcessFinished();
+    void handleProcessFinished(const QString &error);
     void handleStdout();
     void handleStderr();
     void handleKillOperationFinished(const QString &errorMessage);