diff --git a/app/core/gimpbrush-load.c b/app/core/gimpbrush-load.c
index 3939253fe9..48eacc7bf3 100644
--- a/app/core/gimpbrush-load.c
+++ b/app/core/gimpbrush-load.c
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ gimp_brush_load_brush (GimpContext   *context,
 
   if (header.header_size < sizeof (BrushHeader))
     {
-      g_message (_("Unsupported brush format"));
+      g_set_error (error, GIMP_DATA_ERROR, GIMP_DATA_ERROR_READ,
+                   _("Unsupported brush format"));
       return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/plug-ins/common/file-gbr.c b/plug-ins/common/file-gbr.c
index 90c840bb10..91fbebb0a9 100644
--- a/plug-ins/common/file-gbr.c
+++ b/plug-ins/common/file-gbr.c
@@ -408,7 +408,8 @@ load_image (GFile   *file,
       bh.header_size += 8;
       if (bh.header_size < sizeof (BrushHeader))
         {
-          g_message (_("Unsupported brush format"));
+          g_set_error (error, G_FILE_ERROR, G_FILE_ERROR_FAILED,
+                       _("Unsupported brush format"));
           g_object_unref (input);
           return -1;
         }