diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/Messages.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/Messages.java
index 993ad714bf..30d4d941a4 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/Messages.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/Messages.java
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ public class Messages extends NLS {
 	public static String MirrorLog_Exception_Occurred;
 
 	public static String MirrorRequest_multipleDownloadProblems;
+
+	public static String MirrorRequest_removal_failed;
 	public static String MirrorRequest_transferFailed;
 
 	public static String exception_unableToCreateParentDir;
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/MirrorRequest.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/MirrorRequest.java
index ff785229ff..d84dfc5939 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/MirrorRequest.java
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/MirrorRequest.java
@@ -180,9 +180,20 @@ else if (ProcessingStepHandler.canProcess(descriptor2))
 		if (target.contains(destinationDescriptor)) {
 			try {
 				target.removeDescriptor(destinationDescriptor, subMonitor.split(1));
-			} catch (UnsupportedOperationException e) {
-				setResult(Status.warning("unable to remove Descriptor", e)); //$NON-NLS-1$
-				return;
+			} catch (RuntimeException e) {
+				// In case the repository does not support this, fall through to get the real
+				// error, maybe the repository does not support downloads at all!
+				Status warning = Status.warning(NLS.bind(Messages.MirrorRequest_removal_failed, destinationDescriptor),
+						e);
+				if (status instanceof MultiStatus multi) {
+					multi.add(warning);
+				} else {
+					MultiStatus multiStatus = new MultiStatus(Activator.ID, 0,
+							NLS.bind(Messages.MirrorRequest_transferFailed, descriptor), null);
+					multiStatus.add(status);
+					multiStatus.add(warning);
+					status = multiStatus;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/messages.properties b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/messages.properties
index 6a2901ac78..ca6dcbfc9e 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/messages.properties
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.equinox.p2.artifact.repository/src/org/eclipse/equinox/internal/p2/artifact/repository/messages.properties
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ exception_noComparators = No Artifact Comparators are available.
 MirrorLog_Console_Log=Logging to the console instead.
 MirrorLog_Exception_Occurred=An exception occurred while writing to the log:
 MirrorRequest_multipleDownloadProblems=Multiple problems occurred while downloading.
+MirrorRequest_removal_failed=Target repository contains descriptor after failed download but it can't be removed: {0}
 MirrorRequest_transferFailed=Failed to transfer artifact {0}.
 
 exception_unsupportedAddToComposite = Cannot add descriptors to a composite repository.