diff --git a/mercurial/sshpeer.py b/mercurial/sshpeer.py
--- a/mercurial/sshpeer.py
+++ b/mercurial/sshpeer.py
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@
         self._pipeo = doublepipe(self.ui, self._pipeo, self._pipee)
 
         def badresponse():
-            self._abort(error.RepoError(_('no suitable response from '
-                                          'remote hg')))
+            msg = self.ui.config("ssh", "errormessage",
+                                 _("no suitable response from remote hg"))
+            self._abort(error.RepoError(msg))
 
         try:
             # skip any noise generated by remote shell
diff --git a/tests/test-ssh.t b/tests/test-ssh.t
--- a/tests/test-ssh.t
+++ b/tests/test-ssh.t
@@ -578,3 +578,19 @@
   remote: abort: this is an exercise
   abort: pull failed on remote
   [255]
+
+abort with default error message when there is a ssh problem when pulling
+
+  $ hg pull ssh://brokenrepository
+  pulling from ssh://brokenrepository/
+  remote: ssh: Could not resolve hostname brokenrepository: Name or service not known
+  abort: no suitable response from remote hg!
+  [255]
+
+abort with configured error message when there is a ssh problem when pulling
+
+  $ hg pull ssh://brokenrepository --config ssh.errormessage="SSH error"
+  pulling from ssh://brokenrepository/
+  remote: ssh: Could not resolve hostname brokenrepository: Name or service not known
+  abort: SSH error!
+  [255]