diff --git a/hgext/narrow/narrowcommands.py b/hgext/narrow/narrowcommands.py
--- a/hgext/narrow/narrowcommands.py
+++ b/hgext/narrow/narrowcommands.py
@@ -407,6 +407,13 @@
         url, branches = hg.parseurl(remotepath)
         ui.status(_('comparing with %s\n') % util.hidepassword(url))
         remote = hg.peer(repo, opts, url)
+
+        # check narrow support before doing anything if widening needs to be
+        # performed. In future we should also abort if client is ellipses and
+        # server does not support ellipses
+        if widening and narrowwirepeer.NARROWCAP not in remote.capabilities():
+            raise error.Abort(_("server does not support narrow clones"))
+
         commoninc = discovery.findcommonincoming(repo, remote)
 
         oldincludes, oldexcludes = repo.narrowpats
diff --git a/tests/test-narrow-clone-non-narrow-server.t b/tests/test-narrow-clone-non-narrow-server.t
--- a/tests/test-narrow-clone-non-narrow-server.t
+++ b/tests/test-narrow-clone-non-narrow-server.t
@@ -60,7 +60,5 @@
   looking for local changes to affected paths
   $ hg tracked --addinclude f1 http://localhost:$HGPORT1/
   comparing with http://localhost:$HGPORT1/
-  searching for changes
-  no changes found
-  abort: server doesn't support narrow clones
+  abort: server does not support narrow clones
   [255]