diff --git a/Command/AddUrl.hs b/Command/AddUrl.hs
index 838b8fd4d3..d6a4c61439 100644
--- a/Command/AddUrl.hs
+++ b/Command/AddUrl.hs
@@ -258,8 +258,7 @@ performQuvi relaxed pageurl videourl file = ifAnnexed file addurl geturl
 
 #ifdef WITH_QUVI
 addUrlFileQuvi :: Bool -> URLString -> URLString -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
-addUrlFileQuvi relaxed quviurl videourl file = do
-	checkDoesNotExist file
+addUrlFileQuvi relaxed quviurl videourl file = stopUnless (doesNotExist file) $ do
 	let key = Backend.URL.fromUrl quviurl Nothing
 	ifM (pure relaxed <||> Annex.getState Annex.fast)
 		( do
@@ -309,19 +308,20 @@ addUrlChecked relaxed url u checkexistssize key
 		)
 
 addUrlFile :: Bool -> URLString -> Url.UrlInfo -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
-addUrlFile relaxed url urlinfo file = do
-	checkDoesNotExist file
+addUrlFile relaxed url urlinfo file = stopUnless (doesNotExist file) $ do
 	liftIO $ createDirectoryIfMissing True (parentDir file)
 	ifM (Annex.getState Annex.fast <||> pure relaxed)
 		( nodownload url urlinfo file
 		, downloadWeb url urlinfo file
 		)
 
-checkDoesNotExist :: FilePath -> Annex ()
-checkDoesNotExist file = go =<< liftIO (catchMaybeIO $ getSymbolicLinkStatus file)
+doesNotExist :: FilePath -> Annex Bool
+doesNotExist file = go =<< liftIO (catchMaybeIO $ getSymbolicLinkStatus file)
   where
-	go Nothing = return ()
-	go (Just _) = error $ file ++ " already exists and is not annexed; not overwriting"
+	go Nothing = return True
+	go (Just _) = do
+		warning $ file ++ " already exists and is not annexed; not overwriting"
+		return False
 
 downloadWeb :: URLString -> Url.UrlInfo -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
 downloadWeb url urlinfo file = do
diff --git a/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists.mdwn b/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists.mdwn
index db467055ab..c135f7f324 100644
--- a/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists.mdwn
+++ b/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists.mdwn
@@ -17,3 +17,5 @@ $> echo "http://www.onerussian.com/tmp/banner.png 123" | git annex addurl --batc
 """]]
 
 [[!meta author=yoh]]
+
+> [[fixed|done]] --[[Joey]]
diff --git a/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists/comment_2_8f6d5e3b2e37f741bd18044345007cfb._comment b/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists/comment_2_8f6d5e3b2e37f741bd18044345007cfb._comment
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c0561cf776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/bugs/addurl_--batch___40__--json_or_not__41___doesn__39__t_report_failure_correctly_if_non-annexed_file_exists/comment_2_8f6d5e3b2e37f741bd18044345007cfb._comment
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[[!comment format=mdwn
+ username="joey"
+ subject="""comment 2"""
+ date="2016-01-15T18:24:28Z"
+ content="""
+Dude, you're /dev/nulling stderr, where the error is printed.
+
+In any case, sure, we can make addurl not throw a fatal error in this
+particular case. There are of course many other error conditions where it
+may still throw a fatal error.
+"""]]