diff --git a/include/git2/remote.h b/include/git2/remote.h
index 86498a31a..577a1c853 100644
--- a/include/git2/remote.h
+++ b/include/git2/remote.h
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_set_pushurl(git_repository *repo, const char *remote,
  * @param repo the repository in which to change the configuration
  * @param remote the name of the remote to change
  * @param refspec the new fetch refspec
- * @return 0 or an error value
+ * @return 0, GIT_EINVALIDSPEC if refspec is invalid or an error value
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_add_fetch(git_repository *repo, const char *remote, const char *refspec);
 
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_get_fetch_refspecs(git_strarray *array, const git_rem
  * @param repo the repository in which to change the configuration
  * @param remote the name of the remote to change
  * @param refspec the new push refspec
- * @return 0 or an error value
+ * @return 0, GIT_EINVALIDSPEC if refspec is invalid or an error value
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_add_push(git_repository *repo, const char *remote, const char *refspec);
 
diff --git a/src/remote.c b/src/remote.c
index d58927f28..99b5bacc0 100644
--- a/src/remote.c
+++ b/src/remote.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ static int write_add_refspec(git_repository *repo, const char *name, const char
 {
 	git_config *cfg;
 	git_buf var = GIT_BUF_INIT;
+	git_refspec spec;
 	const char *fmt;
 	int error;
 
@@ -108,6 +109,15 @@ static int write_add_refspec(git_repository *repo, const char *name, const char
 	if ((error = ensure_remote_name_is_valid(name)) < 0)
 		return error;
 
+	if ((error = git_refspec__parse(&spec, refspec, fetch)) < 0) {
+		if (giterr_last()->klass != GITERR_NOMEMORY)
+			error = GIT_EINVALIDSPEC;
+
+		return error;
+	}
+
+	git_refspec__free(&spec);
+
 	if ((error = git_buf_printf(&var, fmt, name)) < 0)
 		return error;
 
diff --git a/tests/network/remote/remotes.c b/tests/network/remote/remotes.c
index 8619f2e00..2fa21d460 100644
--- a/tests/network/remote/remotes.c
+++ b/tests/network/remote/remotes.c
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ void test_network_remote_remotes__add_fetchspec(void)
 	cl_assert_equal_s(git_refspec_dst(_refspec), "refs/*");
 	cl_assert_equal_s(git_refspec_string(_refspec), "refs/*:refs/*");
 	cl_assert_equal_b(_refspec->push, false);
+
+	cl_git_fail_with(GIT_EINVALIDSPEC, git_remote_add_fetch(_repo, "test", "refs/*/foo/*:refs/*"));
 }
 
 void test_network_remote_remotes__dup(void)