diff --git a/src/libstore/legacy-ssh-store.cc b/src/libstore/legacy-ssh-store.cc
index 890c8a149..2d8667a85 100644
--- a/src/libstore/legacy-ssh-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/legacy-ssh-store.cc
@@ -124,20 +124,9 @@ struct LegacySSHStore : public virtual LegacySSHStoreConfig, public virtual Stor
             conn->to << SERVE_MAGIC_1 << SERVE_PROTOCOL_VERSION;
             conn->to.flush();
 
-            StringSink saved;
-            try {
-                TeeSource tee(conn->from, saved);
-                unsigned int magic = readInt(tee);
-                if (magic != SERVE_MAGIC_2)
-                    throw Error("'nix-store --serve' protocol mismatch from '%s'", host);
-            } catch (SerialisationError & e) {
-                /* In case the other side is waiting for our input,
-                   close it. */
-                conn->sshConn->in.close();
-                auto msg = conn->from.drain();
-                throw Error("'nix-store --serve' protocol mismatch from '%s', got '%s'",
-                    host, chomp(saved.s + msg));
-            }
+            uint64_t magic = readLongLong(conn->from);
+            if (magic != SERVE_MAGIC_2)
+                throw Error("'nix-store --serve' protocol mismatch from '%s'", host);
             conn->remoteVersion = readInt(conn->from);
             if (GET_PROTOCOL_MAJOR(conn->remoteVersion) != 0x200)
                 throw Error("unsupported 'nix-store --serve' protocol version on '%s'", host);
diff --git a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
index 7572473cf..f0dbe8e21 100644
--- a/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/remote-store.cc
@@ -69,19 +69,10 @@ void RemoteStore::initConnection(Connection & conn)
         conn.from.endOfFileError = "Nix daemon disconnected unexpectedly (maybe it crashed?)";
         conn.to << WORKER_MAGIC_1;
         conn.to.flush();
-        StringSink saved;
-        try {
-            TeeSource tee(conn.from, saved);
-            unsigned int magic = readInt(tee);
-            if (magic != WORKER_MAGIC_2)
-                throw Error("protocol mismatch");
-        } catch (SerialisationError & e) {
-            /* In case the other side is waiting for our input, close
-               it. */
-            conn.closeWrite();
-            auto msg = conn.from.drain();
-            throw Error("protocol mismatch, got '%s'", chomp(saved.s + msg));
-        }
+
+        uint64_t magic = readLongLong(conn.from);
+        if (magic != WORKER_MAGIC_2)
+            throw Error("protocol mismatch");
 
         conn.from >> conn.daemonVersion;
         if (GET_PROTOCOL_MAJOR(conn.daemonVersion) != GET_PROTOCOL_MAJOR(PROTOCOL_VERSION))