diff --git a/plug.vim b/plug.vim
index d16afe8..1f55f7b 100644
--- a/plug.vim
+++ b/plug.vim
@@ -2013,10 +2013,21 @@ function! s:git_validate(spec, check_branch)
               \ branch, a:spec.branch)
       endif
       if empty(err)
-        let commits = len(s:lines(s:system(printf('git rev-list origin/%s..HEAD', a:spec.branch), a:spec.dir)))
-        if !v:shell_error && commits
-          let err = join([printf('Diverged from origin/%s by %d commit(s).', a:spec.branch, commits),
-                        \ 'Reinstall after PlugClean.'], "\n")
+        let [ahead, behind] = split(s:lastline(s:system(printf(
+              \ 'git rev-list --count --left-right HEAD...origin/%s',
+              \ a:spec.branch), a:spec.dir)), '\t')
+        if !v:shell_error && ahead
+          if behind
+            " Only mention PlugClean if diverged, otherwise it's likely to be
+            " pushable (and probably not that messed up).
+            let err = printf(
+                  \ "Diverged from origin/%s (%d commit(s) ahead and %d commit(s) behind!\n"
+                  \ .'Backup local changes and run PlugClean and PlugUpdate to reinstall it.', a:spec.branch, ahead, behind)
+          else
+            let err = printf("Ahead of origin/%s by %d commit(s).\n"
+                  \ .'Cannot update until local changes are pushed.',
+                  \ a:spec.branch, ahead)
+          endif
         endif
       endif
     endif
diff --git a/test/workflow.vader b/test/workflow.vader
index dfc5604..1b3efef 100644
--- a/test/workflow.vader
+++ b/test/workflow.vader
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ Expect:
   [==]
   x seoul256.vim:
 
-Execute (Corrected the URI but diverged from master):
+Execute (Corrected the URI but ahead of upstream):
   call plug#begin()
   Plug 'junegunn/seoul256.vim'
   Plug 'file:///tmp/vim-plug-test/jg/vim-emoji'
@@ -223,8 +223,8 @@ Execute (Corrected the URI but diverged from master):
   call PlugStatusSorted()
 
 Expect:
-      Diverged from origin/master by 3 commit(s).
-      Reinstall after PlugClean.
+      Ahead of origin/master by 3 commit(s).
+      Cannot update until local changes are pushed.
   - vim-emoji: OK
   Finished. 1 error(s).
   [==]
@@ -237,11 +237,44 @@ Expect:
 #   q
 #   PGdd
 
-Execute (PlugClean! to remove seoul256.vim):
+Execute (PlugClean! keeps seoul256.vim):
   PlugClean!
-  " Three removed, emoji left
-  AssertEqual 'Removed 3 directories.', getline(4)
-  AssertExpect '^\~ ', 3
+  " Two removed, emoji and seoul256 left
+  AssertEqual 'Removed 2 directories.', getline(4)
+  AssertExpect '^\~ ', 2
+  AssertExpect 'Diverged', 0
+  Assert !empty(globpath(&rtp, 'colors/seoul256.vim'))
+  Assert !empty(globpath(&rtp, 'autoload/emoji.vim'))
+  q
+
+Execute (Make seoul256 to be diverged):
+  call plug#begin()
+  Plug 'junegunn/seoul256.vim'
+  Plug 'file:///tmp/vim-plug-test/jg/vim-emoji'
+  call plug#end()
+  call system(printf(join([
+    \ 'cd "%s"',
+    \ 'git fetch --unshallow',
+    \ 'git reset "@{u}~1"',
+    \ 'git commit --allow-empty -m "diverged1"',
+    \ 'git commit --allow-empty -m "diverged2"'], ' && '),
+    \ g:plugs['seoul256.vim'].dir))
+  Assert empty(v:shell_error), 'Got shell error: '.v:shell_error
+  call PlugStatusSorted()
+
+Expect:
+      Backup local changes and run PlugClean and PlugUpdate to reinstall it.
+      Diverged from origin/master (2 commit(s) ahead and 1 commit(s) behind!
+  - vim-emoji: OK
+  Finished. 1 error(s).
+  [==]
+  x seoul256.vim:
+
+Execute (PlugClean! removes seoul256.vim):
+  PlugClean!
+  " One removed, emoji left
+  AssertEqual 'Removed 1 directories.', getline(4)
+  AssertExpect '^\~ ', 1
   AssertExpect 'Diverged', 1
   Assert empty(globpath(&rtp, 'colors/seoul256.vim'))
   Assert !empty(globpath(&rtp, 'autoload/emoji.vim'))