diff --git a/internal/helm/chart/builder_remote.go b/internal/helm/chart/builder_remote.go
index 20589472..5ecfe987 100644
--- a/internal/helm/chart/builder_remote.go
+++ b/internal/helm/chart/builder_remote.go
@@ -128,8 +128,17 @@ func (b *remoteChartBuilder) downloadFromRepository(ctx context.Context, remote
 	// Get the current version for the RemoteReference
 	cv, err := remote.GetChartVersion(remoteRef.Name, remoteRef.Version)
 	if err != nil {
+		var reason BuildErrorReason
+		switch err.(type) {
+		case *repository.ErrReference:
+			reason = ErrChartReference
+		case *repository.ErrExternal:
+			reason = ErrChartPull
+		default:
+			reason = ErrUnknown
+		}
 		err = fmt.Errorf("failed to get chart version for remote reference: %w", err)
-		return nil, nil, &BuildError{Reason: ErrChartReference, Err: err}
+		return nil, nil, &BuildError{Reason: reason, Err: err}
 	}
 
 	// Verify the chart if necessary
diff --git a/internal/helm/repository/chart_repository.go b/internal/helm/repository/chart_repository.go
index 596bc1a8..201d9d0d 100644
--- a/internal/helm/repository/chart_repository.go
+++ b/internal/helm/repository/chart_repository.go
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ func newChartRepository() *ChartRepository {
 // to be a semver.Constraints compatible string. If version is empty, the latest
 // stable version will be returned and prerelease versions will be ignored.
 func (r *ChartRepository) GetChartVersion(name, ver string) (*repo.ChartVersion, error) {
+	cv, err := r.getChartVersion(name, ver)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, &ErrReference{Err: err}
+	}
+	return cv, nil
+}
+
+func (r *ChartRepository) getChartVersion(name, ver string) (*repo.ChartVersion, error) {
 	// See if we already have the index in cache or try to load it.
 	if err := r.StrategicallyLoadIndex(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/internal/helm/repository/errors.go b/internal/helm/repository/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d8d57059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/helm/repository/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2022 The Flux authors
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package repository
+
+// ErrReference indicate invalid chart reference.
+type ErrReference struct {
+	Err error
+}
+
+// Error implements the error interface.
+func (er *ErrReference) Error() string {
+	return er.Err.Error()
+}
+
+// Unwrap returns the underlying error.
+func (er *ErrReference) Unwrap() error {
+	return er.Err
+}
+
+// ErrExternal is a generic error for errors related to external API calls.
+type ErrExternal struct {
+	Err error
+}
+
+// Error implements the error interface.
+func (ee *ErrExternal) Error() string {
+	return ee.Err.Error()
+}
+
+// Unwrap returns the underlying error.
+func (ee *ErrExternal) Unwrap() error {
+	return ee.Err
+}
diff --git a/internal/helm/repository/oci_chart_repository.go b/internal/helm/repository/oci_chart_repository.go
index fe03a0e6..08e3fc79 100644
--- a/internal/helm/repository/oci_chart_repository.go
+++ b/internal/helm/repository/oci_chart_repository.go
@@ -146,7 +146,14 @@ func NewOCIChartRepository(repositoryURL string, chartRepoOpts ...OCIChartReposi
 // stable version will be returned and prerelease versions will be ignored.
 // adapted from https://github.com/helm/helm/blob/49819b4ef782e80b0c7f78c30bd76b51ebb56dc8/pkg/downloader/chart_downloader.go#L162
 func (r *OCIChartRepository) GetChartVersion(name, ver string) (*repo.ChartVersion, error) {
+	cv, err := r.getChartVersion(name, ver)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, &ErrExternal{Err: err}
+	}
+	return cv, nil
+}
 
+func (r *OCIChartRepository) getChartVersion(name, ver string) (*repo.ChartVersion, error) {
 	cpURL := r.URL
 	cpURL.Path = path.Join(cpURL.Path, name)