diff --git a/db/instance.cpp b/db/instance.cpp
index 055c0a15b30..7a20a33f8fe 100644
--- a/db/instance.cpp
+++ b/db/instance.cpp
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ void receivedQuery(DbResponse& dbresponse, /*AbstractMessagingPort& dbMsgPort, *
         msgdata = (QueryResult *) b.buf();
         b.decouple();
         QueryResult *qr = msgdata;
-        qr->_data[0] = 0;
+        qr->_data[0] = queryError;
         qr->_data[1] = 0;
         qr->_data[2] = 0;
         qr->_data[3] = 0;
diff --git a/grid/message.h b/grid/message.h
index d158989077b..35dd7e3fb7b 100644
--- a/grid/message.h
+++ b/grid/message.h
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ enum Operations {
     dbKillCursors = 2007
 };
 
+/*
+ *  flags for query responses
+ */
+enum ReponseMsgFlags {
+    operationOk = 0x00,
+    queryError = 0x01
+};
+
 struct MsgData {
     int len; /* len of the msg, including this field */
     MSGID id; /* request/reply id's match... */