diff --git a/taskfile/node_http.go b/taskfile/node_http.go
index ce79fadb..cfcc9614 100644
--- a/taskfile/node_http.go
+++ b/taskfile/node_http.go
@@ -140,10 +140,7 @@ func (node *HTTPNode) ReadContext(ctx context.Context) ([]byte, error) {
 		if ctx.Err() != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if notSecure, ok := errors.AsType[*errors.TaskfileNotSecureError](err); ok {
-			return nil, notSecure
-		}
-		return nil, errors.TaskfileFetchFailedError{URI: node.Location()}
+		return nil, taskfileFetchError(err, node.Location())
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
diff --git a/taskfile/taskfile.go b/taskfile/taskfile.go
index 5a8555d7..54d08945 100644
--- a/taskfile/taskfile.go
+++ b/taskfile/taskfile.go
@@ -51,10 +51,7 @@ func RemoteExists(ctx context.Context, u url.URL, client *http.Client) (*url.URL
 		if ctx.Err() != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("checking remote file: %w", ctx.Err())
 		}
-		if notSecure, ok := errors.AsType[*errors.TaskfileNotSecureError](err); ok {
-			return nil, notSecure
-		}
-		return nil, errors.TaskfileFetchFailedError{URI: u.Redacted()}
+		return nil, taskfileFetchError(err, u.Redacted())
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
@@ -83,10 +80,7 @@ func RemoteExists(ctx context.Context, u url.URL, client *http.Client) (*url.URL
 		// Try the alternative URL
 		resp, err = client.Do(req)
 		if err != nil {
-			if notSecure, ok := errors.AsType[*errors.TaskfileNotSecureError](err); ok {
-				return nil, notSecure
-			}
-			return nil, errors.TaskfileFetchFailedError{URI: u.Redacted()}
+			return nil, taskfileFetchError(err, u.Redacted())
 		}
 		defer resp.Body.Close()
 
@@ -98,3 +92,12 @@ func RemoteExists(ctx context.Context, u url.URL, client *http.Client) (*url.URL
 
 	return nil, errors.TaskfileNotFoundError{URI: u.Redacted(), Walk: false}
 }
+
+// taskfileFetchError preserves redirect-policy errors wrapped by http.Client.
+// Other transport errors remain generic download failures.
+func taskfileFetchError(err error, uri string) error {
+	if notSecure, ok := errors.AsType[*errors.TaskfileNotSecureError](err); ok {
+		return notSecure
+	}
+	return errors.TaskfileFetchFailedError{URI: uri}
+}