Based on patch submited by David R. Staples.  Todd Vander Does contributed
the following test which showed the problem:
  > mkdir /tmp/nowrite
  > chmod -w /tmp/nowrite
  > rsync /etc/group /tmp/nowrite || echo $status
  mkstemp .group.cUaaeY failed
  rsync error: partial transfer (code 23) at main.c(518)
  23
  > rsync -e ssh loki:/etc/group /tmp/nowrite || echo $status
  mkstemp .group.1rayeY failed
  > rsync -e ssh loki:/etc/group /tmp/nowrite && echo $status
  mkstemp .group.fbaGiY failed
  0
The remote copy should have returned non-zero exit code like the local copy.