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.