diff --git a/lib/includes/nghttp2/nghttp2.h b/lib/includes/nghttp2/nghttp2.h
index 41e9429f..d8b1cc4e 100644
--- a/lib/includes/nghttp2/nghttp2.h
+++ b/lib/includes/nghttp2/nghttp2.h
@@ -350,8 +350,10 @@ typedef enum {
    */
   NGHTTP2_ERR_PUSH_DISABLED = -528,
   /**
-   * DATA frame for a given stream has been already submitted and has
-   * not been fully processed yet.
+   * DATA or HEADERS frame for a given stream has been already
+   * submitted and has not been fully processed yet.  Application
+   * should wait for the transmission of the previously submitted
+   * frame before submitting another.
    */
   NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST = -529,
   /**
@@ -3000,6 +3002,11 @@ NGHTTP2_EXTERN int32_t
  *     Out of memory.
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT`
  *     The |stream_id| is 0.
+ * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST`
+ *     DATA or HEADERS has been already submitted and not fully
+ *     processed yet.  Normally, this does not happen, but when
+ *     application wrongly calls `nghttp2_submit_response()` twice,
+ *     this may happen.
  *
  * .. warning::
  *
@@ -3109,7 +3116,8 @@ NGHTTP2_EXTERN int nghttp2_submit_trailer(nghttp2_session *session,
  *
  * This function is low-level in a sense that the application code can
  * specify flags directly.  For usual HTTP request,
- * `nghttp2_submit_request()` is useful.
+ * `nghttp2_submit_request()` is useful.  Likewise, for HTTP response,
+ * prefer `nghttp2_submit_response()`.
  *
  * This function returns newly assigned stream ID if it succeeds and
  * |stream_id| is -1.  Otherwise, this function returns 0 if it
@@ -3122,6 +3130,10 @@ NGHTTP2_EXTERN int nghttp2_submit_trailer(nghttp2_session *session,
  *     reached.
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT`
  *     The |stream_id| is 0.
+ * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST`
+ *     DATA or HEADERS has been already submitted and not fully
+ *     processed yet.  This happens if stream denoted by |stream_id|
+ *     is in reserved state.
  *
  * .. warning::
  *
@@ -3156,7 +3168,8 @@ NGHTTP2_EXTERN int32_t
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_NOMEM`
  *     Out of memory.
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST`
- *     DATA has been already submitted and not fully processed yet.
+ *     DATA or HEADERS has been already submitted and not fully
+ *     processed yet.
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT`
  *     The |stream_id| is 0.
  * :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_STREAM_CLOSED`
@@ -3164,14 +3177,19 @@ NGHTTP2_EXTERN int32_t
  *
  * .. note::
  *
- *   Currently, only one data is allowed for a stream at a time.
- *   Submitting data more than once before first data is finished
- *   results in :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST` error code.  The
- *   earliest callback which tells that previous data is done is
- *   :type:`nghttp2_on_frame_send_callback`.  In side that callback,
- *   new data can be submitted using `nghttp2_submit_data()`.  Of
- *   course, all data except for last one must not have
- *   :enum:`NGHTTP2_FLAG_END_STREAM` flag set in |flags|.
+ *   Currently, only one DATA or HEADERS is allowed for a stream at a
+ *   time.  Submitting these frames more than once before first DATA
+ *   or HEADERS is finished results in :enum:`NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST`
+ *   error code.  The earliest callback which tells that previous
+ *   frame is done is :type:`nghttp2_on_frame_send_callback`.  In side
+ *   that callback, new data can be submitted using
+ *   `nghttp2_submit_data()`.  Of course, all data except for last one
+ *   must not have :enum:`NGHTTP2_FLAG_END_STREAM` flag set in
+ *   |flags|.  This sounds a bit complicated, and we recommend to use
+ *   `nghttp2_submit_request()` and `nghttp2_submit_response()` to
+ *   avoid this cascading issue.  The experience shows that for HTTP
+ *   use, these two functions are enough to implement both client and
+ *   server.
  */
 NGHTTP2_EXTERN int nghttp2_submit_data(nghttp2_session *session, uint8_t flags,
                                        int32_t stream_id,
diff --git a/lib/nghttp2_helper.c b/lib/nghttp2_helper.c
index d91d28a9..3ad1fb15 100644
--- a/lib/nghttp2_helper.c
+++ b/lib/nghttp2_helper.c
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ const char *nghttp2_strerror(int error_code) {
   case NGHTTP2_ERR_PUSH_DISABLED:
     return "Server push is disabled by peer";
   case NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST:
-    return "DATA frame already exists";
+    return "DATA or HEADERS frame has already been submitted for the stream";
   case NGHTTP2_ERR_SESSION_CLOSING:
     return "The current session is closing";
   case NGHTTP2_ERR_HTTP_HEADER:
diff --git a/lib/nghttp2_session.c b/lib/nghttp2_session.c
index 819b32a7..a044a54d 100644
--- a/lib/nghttp2_session.c
+++ b/lib/nghttp2_session.c
@@ -713,6 +713,10 @@ int nghttp2_session_add_item(nghttp2_session *session,
 
       if (stream && (stream->state == NGHTTP2_STREAM_RESERVED ||
                      item->aux_data.headers.attach_stream)) {
+        if (stream->item) {
+          return NGHTTP2_ERR_DATA_EXIST;
+        }
+
         rv = nghttp2_stream_attach_item(stream, item, session);
 
         if (rv != 0) {