diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_iam_account_alias.go b/aws/resource_aws_iam_account_alias.go
index 3b1b86f1efb..3307ae1c29b 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_iam_account_alias.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_iam_account_alias.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func resourceAwsIamAccountAliasCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 	_, err := conn.CreateAccountAlias(params)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error creating account alias with name %s", account_alias)
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error creating account alias with name '%s': %s", account_alias, err)
 	}
 
 	d.SetId(account_alias)
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func resourceAwsIamAccountAliasRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) er
 	resp, err := conn.ListAccountAliases(params)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error listing account aliases: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	if resp == nil || len(resp.AccountAliases) == 0 {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func resourceAwsIamAccountAliasDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 	_, err := conn.DeleteAccountAlias(params)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting account alias with name %s", account_alias)
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error deleting account alias with name '%s': %s", account_alias, err)
 	}
 
 	d.SetId("")