diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go b/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
index f06ad81e79d7..ccd154014b3d 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_db_instance.go
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ func resourceAwsDbInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Error retrieving tags for ARN: %s", arn)
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error retrieving tags for ARN: %s", arn)
 	}
 
 	var dt []*rds.Tag