diff --git a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route.go b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route.go
index 965680d1ca..8c4238fe75 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/aws/resource_aws_route.go
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func resourceAwsRouteCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 			VpcPeeringConnectionId: aws.String(d.Get("vpc_peering_connection_id").(string)),
 		}
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error: invalid target type specified.")
+		return fmt.Errorf("An invalid target type specified: %s", setTarget)
 	}
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] Route create config: %s", createOpts)
 
@@ -195,10 +195,13 @@ func resourceAwsRouteCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 
 func resourceAwsRouteRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).ec2conn
-	route, err := findResourceRoute(conn, d.Get("route_table_id").(string), d.Get("destination_cidr_block").(string))
+	routeTableId := d.Get("route_table_id").(string)
+
+	route, err := findResourceRoute(conn, routeTableId, d.Get("destination_cidr_block").(string))
 	if err != nil {
 		if ec2err, ok := err.(awserr.Error); ok && ec2err.Code() == "InvalidRouteTableID.NotFound" {
-			log.Printf("[WARN] AWS RouteTable not found. Removing Route from state")
+			log.Printf("[WARN] Route Table %q could not be found. Removing Route from state.",
+				routeTableId)
 			d.SetId("")
 			return nil
 		}
@@ -289,7 +292,7 @@ func resourceAwsRouteUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error {
 			VpcPeeringConnectionId: aws.String(d.Get("vpc_peering_connection_id").(string)),
 		}
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error: invalid target type specified.")
+		return fmt.Errorf("An invalid target type specified: %s", setTarget)
 	}
 	log.Printf("[DEBUG] Route replace config: %s", replaceOpts)
 
@@ -352,11 +355,15 @@ func resourceAwsRouteExists(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) (bool, err
 
 	res, err := conn.DescribeRouteTables(findOpts)
 	if err != nil {
+		if ec2err, ok := err.(awserr.Error); ok && ec2err.Code() == "InvalidRouteTableID.NotFound" {
+			log.Printf("[WARN] Route Table %q could not be found.", routeTableId)
+			return false, nil
+		}
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("Error while checking if route exists: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	if len(res.RouteTables) < 1 || res.RouteTables[0] == nil {
-		log.Printf("[WARN] Route table %s is gone, so route does not exist.",
+		log.Printf("[WARN] Route Table %q is gone, or route does not exist.",
 			routeTableId)
 		return false, nil
 	}
@@ -390,7 +397,7 @@ func findResourceRoute(conn *ec2.EC2, rtbid string, cidr string) (*ec2.Route, er
 	}
 
 	if len(resp.RouteTables) < 1 || resp.RouteTables[0] == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Route table %s is gone, so route does not exist.",
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Route Table %q is gone, or route does not exist.",
 			routeTableID)
 	}
 
@@ -400,7 +407,6 @@ func findResourceRoute(conn *ec2.EC2, rtbid string, cidr string) (*ec2.Route, er
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-		`error finding matching route for Route table (%s) and destination CIDR block (%s)`,
-		rtbid, cidr)
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unable to find matching route for Route Table (%s) "+
+		"and destination CIDR block (%s).", rtbid, cidr)
 }