diff --git a/internal/handlers/lokistack_create.go b/internal/handlers/lokistack_create.go
index 21b73aca82..1b50510b2c 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/lokistack_create.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/lokistack_create.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package handlers
 import (
 	"context"
 
+	"github.com/ViaQ/logerr/kverrors"
 	"github.com/ViaQ/logerr/log"
 	lokiv1beta1 "github.com/ViaQ/loki-operator/api/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/ViaQ/loki-operator/internal/external/k8s"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ func CreateLokiStack(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request, k k8s.Client) error
 			ll.Error(err, "could not find the requested loki stack", "name", req.NamespacedName)
 			return nil
 		}
+		return kverrors.Wrap(err, "failed to lookup lokistack", "name", req.NamespacedName)
 	}
 
 	// Here we will translate the lokiv1beta1.LokiStack options into manifest options
diff --git a/internal/handlers/lokistack_create_test.go b/internal/handlers/lokistack_create_test.go
index 917b8510fd..c02489a49f 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/lokistack_create_test.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/lokistack_create_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package handlers_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -60,6 +61,30 @@ func TestCreateLokiStack_WhenGetReturnsNotFound_DoesNotError(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Zero(t, k.CreateCallCount())
 }
 
+
+func TestCreateLokiStack_WhenGetReturnsAnErrorOtherThanNotFound_ReturnsTheError(t *testing.T) {
+	k := &k8sfakes.FakeClient{}
+	r := ctrl.Request{
+		NamespacedName: types.NamespacedName{
+			Name:      "my-stack",
+			Namespace: "some-ns",
+		},
+	}
+
+	badRequestErr := apierrors.NewBadRequest("you do not belong here")
+	k.GetStub = func(ctx context.Context, name types.NamespacedName, object client.Object) error {
+		return badRequestErr
+	}
+
+	err := handlers.CreateLokiStack(context.TODO(), r, k)
+
+	require.Equal(t, badRequestErr, errors.Unwrap(err))
+
+	// make sure create was NOT called because the Get failed
+	require.Zero(t, k.CreateCallCount())
+}
+
+
 func TestCreateLokiStack_SetsNamespaceOnAllObjects(t *testing.T) {
 	k := &k8sfakes.FakeClient{}
 	r := ctrl.Request{