diff --git a/lib/classes/Variables.js b/lib/classes/Variables.js
index 59f3c7b81..abd913afa 100644
--- a/lib/classes/Variables.js
+++ b/lib/classes/Variables.js
@@ -833,7 +833,7 @@ class Variables {
           return BbPromise.resolve(plainText);
         },
         err => {
-          if (err.statusCode !== 400) {
+          if (!err.providerError || err.providerError.statusCode !== 400) {
             return BbPromise.reject(new this.serverless.classes.Error(err.message));
           }
 
diff --git a/lib/classes/Variables.test.js b/lib/classes/Variables.test.js
index 05800ca09..73d7bef1a 100644
--- a/lib/classes/Variables.test.js
+++ b/lib/classes/Variables.test.js
@@ -1229,7 +1229,9 @@ module.exports = {
       const awsProvider = new AwsProvider(serverless, options);
       const param = '/some/path/to/invalidparam';
       const property = `\${ssm:${param}}`;
-      const error = Object.assign(new Error(`Parameter ${param} not found.`), { statusCode: 400 });
+      const error = Object.assign(new Error(`Parameter ${param} not found.`), {
+        providerError: { statusCode: 400 },
+      });
       const requestStub = sinon
         .stub(awsProvider, 'request')
         .callsFake(() => BbPromise.reject(error));
@@ -2381,7 +2383,9 @@ module.exports = {
       });
     });
     it('should return undefined if SSM parameter does not exist', () => {
-      const error = Object.assign(new Error(`Parameter ${param} not found.`), { statusCode: 400 });
+      const error = Object.assign(new Error(`Parameter ${param} not found.`), {
+        providerError: { statusCode: 400 },
+      });
       const requestStub = sinon
         .stub(awsProvider, 'request')
         .callsFake(() => BbPromise.reject(error));