diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.js b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.js
index fcb72af4a..bbc7bc0e5 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.js
@@ -41,7 +41,17 @@ module.exports = {
     return this.provider.request('S3',
       'listObjectsV2',
       params
-    ).then((result) => {
+    ).catch((reason) => {
+      if (!_.includes(reason.message, 'The specified bucket does not exist')) {
+        return BbPromise.reject(reason);
+      }
+      const stackName = this.provider.naming.getStackName();
+      return BbPromise.reject(new this.serverless.classes.Error([
+        `The serverless deployment bucket "${params.Bucket}" does not exist.`,
+        `Create it manually if you want to reuse the CloudFormation stack "${stackName}",`,
+        'or delete the stack if it is no longer required.',
+      ].join(' ')));
+    }).then((result) => {
       if (result && result.Contents && result.Contents.length) {
         const objects = result.Contents;
 
diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.test.js b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.test.js
index 5345f397b..4a8e9fb4f 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.test.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.test.js
@@ -135,6 +135,23 @@ describe('checkForChanges', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it('should translate error if rejected due to missing bucket', () => {
+      listObjectsV2Stub
+        .rejects(new serverless.classes.Error('The specified bucket does not exist'));
+
+      return expect(awsDeploy.getMostRecentObjects()).to.be.rejectedWith([
+        `The serverless deployment bucket "${awsDeploy.bucketName}" does not exist.`,
+        'Create it manually if you want to reuse the CloudFormation stack "my-service-dev",',
+        'or delete the stack if it is no longer required.',
+      ].join(' '));
+    });
+
+    it('should throw original error if rejected not due to missing bucket', () => {
+      listObjectsV2Stub
+        .rejects(new serverless.classes.Error('Other reason'));
+      return expect(awsDeploy.getMostRecentObjects()).to.be.rejectedWith('Other reason');
+    });
+
     it('should resolve if result array is empty', () => {
       const serviceObjects = {
         Contents: [],