diff --git a/google/resource_sql_database_instance.go b/google/resource_sql_database_instance.go
index 0906a503..55854021 100644
--- a/google/resource_sql_database_instance.go
+++ b/google/resource_sql_database_instance.go
@@ -492,6 +492,9 @@ func resourceSqlDatabaseInstanceCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 
 	op, err := config.clientSqlAdmin.Instances.Insert(project, instance).Do()
 	if err != nil {
+		if gerr, ok := err.(*googleapi.Error); ok && gerr.Code == 409 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error, failed to create instance %s with error code 409: %s. This may be due to a name collision - SQL instance names cannot be reused within a week.", instance.Name, err)
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("Error, failed to create instance %s: %s", instance.Name, err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/google/resource_sql_database_instance_test.go b/google/resource_sql_database_instance_test.go
index c96fe44c..87d875f7 100644
--- a/google/resource_sql_database_instance_test.go
+++ b/google/resource_sql_database_instance_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/acctest"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
-
 	sqladmin "google.golang.org/api/sqladmin/v1beta4"
 )