diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/azure_rm_common.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/azure_rm_common.py
index d27f4af5d5..515c585d4a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/azure_rm_common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/azure_rm_common.py
@@ -415,8 +415,8 @@ class AzureRMModuleBase(object):
         '''
         try:
             return self.rm_client.resource_groups.get(resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail("Parameter error: resource group {0} not found".format(resource_group))
+        except CloudError as cloud_error:
+            self.fail("Error retrieving resource group {0} - {1}".format(resource_group, cloud_error.message))
         except Exception as exc:
             self.fail("Error retrieving resource group {0} - {1}".format(resource_group, str(exc)))
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_acs.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_acs.py
index 409fe0ce4f..79eadcc292 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_acs.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_acs.py
@@ -523,10 +523,7 @@ class AzureRMContainerService(AzureRMModuleBase):
         results = dict()
         to_be_updated = False
 
-        try:
-            resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail('resource group {} not found'.format(self.resource_group))
+        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         if not self.location:
             self.location = resource_group.location
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_availabilityset.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_availabilityset.py
index 6854e6c327..f2de8e6e9f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_availabilityset.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_availabilityset.py
@@ -203,10 +203,7 @@ class AzureRMAvailabilitySet(AzureRMModuleBase):
         response = None
         to_be_updated = False
 
-        try:
-            resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail('resource group {} not found'.format(self.resource_group))
+        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         if not self.location:
             self.location = resource_group.location
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnsrecordset.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnsrecordset.py
index c530cad1d4..d8bd27b5dd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnsrecordset.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnsrecordset.py
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ class AzureRMRecordSet(AzureRMModuleBase):
         for key in self.module_arg_spec.keys():
             setattr(self, key, kwargs[key])
 
-        # get resource group and zone
-        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
+        # retrieve resource group to make sure it exists
+        self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         zone = self.dns_client.zones.get(self.resource_group, self.zone_name)
         if not zone:
             self.fail('The zone {0} does not exist in the resource group {1}'.format(self.zone_name, self.resource_group))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnszone.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnszone.py
index fbb59fe5d0..431935da35 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnszone.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_dnszone.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class AzureRMDNSZone(AzureRMModuleBase):
         self.results['check_mode'] = self.check_mode
 
         # retrieve resource group to make sure it exists
-        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
+        self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
 
         changed = False
         results = dict()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_loadbalancer.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_loadbalancer.py
index 954fe8af3b..798886c20d 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_loadbalancer.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_loadbalancer.py
@@ -324,11 +324,7 @@ class AzureRMLoadBalancer(AzureRMModuleBase):
         pip = None
         load_balancer_props = dict()
 
-        try:
-            resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail('resource group {} not found'.format(self.resource_group))
-
+        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         if not self.location:
             self.location = resource_group.location
         load_balancer_props['location'] = self.location
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_managed_disk.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_managed_disk.py
index a22a7f2c47..81213908cb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_managed_disk.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_managed_disk.py
@@ -234,12 +234,8 @@ class AzureRMManagedDisk(AzureRMModuleBase):
         results = dict()
         resource_group = None
         response = None
-        try:
-            resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail(
-                'resource group {} not found'
-                .format(self.resource_group))
+
+        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         if not self.location:
             self.location = resource_group.location
         if self.state == 'present':
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_virtualmachine_extension.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_virtualmachine_extension.py
index 214327f038..490d394c47 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_virtualmachine_extension.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/azure/azure_rm_virtualmachine_extension.py
@@ -227,10 +227,7 @@ class AzureRMVMExtension(AzureRMModuleBase):
         response = None
         to_be_updated = False
 
-        try:
-            resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
-        except CloudError:
-            self.fail('resource group {} not found'.format(self.resource_group))
+        resource_group = self.get_resource_group(self.resource_group)
         if not self.location:
             self.location = resource_group.location