diff --git a/tests/test_cloudformation/test_cloudformation_stack_crud.py b/tests/test_cloudformation/test_cloudformation_stack_crud.py
index f818e42ef..27941e882 100644
--- a/tests/test_cloudformation/test_cloudformation_stack_crud.py
+++ b/tests/test_cloudformation/test_cloudformation_stack_crud.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import json
 
 import boto
 import sure  # noqa
+from nose.tools import assert_raises
 
 from moto import mock_cloudformation
+from moto.cloudformation.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 dummy_template = {
     "AWSTemplateFormatVersion": "2010-09-09",
@@ -133,6 +135,17 @@ def test_delete_stack_by_id():
     conn.list_stacks().should.have.length_of(0)
 
 
+@mock_cloudformation
+def test_bad_describe_stack():
+    conn = boto.connect_cloudformation()
+    with assert_raises(ValidationError) as ve:
+        conn.describe_stacks("bad_stack")
+
+    ve.exception.code.should.equal('ValidationError')
+    ve.exception.status.should.equal(400)
+    ve.exception.message.should.contain('bad_stack')
+
+
 # @mock_cloudformation
 # def test_update_stack():
 #     conn = boto.connect_cloudformation()