diff --git a/moto/sqs/exceptions.py b/moto/sqs/exceptions.py
index d72cfdffc..baf721b53 100644
--- a/moto/sqs/exceptions.py
+++ b/moto/sqs/exceptions.py
@@ -16,3 +16,8 @@ class MessageAttributesInvalid(Exception):
 
     def __init__(self, description):
         self.description = description
+
+
+class QueueDoesNotExist(Exception):
+    status_code = 404
+    description = "The specified queue does not exist for this wsdl version."
diff --git a/moto/sqs/models.py b/moto/sqs/models.py
index e9d889453..22f310228 100644
--- a/moto/sqs/models.py
+++ b/moto/sqs/models.py
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ import boto.sqs
 from moto.core import BaseBackend, BaseModel
 from moto.core.utils import camelcase_to_underscores, get_random_message_id, unix_time, unix_time_millis
 from .utils import generate_receipt_handle
-from .exceptions import ReceiptHandleIsInvalid, MessageNotInflight, MessageAttributesInvalid
+from .exceptions import (
+    MessageAttributesInvalid,
+    MessageNotInflight,
+    QueueDoesNotExist,
+    ReceiptHandleIsInvalid,
+)
 
 DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID = 123456789012
 DEFAULT_SENDER_ID = "AIDAIT2UOQQY3AUEKVGXU"
@@ -304,7 +309,10 @@ class SQSBackend(BaseBackend):
         return qs
 
     def get_queue(self, queue_name):
-        return self.queues.get(queue_name, None)
+        queue = self.queues.get(queue_name)
+        if queue is None:
+            raise QueueDoesNotExist()
+        return queue
 
     def delete_queue(self, queue_name):
         if queue_name in self.queues:
diff --git a/moto/sqs/responses.py b/moto/sqs/responses.py
index e0e493ad8..540bd4e41 100644
--- a/moto/sqs/responses.py
+++ b/moto/sqs/responses.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ from .models import sqs_backends
 from .exceptions import (
     MessageAttributesInvalid,
     MessageNotInflight,
-    ReceiptHandleIsInvalid
+    QueueDoesNotExist,
+    ReceiptHandleIsInvalid,
 )
 
 MAXIMUM_VISIBILTY_TIMEOUT = 43200
@@ -76,7 +77,12 @@ class SQSResponse(BaseResponse):
     def get_queue_url(self):
         request_url = urlparse(self.uri)
         queue_name = self._get_param("QueueName")
-        queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+
+        try:
+            queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+        except QueueDoesNotExist as e:
+            return self._error('QueueDoesNotExist', e.description)
+
         if queue:
             template = self.response_template(GET_QUEUE_URL_RESPONSE)
             return template.render(queue=queue, request_url=request_url)
@@ -113,7 +119,11 @@ class SQSResponse(BaseResponse):
 
     def get_queue_attributes(self):
         queue_name = self._get_queue_name()
-        queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+        try:
+            queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+        except QueueDoesNotExist as e:
+            return self._error('QueueDoesNotExist', e.description)
+
         template = self.response_template(GET_QUEUE_ATTRIBUTES_RESPONSE)
         return template.render(queue=queue)
 
@@ -250,7 +260,11 @@ class SQSResponse(BaseResponse):
 
     def receive_message(self):
         queue_name = self._get_queue_name()
-        queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+
+        try:
+            queue = self.sqs_backend.get_queue(queue_name)
+        except QueueDoesNotExist as e:
+            return self._error('QueueDoesNotExist', e.description)
 
         try:
             message_count = int(self.querystring.get("MaxNumberOfMessages")[0])
diff --git a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
index 9c439eb68..536261504 100644
--- a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
+++ b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import boto
 import boto3
 import botocore.exceptions
+from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from boto.exception import SQSError
 from boto.sqs.message import RawMessage, Message
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ def test_create_fifo_queue_fail():
     else:
         raise RuntimeError('Should of raised InvalidParameterValue Exception')
 
+
 @mock_sqs
 def test_create_fifo_queue():
     sqs = boto3.client('sqs', region_name='us-east-1')
@@ -49,10 +51,10 @@ def test_create_fifo_queue():
     response['Attributes']['FifoQueue'].should.equal('true')
 
 
-
 @mock_sqs
 def test_create_queue():
     sqs = boto3.resource('sqs', region_name='us-east-1')
+
     new_queue = sqs.create_queue(QueueName='test-queue')
     new_queue.should_not.be.none
     new_queue.should.have.property('url').should.contain('test-queue')
@@ -66,10 +68,19 @@ def test_create_queue():
 
 
 @mock_sqs
-def test_get_inexistent_queue():
+def test_get_nonexistent_queue():
     sqs = boto3.resource('sqs', region_name='us-east-1')
-    sqs.get_queue_by_name.when.called_with(
-        QueueName='nonexisting-queue').should.throw(botocore.exceptions.ClientError)
+    with assert_raises(ClientError) as err:
+        sqs.get_queue_by_name(QueueName='nonexisting-queue')
+    ex = err.exception
+    ex.operation_name.should.equal('GetQueueUrl')
+    ex.response['Error']['Code'].should.equal('QueueDoesNotExist')
+
+    with assert_raises(ClientError) as err:
+        sqs.Queue('http://whatever-incorrect-queue-address').load()
+    ex = err.exception
+    ex.operation_name.should.equal('GetQueueAttributes')
+    ex.response['Error']['Code'].should.equal('QueueDoesNotExist')
 
 
 @mock_sqs