diff --git a/builder/docker/step_temp_dir.go b/builder/docker/step_temp_dir.go
index 72236dd96..d9c0ed6c7 100644
--- a/builder/docker/step_temp_dir.go
+++ b/builder/docker/step_temp_dir.go
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ func ConfigTmpDir() (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	td, err := ioutil.TempDir(configdir, "tmp")
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Error creating temp dir: %s", err)
+
+	}
 	log.Printf("Set Packer temp dir to %s", td)
 	return td, nil
 }
diff --git a/builder/docker/step_temp_dir_test.go b/builder/docker/step_temp_dir_test.go
index a573726ec..ee7245150 100644
--- a/builder/docker/step_temp_dir_test.go
+++ b/builder/docker/step_temp_dir_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func testStepTempDir_impl(t *testing.T) string {
 	dir := dirRaw.(string)
 
 	if _, err := os.Stat(dir); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+		t.Fatalf("Stat for %s failed: err: %s", err, dir)
 	}
 
 	// Cleanup