diff --git a/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/acmedns/acmedns.go b/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/acmedns/acmedns.go
index a61b35710..f9dcf7e6b 100644
--- a/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/acmedns/acmedns.go
+++ b/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/acmedns/acmedns.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func NewDNSProviderHostBytes(host string, accountJson []byte, dns01Nameservers [
 
 	var accounts map[string]goacmedns.Account
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(accountJson, &accounts); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error unmarshalling accountJson: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	return &DNSProvider{
diff --git a/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/dns.go b/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/dns.go
index 59520f7b7..820173e00 100644
--- a/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/dns.go
+++ b/pkg/issuer/acme/dns/dns.go
@@ -262,6 +262,9 @@ func (s *Solver) solverForIssuerProvider(issuer v1alpha1.GenericIssuer, provider
 			accountSecretBytes,
 			s.DNS01Nameservers,
 		)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error instantiating acmedns challenge solver: %s", err)
+		}
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no dns provider config specified for provider %q", providerName)
 	}