diff --git a/helper/resource/wait.go b/helper/resource/wait.go
index 7c12fc476..77a7a01b0 100644
--- a/helper/resource/wait.go
+++ b/helper/resource/wait.go
@@ -36,12 +36,20 @@ func Retry(timeout time.Duration, f RetryFunc) error {
 		},
 	}
 
-	c.WaitForState()
+	_, waitErr := c.WaitForState()
 
 	// Need to acquire the lock here to be able to avoid race using resultErr as
 	// the return value
 	resultErrMu.Lock()
 	defer resultErrMu.Unlock()
+
+	// resultErr may be nil because the wait timed out and resultErr was never
+	// set; this is still an error
+	if resultErr == nil {
+		return waitErr
+	}
+	// resultErr takes precedence over waitErr if both are set because it is
+	// more likely to be useful
 	return resultErr
 }
 
diff --git a/helper/resource/wait_test.go b/helper/resource/wait_test.go
index 23451fbd4..bb17d9fe4 100644
--- a/helper/resource/wait_test.go
+++ b/helper/resource/wait_test.go
@@ -38,6 +38,20 @@ func TestRetry_timeout(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRetry_hang(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	f := func() *RetryError {
+		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err := Retry(1*time.Second, f)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should error")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRetry_error(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()