diff --git a/plugin/discovery/get.go b/plugin/discovery/get.go
index c07cc0736..3357e6bfc 100644
--- a/plugin/discovery/get.go
+++ b/plugin/discovery/get.go
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ func (i *ProviderInstaller) Get(provider string, req Constraints) (PluginMeta, e
 
 	// TODO: return multiple errors
 	if err != nil {
+		if registry.IsServiceNotProvided(err) {
+			return PluginMeta{}, err
+		}
 		return PluginMeta{}, ErrorNoSuchProvider
 	}
 	if len(allVersions.Versions) == 0 {
diff --git a/registry/client.go b/registry/client.go
index 5cd86cbd9..cdd33dc9e 100644
--- a/registry/client.go
+++ b/registry/client.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func NewClient(services *disco.Disco, client *http.Client) *Client {
 	}
 }
 
-// Discover qeuries the host, and returns the url for the registry.
+// Discover queries the host, and returns the url for the registry.
 func (c *Client) Discover(host svchost.Hostname, serviceID string) *url.URL {
 	service := c.services.DiscoverServiceURL(host, serviceID)
 	if service == nil {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (c *Client) ModuleVersions(module *regsrc.Module) (*response.ModuleVersions
 
 	service := c.Discover(host, modulesServiceID)
 	if service == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("host %s does not provide Terraform modules", host)
+		return nil, &errServiceNotProvided{host: host.ForDisplay(), service: "modules"}
 	}
 
 	p, err := url.Parse(path.Join(module.Module(), "versions"))
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func (c *Client) ModuleLocation(module *regsrc.Module, version string) (string,
 
 	service := c.Discover(host, modulesServiceID)
 	if service == nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("host %s does not provide Terraform modules", host.ForDisplay())
+		return "", &errServiceNotProvided{host: host.ForDisplay(), service: "modules"}
 	}
 
 	var p *url.URL
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func (c *Client) TerraformProviderVersions(provider *regsrc.TerraformProvider) (
 
 	service := c.Discover(host, providersServiceID)
 	if service == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("host %s does not provide Terraform providers", host)
+		return nil, &errServiceNotProvided{host: host.ForDisplay(), service: "providers"}
 	}
 
 	p, err := url.Parse(path.Join(provider.TerraformProvider(), "versions"))
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ func (c *Client) TerraformProviderLocation(provider *regsrc.TerraformProvider, v
 
 	service := c.Discover(host, providersServiceID)
 	if service == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("host %s does not provide Terraform providers", host)
+		return nil, &errServiceNotProvided{host: host.ForDisplay(), service: "providers"}
 	}
 
 	p, err := url.Parse(path.Join(
diff --git a/registry/client_test.go b/registry/client_test.go
index ca857d3dc..ea5d1e5ef 100644
--- a/registry/client_test.go
+++ b/registry/client_test.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ func TestLookupProviderVersions(t *testing.T) {
 		{"bar"},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
-		provider, err := regsrc.NewTerraformProvider(tt.name, "", "")
+		provider := regsrc.NewTerraformProvider(tt.name, "", "")
 		resp, err := client.TerraformProviderVersions(provider)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)
@@ -267,10 +267,8 @@ func TestLookupProviderLocation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		// FIXME: the tests are set up to succeed - os/arch is not being validated at this time
-		p, err := regsrc.NewTerraformProvider(tt.Name, "linux", "amd64")
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
+		p := regsrc.NewTerraformProvider(tt.Name, "linux", "amd64")
+
 		locationMetadata, err := client.TerraformProviderLocation(p, tt.Version)
 		if tt.Err {
 			if err == nil {
diff --git a/registry/errors.go b/registry/errors.go
index 32c1792e7..6d6dc95d4 100644
--- a/registry/errors.go
+++ b/registry/errors.go
@@ -37,3 +37,20 @@ func IsProviderNotFound(err error) bool {
 	_, ok := err.(*errProviderNotFound)
 	return ok
 }
+
+// IsServiceNotProvided returns true only if the given error is a "service not provided"
+// error. This allows callers to recognize this particular error condition
+// as distinct from operational errors such as poor network connectivity.
+func IsServiceNotProvided(err error) bool {
+	_, ok := err.(*errServiceNotProvided)
+	return ok
+}
+
+type errServiceNotProvided struct {
+	host    string
+	service string
+}
+
+func (e *errServiceNotProvided) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("host %s does not provide %s", e.host, e.service)
+}
diff --git a/tools/terraform-bundle/package.go b/tools/terraform-bundle/package.go
index 82e43ee88..bd8823dbc 100644
--- a/tools/terraform-bundle/package.go
+++ b/tools/terraform-bundle/package.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
 )
 
+var releaseHost = "https://releases.hashicorp.com"
+
 type PackageCommand struct {
 	ui cli.Ui
 }
@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@ func (c *PackageCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 				CopyFile(plugin.Path, workDir+"/terraform-provider-"+plugin.Name+"_v"+plugin.Version.MustParse().String()) //put into temp dir
 			} else { //attempt to get from the public registry if not found locally
 				c.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("- Checking for provider plugin on %s...",
-					discovery.GetReleaseHost()))
+					releaseHost))
 				_, err := installer.Get(name, constraint)
 				if err != nil {
 					c.ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("- Failed to resolve %s provider %s: %s", name, constraint, err))
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ func (c *PackageCommand) bundleFilename(version discovery.VersionStr, time time.
 func (c *PackageCommand) coreURL(version discovery.VersionStr, osName, archName string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(
 		"%s/terraform/%s/terraform_%s_%s_%s.zip",
-		discovery.GetReleaseHost(), version, version, osName, archName,
+		releaseHost, version, version, osName, archName,
 	)
 }