diff --git a/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go b/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
index 3402f25613a..be55cf66054 100644
--- a/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
+++ b/aws/resource_aws_rds_cluster_instance.go
@@ -307,6 +307,10 @@ func resourceAwsRDSClusterInstanceRead(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{})
 		d.SetId("")
 		return nil
 	}
+	// Database instance is not in RDS Cluster
+	if db.DBClusterIdentifier == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Cluster identifier is missing from instance (%s). The aws_db_instance resource should be used for non-Aurora instances", d.Id())
+	}
 
 	// Retrieve DB Cluster information, to determine if this Instance is a writer
 	conn := meta.(*AWSClient).rdsconn