diff --git a/azurerm/internal/services/storage/resource_arm_storage_account_network_rules.go b/azurerm/internal/services/storage/resource_arm_storage_account_network_rules.go
index a85b4e115b25..6e987f0f79b8 100644
--- a/azurerm/internal/services/storage/resource_arm_storage_account_network_rules.go
+++ b/azurerm/internal/services/storage/resource_arm_storage_account_network_rules.go
@@ -115,11 +115,15 @@ func resourceArmStorageAccountNetworkRulesCreateUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, m
 			return fmt.Errorf("Storage Account %q (Resource Group %q) was not found", storageAccountName, resourceGroup)
 		}
 
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error loading Storage Account %q (Resource Group %q): %+v", storageAccountName, resourceGroup, err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error retrieving Storage Account %q (Resource Group %q): %+v", storageAccountName, resourceGroup, err)
 	}
 
 	if features.ShouldResourcesBeImported() {
-		if checkForNonDefaultStorageAccountNetworkRule(storageAccount.NetworkRuleSet) {
+		if storageAccount.AccountProperties == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Error retrieving Storage Account %q (Resource Group %q): `properties` was nil", storageAccountName, resourceGroup)
+		}
+
+		if checkForNonDefaultStorageAccountNetworkRule(storageAccount.AccountProperties.NetworkRuleSet) {
 			return tf.ImportAsExistsError("azurerm_storage_account_network_rule", *storageAccount.ID)
 		}
 	}