diff --git a/agent/local/state.go b/agent/local/state.go
index 5058eed0b..409e3fc17 100644
--- a/agent/local/state.go
+++ b/agent/local/state.go
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ func (l *State) AddCheck(check *structs.HealthCheck, token string) error {
 	// if there is a serviceID associated with the check, make sure it exists before adding it
 	// NOTE - This logic may be moved to be handled within the Agent's Addcheck method after a refactor
 	if check.ServiceID != "" && l.services[check.ServiceID] == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Check %q refers to non-existent service %q", check.CheckID, check.ServiceID)
+		return fmt.Errorf("Check %q refers to non-existent service %q does not exist", check.CheckID, check.ServiceID)
 	}
 
 	// hard-set the node name
diff --git a/agent/local/state_test.go b/agent/local/state_test.go
index 89136e88f..844006fde 100644
--- a/agent/local/state_test.go
+++ b/agent/local/state_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package local_test
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
@@ -1454,10 +1453,11 @@ func TestAgent_AddCheckFailure(t *testing.T) {
 		ServiceID: "redis",
 		Status:    api.HealthPassing,
 	}
-	wantErr := errors.New(`Check "redis:1" refers to non-existent service "redis"`)
-	if got, want := l.AddCheck(chk, ""), wantErr; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
-		t.Fatalf("got error %q want %q", got, want)
+	expectedErr := "ServiceID \"redis\" does not exist"
+	if err := l.AddCheck(chk, ""); err == nil || expectedErr != err.Error() {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected error when adding a check for a non-existent service but got %v", err)
 	}
+
 }
 
 func TestAgent_sendCoordinate(t *testing.T) {