diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_install.go b/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
index 8e7fd3acd..bed61114f 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) performRelease(r *release.Release, req *services.Install
 
 		// update old release status
 		old.Info.Status.Code = release.Status_SUPERSEDED
-		s.recordRelease(old, true)
+		if err := s.recordRelease(old, true); err != nil {
+			return res, err
+		}
 
 		// update new release with next revision number
 		// so as to append to the old release's history
@@ -172,7 +174,9 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) performRelease(r *release.Release, req *services.Install
 			Recreate: false,
 			Timeout:  req.Timeout,
 		}
-		s.recordRelease(r, false)
+		if err := s.recordRelease(r, false); err != nil {
+			return res, err
+		}
 		if err := s.ReleaseModule.Update(old, r, updateReq, s.env); err != nil {
 			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Release replace %q failed: %s", r.Name, err)
 			s.Log("warning: %s", msg)
@@ -187,7 +191,9 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) performRelease(r *release.Release, req *services.Install
 	default:
 		// nothing to replace, create as normal
 		// regular manifests
-		s.recordRelease(r, false)
+		if err := s.recordRelease(r, false); err != nil {
+			return res, err
+		}
 		if err := s.ReleaseModule.Create(r, req, s.env); err != nil {
 			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Release %q failed: %s", r.Name, err)
 			s.Log("warning: %s", msg)
diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_server.go b/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
index 44d5d847a..0eb07a291 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
@@ -307,14 +307,17 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) renderResources(ch *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values
 	return hooks, b, notes, nil
 }
 
-func (s *ReleaseServer) recordRelease(r *release.Release, reuse bool) {
+func (s *ReleaseServer) recordRelease(r *release.Release, reuse bool) error {
 	if reuse {
 		if err := s.env.Releases.Update(r); err != nil {
 			s.Log("warning: Failed to update release %s: %s", r.Name, err)
+			return err
 		}
 	} else if err := s.env.Releases.Create(r); err != nil {
 		s.Log("warning: Failed to record release %s: %s", r.Name, err)
+		return err
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *ReleaseServer) execHook(hs []*release.Hook, name, namespace, hook string, timeout int64) error {
diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go b/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
index b7b14a4f1..cd23eafdc 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package tiller
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
@@ -104,6 +105,18 @@ func rsFixture() *ReleaseServer {
 	}
 }
 
+func rsFixtureWithDriver(driver driver.Driver) *ReleaseServer {
+	clientset := fake.NewSimpleClientset()
+	return &ReleaseServer{
+		ReleaseModule: &LocalReleaseModule{
+			clientset: clientset,
+		},
+		env:       MockEnvironmentDriver(driver),
+		clientset: clientset,
+		Log:       func(_ string, _ ...interface{}) {},
+	}
+}
+
 // chartStub creates a fully stubbed out chart.
 func chartStub() *chart.Chart {
 	return &chart.Chart{
@@ -263,6 +276,52 @@ func TestUniqName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRecordRelease(t *testing.T) {
+	driver := &mockDriverError{}
+	rs := rsFixtureWithDriver(driver)
+
+	rel := releaseStub()
+
+	driverError := fmt.Errorf("driver failure")
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		description string
+		reuse       bool
+		error       error
+	}{
+		{
+			description: "no reuse, no error",
+			reuse:       false,
+			error:       nil,
+		},
+		{
+			description: "reuse, no error",
+			reuse:       true,
+			error:       nil,
+		},
+		{
+			description: "no reuse, error",
+			reuse:       false,
+			error:       driverError,
+		},
+		{
+			description: "reuse, error",
+			reuse:       true,
+			error:       driverError,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.description, func(t *testing.T) {
+			driver.err = tc.error
+			err := rs.recordRelease(rel, tc.reuse)
+			if tc.error != err {
+				t.Errorf("expected error didn't happen, want %v, got %v", tc.error, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func releaseWithKeepStub(rlsName string) *release.Release {
 	ch := &chart.Chart{
 		Metadata: &chart.Metadata{
@@ -295,6 +354,13 @@ func MockEnvironment() *environment.Environment {
 	return e
 }
 
+func MockEnvironmentDriver(driver driver.Driver) *environment.Environment {
+	e := environment.New()
+	e.Releases = storage.Init(driver)
+	e.KubeClient = &environment.PrintingKubeClient{Out: os.Stdout}
+	return e
+}
+
 func newUpdateFailingKubeClient() *updateFailingKubeClient {
 	return &updateFailingKubeClient{
 		PrintingKubeClient: environment.PrintingKubeClient{Out: os.Stdout},
@@ -353,3 +419,20 @@ func (rs mockRunReleaseTestServer) SetTrailer(m metadata.MD)       {}
 func (rs mockRunReleaseTestServer) SendMsg(v interface{}) error    { return nil }
 func (rs mockRunReleaseTestServer) RecvMsg(v interface{}) error    { return nil }
 func (rs mockRunReleaseTestServer) Context() context.Context       { return helm.NewContext() }
+
+type mockDriverError struct {
+	rel *release.Release
+	err error
+}
+
+func (de mockDriverError) Name() string                                  { return "mockDriverError" }
+func (de mockDriverError) Create(key string, rls *release.Release) error { return de.err }
+func (de mockDriverError) Update(key string, rls *release.Release) error { return de.err }
+func (de mockDriverError) Delete(key string) (*release.Release, error)   { return de.rel, de.err }
+func (de mockDriverError) Get(key string) (*release.Release, error)      { return de.rel, de.err }
+func (de mockDriverError) Query(labels map[string]string) ([]*release.Release, error) {
+	return []*release.Release{de.rel}, de.err
+}
+func (de mockDriverError) List(filter func(*release.Release) bool) ([]*release.Release, error) {
+	return []*release.Release{de.rel}, de.err
+}