diff --git a/nomad/node_endpoint.go b/nomad/node_endpoint.go
index df8042787..38edc9422 100644
--- a/nomad/node_endpoint.go
+++ b/nomad/node_endpoint.go
@@ -944,9 +944,8 @@ func (n *Node) DeriveVaultToken(args *structs.DeriveVaultTokenRequest,
 	// setErr is a helper for setting the recoverable error on the reply and
 	// logging it
 	setErr := func(e error, recoverable bool) {
-		if rerr, ok := structs.NewRecoverableError(e, recoverable).(*structs.RecoverableError); ok {
-			reply.Error = rerr
-		}
+		if e == nil { return }
+		reply.Error = structs.NewRecoverableError(e, recoverable).(*structs.RecoverableError)
 		n.srv.logger.Printf("[ERR] nomad.client: DeriveVaultToken failed (recoverable %v): %v", recoverable, e)
 	}
 
@@ -1135,8 +1134,8 @@ func (n *Node) DeriveVaultToken(args *structs.DeriveVaultTokenRequest,
 
 		if rerr, ok := createErr.(*structs.RecoverableError); ok {
 			reply.Error = rerr
-		} else if rerr, ok = structs.NewRecoverableError(createErr, false).(*structs.RecoverableError); ok {
-			reply.Error = rerr
+		} else if err != nil {
+			reply.Error = structs.NewRecoverableError(createErr, false).(*structs.RecoverableError)
 		}
 
 		return nil