diff --git a/libraries/chef/mixin/pacemaker/standard_cib_object.rb b/libraries/chef/mixin/pacemaker/standard_cib_object.rb
index 45fd0c6..0490d9b 100644
--- a/libraries/chef/mixin/pacemaker/standard_cib_object.rb
+++ b/libraries/chef/mixin/pacemaker/standard_cib_object.rb
@@ -46,13 +46,16 @@ class Chef
           action :nothing
         end.run_action(:run)
 
-        cib_object = Pacemaker::CIBObject.from_name(new_resource.name)
-        if cib_object.exists?
-          new_resource.updated_by_last_action(true)
-          ::Chef::Log.info "Successfully configured #{cib_object}"
-        else
-          ::Chef::Log.error "Failed to configure #{cib_object}"
+        created_cib_object = Pacemaker::CIBObject.from_name(new_resource.name)
+
+        raise "Failed to create #{cib_object}" if created_cib_object.nil?
+        unless created_cib_object.exists?
+          # This case seems pretty unlikely
+          raise "Definition missing for #{created_cib_object} after creation"
         end
+
+        new_resource.updated_by_last_action(true)
+        ::Chef::Log.info "Successfully configured #{created_cib_object}"
       end
 
       def standard_delete_resource
diff --git a/spec/providers/primitive_spec.rb b/spec/providers/primitive_spec.rb
index f005698..b6cd746 100644
--- a/spec/providers/primitive_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/providers/primitive_spec.rb
@@ -110,6 +110,28 @@ describe "Chef::Provider::PacemakerPrimitive" do
       expect(@resource).to be_updated
     end
 
+    it "should barf if crm fails to create the primitive" do
+      stub_shellout("", ["crm configure failed", "oh noes", 3])
+
+      expect { provider.run_action :create }.to \
+        raise_error(RuntimeError, "Failed to create #{fixture}")
+
+      expect(@chef_run).to run_execute(fixture.crm_configure_command)
+      expect(@resource).not_to be_updated
+    end
+
+    # This scenario seems rather artificial and unlikely, but it doesn't
+    # do any harm to test it.
+    it "should barf if crm creates a primitive with empty definition" do
+      stub_shellout("", "")
+
+      expect { provider.run_action :create }.to \
+        raise_error(RuntimeError, "Failed to create #{fixture}")
+
+      expect(@chef_run).to run_execute(fixture.crm_configure_command)
+      expect(@resource).not_to be_updated
+    end
+
     it "should barf if the primitive is already defined with the wrong agent" do
       existing_agent = "ocf:openstack:something-else"
       definition = fixture.definition_string.sub(fixture.agent, existing_agent)