diff --git a/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/database.py b/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/database.py
index a72e250119174..6f85d30bcbd43 100644
--- a/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/database.py
+++ b/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/database.py
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ def create(self):
             if exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.ALREADY_EXISTS:
                 raise Conflict(self.name)
             elif exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.NOT_FOUND:
-                raise NotFound('Instance not found: {name}'.format(
-                    name=self._instance.name,
+                raise NotFound('Database not found: {name}'.format(
+                    name=db_name,
                 ))
             raise
 
diff --git a/spanner/tests/system/test_system.py b/spanner/tests/system/test_system.py
index f2cc4ca7e85b7..d6516552cb25d 100644
--- a/spanner/tests/system/test_system.py
+++ b/spanner/tests/system/test_system.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 from google.cloud._helpers import UTC
 from google.cloud.exceptions import GrpcRendezvous
+from google.cloud.exceptions import NotFound
 from google.cloud.spanner_v1._helpers import TimestampWithNanoseconds
 from google.cloud.spanner import Client
 from google.cloud.spanner import KeyRange
@@ -282,6 +283,18 @@ def test_create_database(self):
             for database in Config.INSTANCE.list_databases()]
         self.assertIn(temp_db_id, database_ids)
 
+    def test_create_database_not_found(self):
+        temp_db_id = 'temp_db' + unique_resource_id('_')
+        temp_db = Config.INSTANCE.database("bitemporal_pattern1", ddl_statements=[
+            """CREATE TABLE MyTable (
+                Id        String(36) NOT NULL,
+                Field1  STRING(36) NOT NULL
+            ) PRIMARY KEY (Id)""",
+            """CREATE INDEX IDX ON yTable (Field1)"""
+        ])
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(NotFound, "Database not found"):
+            operation = temp_db.create()
+
     def test_update_database_ddl(self):
         pool = BurstyPool()
         temp_db_id = 'temp_db' + unique_resource_id('_')