diff --git a/app/clients/email/aws_ses.py b/app/clients/email/aws_ses.py
index aeab927cd..b7d24b245 100644
--- a/app/clients/email/aws_ses.py
+++ b/app/clients/email/aws_ses.py
@@ -96,11 +96,17 @@ class AwsSesClient(EmailClient):
                 ReplyToAddresses=reply_to_addresses
             )
         except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as e:
+            self.statsd_client.incr("clients.ses.error")
+
+            # http://docs.aws.amazon.com/ses/latest/DeveloperGuide/api-error-codes.html
             if e.response['Error']['Code'] == 'InvalidParameterValue':
                 raise InvalidEmailError('email: "{}" message: "{}"'.format(
                     to_addresses[0],
                     e.response['Error']['Message']
                 ))
+            else:
+                self.statsd_client.incr("clients.ses.error")
+                raise AwsSesClientException(str(e))
         except Exception as e:
             self.statsd_client.incr("clients.ses.error")
             raise AwsSesClientException(str(e))
diff --git a/tests/app/clients/test_aws_ses.py b/tests/app/clients/test_aws_ses.py
index e00d65edf..47b5ce9d0 100644
--- a/tests/app/clients/test_aws_ses.py
+++ b/tests/app/clients/test_aws_ses.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import botocore
 import pytest
 from unittest.mock import Mock, ANY
+from notifications_utils.recipients import InvalidEmailError
 
 from app import aws_ses_client
-from app.clients.email.aws_ses import get_aws_responses
+from app.clients.email.aws_ses import get_aws_responses, AwsSesClientException
 
 
 def test_should_return_correct_details_for_delivery():
@@ -67,3 +69,52 @@ def test_send_email_handles_reply_to_address(notify_api, mocker, reply_to_addres
         Message=ANY,
         ReplyToAddresses=expected_value
     )
+
+
+def test_send_email_raises_bad_email_as_InvalidEmailError(mocker):
+    boto_mock = mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, '_client', create=True)
+    mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, 'statsd_client', create=True)
+    error_response = {
+        'Error': {
+            'Code': 'InvalidParameterValue',
+            'Message': 'some error message from amazon',
+            'Type': 'Sender'
+        }
+    }
+    boto_mock.send_email.side_effect = botocore.exceptions.ClientError(error_response, 'opname')
+    mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, 'statsd_client', create=True)
+
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidEmailError) as excinfo:
+        aws_ses_client.send_email(
+            source=Mock(),
+            to_addresses='clearly@invalid@email.com',
+            subject=Mock(),
+            body=Mock()
+        )
+
+    assert 'some error message from amazon' in excinfo.value.message
+    assert 'clearly@invalid@email.com' in excinfo.value.message
+
+
+def test_send_email_raises_other_errs_as_AwsSesClientException(mocker):
+    boto_mock = mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, '_client', create=True)
+    mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, 'statsd_client', create=True)
+    error_response = {
+        'Error': {
+            'Code': 'ServiceUnavailable',
+            'Message': 'some error message from amazon',
+            'Type': 'Sender'
+        }
+    }
+    boto_mock.send_email.side_effect = botocore.exceptions.ClientError(error_response, 'opname')
+    mocker.patch.object(aws_ses_client, 'statsd_client', create=True)
+
+    with pytest.raises(AwsSesClientException) as excinfo:
+        aws_ses_client.send_email(
+            source=Mock(),
+            to_addresses=Mock(),
+            subject=Mock(),
+            body=Mock()
+        )
+
+    assert 'some error message from amazon' in str(excinfo.value)