diff --git a/docker-java-api/src/main/java/com/github/dockerjava/api/command/BuildImageResultCallback.java b/docker-java-api/src/main/java/com/github/dockerjava/api/command/BuildImageResultCallback.java
index 331f69509..9db21a6c4 100644
--- a/docker-java-api/src/main/java/com/github/dockerjava/api/command/BuildImageResultCallback.java
+++ b/docker-java-api/src/main/java/com/github/dockerjava/api/command/BuildImageResultCallback.java
@@ -67,14 +67,14 @@ public String awaitImageId(long timeout, TimeUnit timeUnit) {
     }
 
     private String getImageId() {
-        if (imageId != null) {
-            return imageId;
+        if (error != null) {
+            throw new DockerClientException("Could not build image: " + error);
         }
 
-        if (error == null) {
-            throw new DockerClientException("Could not build image");
+        if (imageId != null) {
+            return imageId;
         }
 
-        throw new DockerClientException("Could not build image: " + error);
+        throw new DockerClientException("Could not build image");
     }
 }