diff --git a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.js b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.js
index 77bc91bc7..5742b770f 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.js
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ function getDeploymentDirectoryTimestamp(directory) {
   return Number(directory.slice(0, directory.indexOf('-')));
 }
 
+function isCloudFormationMissingResourceError(error) {
+  const message = error && error.message;
+  return (
+    typeof message === 'string' &&
+    (message.includes('does not exist for stack') ||
+      message === 'Resource does not exist' ||
+      (message.startsWith('Resource ') && message.includes(' does not exist')))
+  );
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   async checkForChanges() {
     this.serverless.service.provider.shouldNotDeploy = false;
@@ -413,7 +423,8 @@ module.exports = {
       );
 
       return physicalResourceId === StackResourceDetail.PhysicalResourceId;
-    } catch {
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (!isCloudFormationMissingResourceError(error)) throw error;
       return false;
     }
   },
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.test.js b/test/unit/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.test.js
index ae7e009ac..ca93a3b95 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/check-for-changes.test.js
@@ -1533,6 +1533,69 @@ describe('test/unit/lib/plugins/aws/deploy/lib/checkForChanges.test.js', () => {
       expect(deleteStub).to.not.have.been.called;
     });
 
+    it('treats missing CloudFormation subscription filter resources as external', async () => {
+      const awsDeploy = createAwsDeployTestInstance();
+      const requestStub = sandbox
+        .stub(awsDeploy.provider, 'request')
+        .rejects(
+          new Error(
+            `Resource ${awsDeploy.provider.naming.getCloudWatchLogLogicalId(
+              'Fn1',
+              1
+            )} does not exist for stack ${awsDeploy.provider.naming.getStackName()}`
+          )
+        );
+
+      try {
+        await expect(
+          awsDeploy.isInternalSubscriptionFilter(
+            awsDeploy.provider.naming.getStackName(),
+            awsDeploy.provider.naming.getCloudWatchLogLogicalId('Fn1', 1),
+            'physical-id'
+          )
+        ).to.eventually.equal(false);
+        expect(requestStub).to.have.been.calledOnce;
+      } finally {
+        awsDeploy.provider.request.restore();
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('surfaces CloudFormation access errors during subscription filter classification', async () => {
+      const awsDeploy = createAwsDeployTestInstance();
+      sandbox
+        .stub(awsDeploy.provider, 'request')
+        .rejects(Object.assign(new Error('denied'), { code: 'AccessDenied' }));
+
+      try {
+        await expect(
+          awsDeploy.isInternalSubscriptionFilter(
+            awsDeploy.provider.naming.getStackName(),
+            awsDeploy.provider.naming.getCloudWatchLogLogicalId('Fn1', 1),
+            'physical-id'
+          )
+        ).to.be.rejectedWith('denied');
+      } finally {
+        awsDeploy.provider.request.restore();
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('does not treat missing stacks with Resource in the name as missing resources', async () => {
+      const awsDeploy = createAwsDeployTestInstance();
+      sandbox.stub(awsDeploy.provider, 'request').rejects(
+        Object.assign(new Error('Stack with id MyResourceStack does not exist'), {
+          code: 'ValidationError',
+        })
+      );
+
+      try {
+        await expect(
+          awsDeploy.isInternalSubscriptionFilter('MyResourceStack', 'LogicalId', 'physical-id')
+        ).to.be.rejectedWith('MyResourceStack');
+      } finally {
+        awsDeploy.provider.request.restore();
+      }
+    });
+
     it('should not attempt to delete filter for 2 subscription filter per log group include externals', async () => {
       const deleteStub = sandbox.stub();
       let serverless;