diff --git a/promql/engine.go b/promql/engine.go
index 69b384112d..8cdbb97d37 100644
--- a/promql/engine.go
+++ b/promql/engine.go
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ func (ng *Engine) populateIterators(ctx context.Context, q storage.Queryable, s
 	}
 
 	Inspect(s.Expr, func(node Node, path []Node) bool {
+		var set storage.SeriesSet
 		params := &storage.SelectParams{
 			Step: int64(s.Interval / time.Millisecond),
 		}
@@ -505,7 +506,7 @@ func (ng *Engine) populateIterators(ctx context.Context, q storage.Queryable, s
 		case *VectorSelector:
 			params.Func = extractFuncFromPath(path)
 
-			set, err := querier.Select(params, n.LabelMatchers...)
+			set, err = querier.Select(params, n.LabelMatchers...)
 			if err != nil {
 				level.Error(ng.logger).Log("msg", "error selecting series set", "err", err)
 				return false
@@ -524,7 +525,7 @@ func (ng *Engine) populateIterators(ctx context.Context, q storage.Queryable, s
 		case *MatrixSelector:
 			params.Func = extractFuncFromPath(path)
 
-			set, err := querier.Select(params, n.LabelMatchers...)
+			set, err = querier.Select(params, n.LabelMatchers...)
 			if err != nil {
 				level.Error(ng.logger).Log("msg", "error selecting series set", "err", err)
 				return false
diff --git a/promql/engine_test.go b/promql/engine_test.go
index c2e1c77532..3bf40c2fc4 100644
--- a/promql/engine_test.go
+++ b/promql/engine_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pkg/labels"
+	"github.com/prometheus/prometheus/storage"
 )
 
 func TestQueryConcurrency(t *testing.T) {
@@ -142,6 +143,60 @@ func TestQueryCancel(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// errQuerier implements storage.Querier which always returns error.
+type errQuerier struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+func (q *errQuerier) Select(*storage.SelectParams, ...*labels.Matcher) (storage.SeriesSet, error) {
+	return errSeriesSet{err: q.err}, q.err
+}
+func (*errQuerier) LabelValues(name string) ([]string, error) { return nil, nil }
+func (*errQuerier) Close() error                              { return nil }
+
+// errSeriesSet implements storage.SeriesSet which always returns error.
+type errSeriesSet struct {
+	err error
+}
+
+func (errSeriesSet) Next() bool         { return false }
+func (errSeriesSet) At() storage.Series { return nil }
+func (e errSeriesSet) Err() error       { return e.err }
+
+func TestQueryError(t *testing.T) {
+	engine := NewEngine(nil, nil, 10, 10*time.Second)
+	errStorage := ErrStorage(fmt.Errorf("storage error"))
+	queryable := storage.QueryableFunc(func(ctx context.Context, mint, maxt int64) (storage.Querier, error) {
+		return &errQuerier{err: errStorage}, nil
+	})
+	ctx, cancelCtx := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancelCtx()
+
+	vectorQuery, err := engine.NewInstantQuery(queryable, "foo", time.Unix(1, 0))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error creating query: %q", err)
+	}
+	res := vectorQuery.Exec(ctx)
+	if res.Err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error on failed select but got none")
+	}
+	if res.Err != errStorage {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error %q, got %q", errStorage, res.Err)
+	}
+
+	matrixQuery, err := engine.NewInstantQuery(queryable, "foo[1m]", time.Unix(1, 0))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error creating query: %q", err)
+	}
+	res = matrixQuery.Exec(ctx)
+	if res.Err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error on failed select but got none")
+	}
+	if res.Err != errStorage {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error %q, got %q", errStorage, res.Err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestEngineShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	engine := NewEngine(nil, nil, 10, 10*time.Second)
 	ctx, cancelCtx := context.WithCancel(context.Background())