diff --git a/src/database/sql/sql.go b/src/database/sql/sql.go
index 0f5bbc01c9ec93..006fb5cb30c711 100644
--- a/src/database/sql/sql.go
+++ b/src/database/sql/sql.go
@@ -685,7 +685,11 @@ type dsnConnector struct {
 }
 
 func (t dsnConnector) Connect(_ context.Context) (driver.Conn, error) {
-	return t.driver.Open(t.dsn)
+	conn, err := t.driver.Open(t.dsn)
+	if err == driver.ErrBadConn {
+		return conn, fmt.Errorf("sql: driver Open() returned ErrBadConn. ErrBadConn should only be returned from existing connections")
+	}
+	return conn, err
 }
 
 func (t dsnConnector) Driver() driver.Driver {