diff --git a/go/example_code/extending_sdk/handleServiceErrorCodes.go b/go/example_code/extending_sdk/handleServiceErrorCodes.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8dc87e891fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/example_code/extending_sdk/handleServiceErrorCodes.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// +build example
+
+package main
+
+import (
+    "fmt"
+    "os"
+    "path/filepath"
+
+    "github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws"
+    "github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/awserr"
+    "github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/aws/session"
+    "github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/s3"
+)
+
+func exitErrorf(msg string, args ...interface{}) {
+    fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, msg+"\n", args...)
+    os.Exit(1)
+}
+
+// Will make a request to S3 for the contents of an object. If the request
+// was successful, and the object was found the object's path and size will be
+// printed to stdout.
+//
+// If the object's bucket or key does not exist a specific error message will
+// be printed to stderr for the error.
+//
+// Any other error will be printed as an unknown error.
+//
+// Usage: handleServiceErrorCodes <bucket> <key>
+func main() {
+    if len(os.Args) < 3 {
+        exitErrorf("Usage: %s <bucket> <key>", filepath.Base(os.Args[0]))
+    }
+    sess := session.Must(session.NewSession())
+
+    svc := s3.New(sess)
+    resp, err := svc.GetObject(&s3.GetObjectInput{
+        Bucket: aws.String(os.Args[1]),
+        Key:    aws.String(os.Args[2]),
+    })
+
+    if err != nil {
+        // Casting to the awserr.Error type will allow you to inspect the error
+        // code returned by the service in code. The error code can be used
+        // to switch on context specific functionality. In this case a context
+        // specific error message is printed to the user based on the bucket
+        // and key existing.
+        //
+        // For information on other S3 API error codes see:
+        // http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/API/ErrorResponses.html
+        if aerr, ok := err.(awserr.Error); ok {
+            switch aerr.Code() {
+            case s3.ErrCodeNoSuchBucket:
+                exitErrorf("bucket %s does not exist", os.Args[1])
+            case s3.ErrCodeNoSuchKey:
+                exitErrorf("object with key %s does not exist in bucket %s", os.Args[2], os.Args[1])
+            }
+        }
+        exitErrorf("unknown error occurred, %v", err)
+    }
+    defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+    fmt.Printf("s3://%s/%s exists. size: %d\n", os.Args[1], os.Args[2],
+        aws.Int64Value(resp.ContentLength))
+}