diff --git a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_certificate.go b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_certificate.go
index 10f73b1f9ac27..e648ebc38b80c 100644
--- a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_certificate.go
+++ b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_certificate.go
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ func resourceArmKeyVaultCertificateCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface
 	if requireResourcesToBeImported {
 		existing, err := client.GetCertificate(ctx, keyVaultBaseUrl, name, "")
 		if err != nil {
-			if !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
+			if d.IsNewResource() && !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Error checking for presence of existing Certificate %q (Key Vault %q): %s", name, keyVaultBaseUrl, err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_key.go b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_key.go
index df3701fee5965..0545eda304e79 100644
--- a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_key.go
+++ b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_key.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func resourceArmKeyVaultKeyCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) erro
 	if requireResourcesToBeImported {
 		existing, err := client.GetKey(ctx, keyVaultBaseUri, name, "")
 		if err != nil {
-			if !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
+			if d.IsNewResource() && !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Error checking for presence of existing Key %q (Key Vault %q): %s", name, keyVaultBaseUri, err)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_secret.go b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_secret.go
index cf54c2b1de745..ad9e0ea070af9 100644
--- a/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_secret.go
+++ b/azurerm/resource_arm_key_vault_secret.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func resourceArmKeyVaultSecretCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) e
 	if requireResourcesToBeImported {
 		existing, err := client.GetSecret(ctx, keyVaultBaseUrl, name, "")
 		if err != nil {
-			if !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
+			if d.IsNewResource() && !utils.ResponseWasNotFound(existing.Response) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("Error checking for presence of existing Secret %q (Key Vault %q): %s", name, keyVaultBaseUrl, err)
 			}
 		}