diff --git a/provisioner/echo/serve.go b/provisioner/echo/serve.go
index fa35b2d3999e8..174aba65c7c39 100644
--- a/provisioner/echo/serve.go
+++ b/provisioner/echo/serve.go
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ func TarWithOptions(ctx context.Context, logger slog.Logger, responses *Response
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if len(plan.Plan) == 0 {
+		if plan.Error == "" && len(plan.Plan) == 0 {
 			plan.Plan = []byte("{}")
 		}
 	}
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ func TarWithOptions(ctx context.Context, logger slog.Logger, responses *Response
 		for i, resp := range m {
 			plan := resp.GetPlan()
 			if plan != nil {
-				if len(plan.Plan) == 0 {
+				if plan.Error == "" && len(plan.Plan) == 0 {
 					plan.Plan = []byte("{}")
 				}
 			}