diff --git a/provider/google/google.go b/provider/google/google.go
index c3c9270f0d..3502d6474a 100644
--- a/provider/google/google.go
+++ b/provider/google/google.go
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ func (p *GoogleProvider) Zones(ctx context.Context) (map[string]*dns.ManagedZone
 
 	log.Debugf("Matching zones against domain filters: %v", p.domainFilter)
 	if err := p.managedZonesClient.List(p.project).Pages(ctx, f); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, provider.NewSoftError(fmt.Errorf("failed to list zones: %w", err))
 	}
 
 	if len(zones) == 0 {
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ func (p *GoogleProvider) Records(ctx context.Context) (endpoints []*endpoint.End
 
 	for _, z := range zones {
 		if err := p.resourceRecordSetsClient.List(p.project, z.Name).Pages(ctx, f); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, provider.NewSoftError(fmt.Errorf("failed to list records in zone %s: %w", z.Name, err))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ func (p *GoogleProvider) submitChange(ctx context.Context, change *dns.Change) e
 			}
 
 			if _, err := p.changesClient.Create(p.project, zone, c).Do(); err != nil {
-				return err
+				return provider.NewSoftError(fmt.Errorf("failed to create changes: %w", err))
 			}
 
 			time.Sleep(p.batchChangeInterval)
diff --git a/provider/google/google_test.go b/provider/google/google_test.go
index dea1774a7a..ea14283926 100644
--- a/provider/google/google_test.go
+++ b/provider/google/google_test.go
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ func TestGoogleZonesVisibilityFilterPrivatePeering(t *testing.T) {
 
 	zones, err := provider.Zones(context.Background())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	
+
 	validateZones(t, zones, map[string]*dns.ManagedZone{
 		"svc-local": {Name: "svc-local", DnsName: "svc.local.", Id: 1005, Visibility: "private"},
 	})
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ func validateChangeRecord(t *testing.T, record *dns.ResourceRecordSet, expected
 	assert.Equal(t, expected.Type, record.Type)
 }
 
-func newGoogleProviderZoneOverlap(t *testing.T, domainFilter endpoint.DomainFilter, zoneIDFilter provider.ZoneIDFilter, zoneTypeFilter provider.ZoneTypeFilter, dryRun bool, records []*endpoint.Endpoint) *GoogleProvider {
+func newGoogleProviderZoneOverlap(t *testing.T, domainFilter endpoint.DomainFilter, zoneIDFilter provider.ZoneIDFilter, zoneTypeFilter provider.ZoneTypeFilter, dryRun bool, _ []*endpoint.Endpoint) *GoogleProvider {
 	provider := &GoogleProvider{
 		project:                  "zalando-external-dns-test",
 		dryRun:                   false,
@@ -694,7 +694,6 @@ func newGoogleProviderZoneOverlap(t *testing.T, domainFilter endpoint.DomainFilt
 		Visibility: "private",
 	})
 
-
 	createZone(t, provider, &dns.ManagedZone{
 		Name:       "svc-local",
 		DnsName:    "svc.local.",
@@ -703,13 +702,13 @@ func newGoogleProviderZoneOverlap(t *testing.T, domainFilter endpoint.DomainFilt
 	})
 
 	createZone(t, provider, &dns.ManagedZone{
-		Name:       "svc-local-peer",
-		DnsName:    "svc.local.",
-		Id:         10006,
-		Visibility: "private",
+		Name:          "svc-local-peer",
+		DnsName:       "svc.local.",
+		Id:            10006,
+		Visibility:    "private",
 		PeeringConfig: &dns.ManagedZonePeeringConfig{TargetNetwork: nil},
 	})
-	
+
 	provider.dryRun = dryRun
 
 	return provider