diff --git a/helpers/aws.py b/helpers/aws.py
index d09da2e0..3b72c492 100644
--- a/helpers/aws.py
+++ b/helpers/aws.py
@@ -46,10 +46,8 @@ class AWSConnection:
         tags = {'Name': 'spilo_'+self.cluster_name, 'Role': role, 'Instance': self.instance_id}
         try:
             conn = boto.ec2.connect_to_region(self.region)
-            # get all volumes attached to the current instance
             volumes = conn.get_all_volumes(filters={'attachment.instance-id': self.instance_id})
-            if volumes:
-                conn.create_tags([v.id for v in volumes], tags)
+            conn.create_tags([v.id for v in volumes], tags)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.info('could not set tags for EBS storage devices attached: {}'.format(e))
             return False
@@ -69,45 +67,5 @@ class AWSConnection:
         return True
 
     def on_role_change(self, new_role):
-        self._tag_ec2(new_role)
-        self._tag_ebs(new_role)
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    import yaml
-    config_string = """
-loop_wait: 10
-restapi:
-  listen: 0.0.0.0:8008
-  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5432
-etcd:
-  scope: test
-  ttl: 30
-  host: 127.0.0.1:8080
-postgresql:
-  name: postgresql_foo
-  listen: 0.0.0.0:5432
-  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5432
-  data_dir: /home/postgres/pgdata/data
-  replication:
-    username: standby
-    password: standby
-    network: 0.0.0.0/0
-  superuser:
-    password: zalando
-  admin:
-    username: admin
-    password: admin
-  parameters:
-    archive_mode: "on"
-    wal_level: hot_standby
-    max_wal_senders: 5
-    wal_keep_segments: 8
-    archive_timeout: 1800s
-    max_replication_slots: 5
-    hot_standby: "on"
-    ssl: "on"
-"""
-    awsconnection = AWSConnection(yaml.load(config_string))
-    print "AWS available: {}, Cluster_name: {}".format(awsconnection.available, awsconnection.cluster_name)
-    if awsconnection.available:
-        print "AWS Region: {}, Instance_id: {}".format(awsconnection.region, awsconnection.instance_id)
+        ret = self._tag_ec2(new_role)
+        return self._tag_ebs(new_role) and ret
diff --git a/tests/test_aws.py b/tests/test_aws.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e350a5c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_aws.py
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import unittest
+import requests
+import boto.ec2
+from collections import namedtuple
+from helpers.aws import AWSConnection
+from requests.exceptions import RequestException
+import yaml
+
+
+class MockEc2Connection:
+
+    def __init__(self, error=False):
+        self.error = error
+
+    def get_all_volumes(self, filters):
+        if self.error:
+            raise Exception("get_all_volumes")
+        oid = namedtuple('Volume', 'id')
+        return [oid(id='a'), oid(id='b')]
+
+    def create_tags(self, objects, tags):
+        if self.error or len(objects) == 0:
+            raise Exception("create_tags")
+        return True
+
+
+class TestAWSConnection(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def __init__(self, method_name='runTest'):
+        super(TestAWSConnection, self).__init__(method_name)
+
+    def set_error(self):
+        self.error = True
+
+    def set_ok(self):
+        self.error = False
+
+    def boto_ec2_connect_to_region(self, region):
+        return MockEc2Connection(self.error)
+
+    def requests_get(self, url, **kwargs):
+        if self.error:
+            raise RequestException("foo")
+        result = namedtuple('Request', 'ok content')
+        result.ok = True
+        if url.split('/')[-1] == 'availability-zone':
+            result.content = 'eu-west-1c'
+        else:
+            result.content = 'foo'
+        return result
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.error = False
+        requests.get = self.requests_get
+        boto.ec2.connect_to_region = self.boto_ec2_connect_to_region
+        self.config_string = """
+loop_wait: 10
+restapi:
+  listen: 0.0.0.0:8008
+  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5432
+etcd:
+  scope: test
+  ttl: 30
+  host: 127.0.0.1:8080
+postgresql:
+  name: postgresql_foo
+  listen: 0.0.0.0:5432
+  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5432
+  data_dir: /home/postgres/pgdata/data
+  replication:
+    username: standby
+    password: standby
+    network: 0.0.0.0/0
+  superuser:
+    password: zalando
+  admin:
+    username: admin
+    password: admin
+  parameters:
+    archive_mode: "on"
+    wal_level: hot_standby
+    max_wal_senders: 5
+    wal_keep_segments: 8
+    archive_timeout: 1800s
+    max_replication_slots: 5
+    hot_standby: "on"
+    ssl: "on"
+"""
+        self.conn = AWSConnection(yaml.load(self.config_string))
+
+    def test_aws_available(self):
+        self.assertTrue(self.conn.aws_available())
+
+    def test_on_role_change(self):
+        self.assertTrue(self.conn._tag_ebs('master'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.conn._tag_ec2('master'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.conn.on_role_change('master'))
+
+    def test_non_aws(self):
+        self.set_error()
+        conn = AWSConnection(yaml.load(self.config_string))
+        self.assertFalse(conn.aws_available())
+        self.assertFalse(conn._tag_ebs('master'))
+        self.assertFalse(conn._tag_ec2('master'))
+
+    def test_aws_tag_ebs_error(self):
+        self.set_error()
+        self.assertFalse(self.conn._tag_ebs("master"))
+
+    def test_aws_tag_ec2_error(self):
+        self.set_error()
+        self.assertFalse(self.conn._tag_ec2("master"))