diff --git a/mysql-test/r/innodb.result b/mysql-test/r/innodb.result
index 69620d5d527..91d72045169 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/innodb.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/innodb.result
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ insert into mysqltest.t3 values(1);
 commit;
 drop database mysqltest;
 show tables from mysqltest;
-Got one of the listed errors
+ERROR 42000: Unknown database 'mysqltest'
 set autocommit=0;
 create table t1 (a int not null) engine= innodb;
 insert into t1 values(1),(2);
diff --git a/mysql-test/r/show_check.result b/mysql-test/r/show_check.result
index 94d1ac7ac11..c143c7f0f29 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/show_check.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/show_check.result
@@ -555,3 +555,5 @@ Database	Table	In_use	Name_locked
 DROP TABLE txt1;
 DROP TABLE tyt2;
 DROP TABLE urkunde;
+SHOW TABLES FROM non_existing_database;
+ERROR 42000: Unknown database 'non_existing_database'
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/innodb.test b/mysql-test/t/innodb.test
index 8d51af4f22f..3eaf408af0f 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/innodb.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/innodb.test
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ insert into mysqltest.t3 values(1);
 commit;
 drop database mysqltest;
 # Don't check error message
---error 12,12
+--error 1049
 show tables from mysqltest;
 
 #
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/show_check.test b/mysql-test/t/show_check.test
index 41b8a9e401c..b9fc991dc80 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/show_check.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/show_check.test
@@ -405,3 +405,8 @@ SHOW OPEN TABLES;
 DROP TABLE txt1;
 DROP TABLE tyt2;
 DROP TABLE urkunde;
+#
+# BUG #12591 (SHOW TABLES FROM dbname produces wrong error message)
+#
+--error 1049
+SHOW TABLES FROM non_existing_database;
diff --git a/sql/sql_show.cc b/sql/sql_show.cc
index b06f1d683dd..3bb349d7c29 100644
--- a/sql/sql_show.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_show.cc
@@ -264,8 +264,14 @@ mysql_find_files(THD *thd,List<char> *files, const char *db,const char *path,
 
   bzero((char*) &table_list,sizeof(table_list));
 
-  if (!(dirp = my_dir(path,MYF(MY_WME | (dir ? MY_WANT_STAT : 0)))))
+  if (!(dirp = my_dir(path,MYF(dir ? MY_WANT_STAT : 0))))
+  {
+    if (my_errno == ENOENT)
+      my_error(ER_BAD_DB_ERROR, MYF(ME_BELL+ME_WAITTANG), db);
+    else
+      my_error(ER_CANT_READ_DIR, MYF(ME_BELL+ME_WAITTANG), path, my_errno);
     DBUG_RETURN(-1);
+  }
 
   for (i=0 ; i < (uint) dirp->number_off_files  ; i++)
   {