diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py b/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
index 91c2a221d4ec..44e0bcf5a479 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/compute/servers.py
@@ -1105,6 +1105,8 @@ class ServersController(wsgi.Controller):
                         'createImage', id)
         except exception.Invalid as err:
             raise exc.HTTPBadRequest(explanation=err.format_message())
+        except exception.OverQuota as e:
+            raise exc.HTTPForbidden(explanation=e.format_message())
 
         # build location of newly-created image entity
         image_id = str(image['id'])
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_server_actions.py b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_server_actions.py
index 5d09bd13faa0..f97c51bf9efa 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_server_actions.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_server_actions.py
@@ -913,7 +913,8 @@ class ServerActionsControllerTestV21(test.TestCase):
                           self.controller._action_create_image, self.req,
                           FAKE_UUID, body=body)
 
-    def _do_test_create_volume_backed_image(self, extra_properties):
+    def _do_test_create_volume_backed_image(
+            self, extra_properties, mock_vol_create_side_effect=None):
 
         def _fake_id(x):
             return '%s-%s-%s-%s' % (x * 8, x * 4, x * 4, x * 12)
@@ -976,6 +977,9 @@ class ServerActionsControllerTestV21(test.TestCase):
                               return_value=snapshot),
         ) as (mock_quiesce, mock_vol_get, mock_vol_create):
 
+            if mock_vol_create_side_effect:
+                mock_vol_create.side_effect = mock_vol_create_side_effect
+
             response = self.controller._action_create_image(self.req,
                 FAKE_UUID, body=body)
 
@@ -1014,6 +1018,13 @@ class ServerActionsControllerTestV21(test.TestCase):
         self._do_test_create_volume_backed_image(dict(ImageType='Gold',
                                                       ImageVersion='2.0'))
 
+    def test_create_volume_backed_image_cinder_over_quota(self):
+        self.assertRaises(
+            webob.exc.HTTPForbidden,
+            self._do_test_create_volume_backed_image, {},
+            mock_vol_create_side_effect=exception.OverQuota(
+                overs='snapshot'))
+
     def _test_create_volume_backed_image_with_metadata_from_volume(
             self, extra_metadata=None):