diff --git a/core/google/cloud/_testing.py b/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
index f9d2b57fda52a..a544fffc5fe4a 100644
--- a/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
+++ b/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ def _make_grpc_failed_precondition(self):
         from grpc import StatusCode
         return self._make_grpc_error(StatusCode.FAILED_PRECONDITION)
 
+    def _make_grpc_already_exists(self):
+        from grpc import StatusCode
+        return self._make_grpc_error(StatusCode.ALREADY_EXISTS)
+
     def _make_grpc_deadline_exceeded(self):
         from grpc import StatusCode
         return self._make_grpc_error(StatusCode.DEADLINE_EXCEEDED)
diff --git a/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub/_gax.py b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub/_gax.py
index d32f8eb069a78..94dc639178ef9 100644
--- a/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub/_gax.py
+++ b/pubsub/google/cloud/pubsub/_gax.py
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@
 from google.cloud.pubsub.subscription import Subscription
 from google.cloud.pubsub.topic import Topic
 
+_CONFLICT_ERROR_CODES = (
+    StatusCode.FAILED_PRECONDITION, StatusCode.ALREADY_EXISTS)
+
 
 class _PublisherAPI(object):
     """Helper mapping publisher-related APIs.
@@ -105,7 +108,7 @@ def topic_create(self, topic_path):
         try:
             topic_pb = self._gax_api.create_topic(topic_path)
         except GaxError as exc:
-            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.FAILED_PRECONDITION:
+            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) in _CONFLICT_ERROR_CODES:
                 raise Conflict(topic_path)
             raise
         return {'name': topic_pb.name}
@@ -337,7 +340,7 @@ def subscription_create(self, subscription_path, topic_path,
                 retain_acked_messages=retain_acked_messages,
                 message_retention_duration=message_retention_duration)
         except GaxError as exc:
-            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.FAILED_PRECONDITION:
+            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) in _CONFLICT_ERROR_CODES:
                 raise Conflict(topic_path)
             raise
         return MessageToDict(sub_pb)
@@ -584,7 +587,7 @@ def snapshot_create(self, snapshot_path, subscription_path):
             snapshot_pb = self._gax_api.create_snapshot(
                 snapshot_path, subscription_path)
         except GaxError as exc:
-            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.FAILED_PRECONDITION:
+            if exc_to_code(exc.cause) in _CONFLICT_ERROR_CODES:
                 raise Conflict(snapshot_path)
             elif exc_to_code(exc.cause) == StatusCode.NOT_FOUND:
                 raise NotFound(subscription_path)
diff --git a/pubsub/tests/system.py b/pubsub/tests/system.py
index acdbde0dffca4..d55011a5254ec 100644
--- a/pubsub/tests/system.py
+++ b/pubsub/tests/system.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import httplib2
 
 from google.cloud.environment_vars import PUBSUB_EMULATOR
+from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
 from google.cloud.pubsub import client
 
 from test_utils.retry import RetryInstanceState
@@ -113,6 +114,9 @@ def test_create_topic(self):
         self.assertTrue(topic.exists())
         self.assertEqual(topic.name, topic_name)
 
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            topic.create()
+
     def test_list_topics(self):
         before = _consume_topics(Config.CLIENT)
         topics_to_create = [
@@ -152,6 +156,9 @@ def test_create_subscription_defaults(self):
         self.assertEqual(subscription.name, SUBSCRIPTION_NAME)
         self.assertIs(subscription.topic, topic)
 
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            subscription.create()
+
     def test_create_subscription_w_ack_deadline(self):
         TOPIC_NAME = 'create-sub-ack' + unique_resource_id('-')
         topic = Config.CLIENT.topic(TOPIC_NAME)
@@ -350,6 +357,9 @@ def full_name(obj):
         self.assertIn(snapshot.full_name, map(full_name, after_snapshots))
         self.assertNotIn(snapshot.full_name, map(full_name, before_snapshots))
 
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            snapshot.create()
+
 
     def test_seek(self):
         TOPIC_NAME = 'seek-e2e' + unique_resource_id('-')
diff --git a/pubsub/tests/unit/test__gax.py b/pubsub/tests/unit/test__gax.py
index 2bd7983b40afa..dd2ea8077f84b 100644
--- a/pubsub/tests/unit/test__gax.py
+++ b/pubsub/tests/unit/test__gax.py
@@ -141,10 +141,24 @@ def test_topic_create(self):
         self.assertEqual(topic_path, self.TOPIC_PATH)
         self.assertIsNone(options)
 
+    def test_topic_create_failed_precondition(self):
+        from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
+
+        gax_api = _GAXPublisherAPI(_create_topic_failed_precondition=True)
+        client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
+        api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            api.topic_create(self.TOPIC_PATH)
+
+        topic_path, options = gax_api._create_topic_called_with
+        self.assertEqual(topic_path, self.TOPIC_PATH)
+        self.assertIsNone(options)
+
     def test_topic_create_already_exists(self):
         from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
 
-        gax_api = _GAXPublisherAPI(_create_topic_conflict=True)
+        gax_api = _GAXPublisherAPI(_create_topic_already_exists=True)
         client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
         api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
 
@@ -597,11 +611,35 @@ def test_subscription_create_optional_params(self):
                          expected_message_retention_duration.total_seconds())
         self.assertIsNone(options)
 
+    def test_subscription_create_failed_precondition(self):
+        from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
+
+        DEADLINE = 600
+        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(
+            _create_subscription_failed_precondition=True)
+        client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
+        api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            api.subscription_create(
+                self.SUB_PATH, self.TOPIC_PATH, DEADLINE, self.PUSH_ENDPOINT)
+
+        (name, topic, push_config, ack_deadline, retain_acked_messages,
+         message_retention_duration, options) = (
+            gax_api._create_subscription_called_with)
+        self.assertEqual(name, self.SUB_PATH)
+        self.assertEqual(topic, self.TOPIC_PATH)
+        self.assertEqual(push_config.push_endpoint, self.PUSH_ENDPOINT)
+        self.assertEqual(ack_deadline, DEADLINE)
+        self.assertIsNone(retain_acked_messages)
+        self.assertIsNone(message_retention_duration)
+        self.assertIsNone(options)
+
     def test_subscription_create_already_exists(self):
         from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
 
         DEADLINE = 600
-        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(_create_subscription_conflict=True)
+        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(_create_subscription_already_exists=True)
         client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
         api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
 
@@ -1121,10 +1159,26 @@ def test_snapshot_create(self):
         self.assertEqual(subscription, self.SUB_PATH)
         self.assertIsNone(options)
 
+    def test_snapshot_create_failed_precondition(self):
+        from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
+
+        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(_create_snapshot_failed_precondition=True)
+        client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
+        api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(Conflict):
+            api.snapshot_create(self.SNAPSHOT_PATH, self.SUB_PATH)
+
+        name, subscription, options = (
+            gax_api._create_snapshot_called_with)
+        self.assertEqual(name, self.SNAPSHOT_PATH)
+        self.assertEqual(subscription, self.SUB_PATH)
+        self.assertIsNone(options)
+
     def test_snapshot_create_already_exists(self):
         from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict
 
-        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(_create_snapshot_conflict=True)
+        gax_api = _GAXSubscriberAPI(_create_snapshot_already_exists=True)
         client = _Client(self.PROJECT)
         api = self._make_one(gax_api, client)
 
@@ -1371,7 +1425,8 @@ def mock_insecure_channel(host):
 
 class _GAXPublisherAPI(_GAXBaseAPI):
 
-    _create_topic_conflict = False
+    _create_topic_failed_precondition = False
+    _create_topic_already_exists = False
 
     def list_topics(self, name, page_size, options):
         self._list_topics_called_with = name, page_size, options
@@ -1383,8 +1438,10 @@ def create_topic(self, name, options=None):
         self._create_topic_called_with = name, options
         if self._random_gax_error:
             raise GaxError('error')
-        if self._create_topic_conflict:
+        if self._create_topic_failed_precondition:
             raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_failed_precondition())
+        if self._create_topic_already_exists:
+            raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_already_exists())
         return self._create_topic_response
 
     def get_topic(self, name, options=None):
@@ -1432,8 +1489,10 @@ def list_topic_subscriptions(self, topic, page_size, options=None):
 
 class _GAXSubscriberAPI(_GAXBaseAPI):
 
-    _create_snapshot_conflict = False
-    _create_subscription_conflict = False
+    _create_snapshot_already_exists = False
+    _create_snapshot_failed_precondition = False
+    _create_subscription_already_exists = False
+    _create_subscription_failed_precondition = False
     _modify_push_config_ok = False
     _acknowledge_ok = False
     _modify_ack_deadline_ok = False
@@ -1456,8 +1515,10 @@ def create_subscription(self, name, topic, push_config=None,
             retain_acked_messages, message_retention_duration, options)
         if self._random_gax_error:
             raise GaxError('error')
-        if self._create_subscription_conflict:
+        if self._create_subscription_failed_precondition:
             raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_failed_precondition())
+        if self._create_subscription_already_exists:
+            raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_already_exists())
         return self._create_subscription_response
 
     def get_subscription(self, name, options=None):
@@ -1533,7 +1594,9 @@ def create_snapshot(self, name, subscription, options=None):
         self._create_snapshot_called_with = (name, subscription, options)
         if self._random_gax_error:
             raise GaxError('error')
-        if self._create_snapshot_conflict:
+        if self._create_snapshot_already_exists:
+            raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_already_exists())
+        if self._create_snapshot_failed_precondition:
             raise GaxError('conflict', self._make_grpc_failed_precondition())
         if self._snapshot_create_subscription_miss:
             raise GaxError('miss', self._make_grpc_not_found())