diff --git a/.changelog/3723ba75-d027-4e70-93f3-6202b10d6edd.json b/.changelog/3723ba75-d027-4e70-93f3-6202b10d6edd.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ae12e4d775e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/3723ba75-d027-4e70-93f3-6202b10d6edd.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+    "id": "3723ba75-d027-4e70-93f3-6202b10d6edd",
+    "type": "bugfix",
+    "description": "Include original error when retry token unavailable",
+    "collapse": false,
+    "modules": [
+        "aws"
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/aws/retry/middleware.go b/aws/retry/middleware.go
index 52d59b04bf6..5549922ab81 100644
--- a/aws/retry/middleware.go
+++ b/aws/retry/middleware.go
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ func (r *Attempt) handleAttempt(
 	// Get a retry token that will be released after the
 	releaseRetryToken, retryTokenErr := r.retryer.GetRetryToken(ctx, err)
 	if retryTokenErr != nil {
-		return out, attemptResult, nopRelease, retryTokenErr
+		return out, attemptResult, nopRelease, errors.Join(err, retryTokenErr)
 	}
 
 	//------------------------------