diff --git a/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner.go b/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner.go
index d5a4a4b19..1e8343f8f 100644
--- a/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner.go
+++ b/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner.go
@@ -16,14 +16,19 @@ func (i *InitStepRunner) Run(ctx models.ProjectCommandContext, extraArgs []strin
 	if ctx.ProjectConfig != nil && ctx.ProjectConfig.TerraformVersion != nil {
 		tfVersion = ctx.ProjectConfig.TerraformVersion
 	}
+	terraformInitCmd := append([]string{"init", "-no-color"}, extraArgs...)
+
 	// If we're running < 0.9 we have to use `terraform get` instead of `init`.
 	if MustConstraint("< 0.9.0").Check(tfVersion) {
 		ctx.Log.Info("running terraform version %s so will use `get` instead of `init`", tfVersion)
-		terraformGetCmd := append([]string{"get", "-no-color"}, extraArgs...)
-		_, err := i.TerraformExecutor.RunCommandWithVersion(ctx.Log, path, terraformGetCmd, tfVersion, ctx.Workspace)
-		return "", err
-	} else {
-		_, err := i.TerraformExecutor.RunCommandWithVersion(ctx.Log, path, append([]string{"init", "-no-color"}, extraArgs...), tfVersion, ctx.Workspace)
-		return "", err
+		terraformInitCmd = append([]string{"get", "-no-color"}, extraArgs...)
 	}
+
+	out, err := i.TerraformExecutor.RunCommandWithVersion(ctx.Log, path, terraformInitCmd, tfVersion, ctx.Workspace)
+	// Only include the init output if there was an error. Otherwise it's
+	// unnecessary and lengthens the comment.
+	if err != nil {
+		return out, err
+	}
+	return "", nil
 }
diff --git a/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner_test.go b/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner_test.go
index ff0ec9f08..dc4221c5e 100644
--- a/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner_test.go
+++ b/server/events/runtime/init_step_runner_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	version "github.com/hashicorp/go-version"
 	. "github.com/petergtz/pegomock"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/runatlantis/atlantis/server/events/mocks/matchers"
 	"github.com/runatlantis/atlantis/server/events/models"
 	"github.com/runatlantis/atlantis/server/events/runtime"
@@ -57,10 +58,31 @@ func TestRun_UsesGetOrInitForRightVersion(t *testing.T) {
 				RepoRelDir: ".",
 			}, []string{"extra", "args"}, "/path")
 			Ok(t, err)
-			// Shouldn't return output since we don't print init output to PR.
+			// When there is no error, should not return init output to PR.
 			Equals(t, "", output)
 
 			terraform.VerifyWasCalledOnce().RunCommandWithVersion(logger, "/path", []string{c.expCmd, "-no-color", "extra", "args"}, tfVersion, "workspace")
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRun_ShowInitOutputOnError(t *testing.T) {
+	// If there was an error during init then we want the output to be returned.
+	RegisterMockTestingT(t)
+	tfClient := mocks.NewMockClient()
+	When(tfClient.RunCommandWithVersion(matchers.AnyPtrToLoggingSimpleLogger(), AnyString(), AnyStringSlice(), matchers2.AnyPtrToGoVersionVersion(), AnyString())).
+		ThenReturn("output", errors.New("error"))
+
+	tfVersion, _ := version.NewVersion("0.11.0")
+	iso := runtime.InitStepRunner{
+		TerraformExecutor: tfClient,
+		DefaultTFVersion:  tfVersion,
+	}
+
+	output, err := iso.Run(models.ProjectCommandContext{
+		Workspace:  "workspace",
+		RepoRelDir: ".",
+	}, nil, "/path")
+	ErrEquals(t, "error", err)
+	Equals(t, "output", output)
+}