diff --git a/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib.py b/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib.py
index a7236df7..25d4c411 100644
--- a/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib.py
+++ b/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib.py
@@ -337,10 +337,6 @@ def _ScopesFromMetadataServer(self, scopes):
         if not util.DetectGce():
             raise exceptions.ResourceUnavailableError(
                 'GCE credentials requested outside a GCE instance')
-        if not self.GetServiceAccount(self.__service_account_name):
-            raise exceptions.ResourceUnavailableError(
-                'GCE credentials requested but service account '
-                '%s does not exist.' % self.__service_account_name)
         if scopes:
             scope_ls = util.NormalizeScopes(scopes)
             instance_scopes = self.GetInstanceScopes()
diff --git a/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib_test.py b/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib_test.py
index 80b970c4..180cf795 100644
--- a/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib_test.py
+++ b/apitools/base/py/credentials_lib_test.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def _GetServiceCreds(self, service_account_name=None, scopes=None):
                 credentials = self._RunGceAssertionCredentials(
                     service_account_name=service_account_name,
                     scopes=scopes)
-            self.assertEqual(3, opener_mock.call_count)
+            self.assertEqual(2, opener_mock.call_count)
         return credentials
 
     def testGceServiceAccounts(self):
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ def testGceServiceAccountsCached(self, mock_detect):
             finally:
                 shutil.rmtree(tempd)
         self.assertEqual(creds1.client_id, creds2.client_id)
-        self.assertEqual(pre_cache_call_count, 3)
+        self.assertEqual(pre_cache_call_count, 2)
         # Caching obviates the need for extra metadata server requests.
         # Only one metadata request is made if the cache is hit.
-        self.assertEqual(opener_mock.call_count, 4)
+        self.assertEqual(opener_mock.call_count, 3)
 
     def testGetServiceAccount(self):
         # We'd also like to test the metadata calls, which requires