diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/fixtures/test_language_403.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/fixtures/test_api_access_not_configured.json
similarity index 100%
rename from zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/fixtures/test_language_403.json
rename to zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/fixtures/test_api_access_not_configured.json
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/google_translate.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/google_translate.py
index e38e521..2d494ee 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/google_translate.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/google_translate.py
@@ -19,20 +19,12 @@ class GoogleTranslateHandler(object):
 
     def initialize(self, bot_handler):
         self.config_info = bot_handler.get_config_info('googletranslate')
-        self.supported_languages = get_supported_languages(self.config_info['key'])
-        query = {'key': self.config_info['key'],
-                 'target': 'en'}
+        # Retrieving the supported languages also serves as a check whether
+        # the bot is properly connected to the Google Translate API.
         try:
-            data = requests.get(api_url + '/languages', params = query)
-        except HTTPError as e:
-            if (e.response.json()['error']['errors'][0]['reason'] == 'keyInvalid'):
-                logging.error('Invalid key.'
-                              'Follow the instructions in doc.md for setting API key.')
-                sys.exit(1)
-            else:
-                raise
-        except ConnectionError:
-            logging.warning('Bad connection')
+            self.supported_languages = get_supported_languages(self.config_info['key'])
+        except TranslateError as e:
+            bot_handler.quit(str(e))
 
     def handle_message(self, message, bot_handler):
         bot_response = get_translate_bot_response(message['content'],
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/test_google_translate.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/test_google_translate.py
index a2c89ad..fee52bf 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/test_google_translate.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/google_translate/test_google_translate.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from unittest.mock import patch
 from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError
 
-from zulip_bots.test_lib import BotTestCase
+from zulip_bots.test_lib import BotTestCase, StubBotHandler
 from zulip_bots.bots.google_translate.google_translate import TranslateError
 
 help_text = '''
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ class TestGoogleTranslateBot(BotTestCase):
                    side_effect=Exception):
             self._test('"hello" de', 'Error. .', 'test_languages')
 
-    def test_get_language_403(self):
-        with self.assertRaises(TranslateError):
-            self._test(None, None, 'test_language_403')
+    def test_api_access_not_configured(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(StubBotHandler.BotQuitException):
+            self._test(None, None, 'test_api_access_not_configured')
 
     def test_connection_error(self):
         with patch('requests.post', side_effect=ConnectionError()), \