diff --git a/telephony/java/android/telephony/SmsManager.java b/telephony/java/android/telephony/SmsManager.java
index d3afa4a133a64..402d8caf3ab4e 100644
--- a/telephony/java/android/telephony/SmsManager.java
+++ b/telephony/java/android/telephony/SmsManager.java
@@ -2898,7 +2898,7 @@ public final class SmsManager {
                         getSubscriptionId(), null);
             }
         } catch (RemoteException ex) {
-            // ignore it
+            throw new RuntimeException(ex);
         }
         return smsc;
     }
@@ -2920,7 +2920,7 @@ public final class SmsManager {
      * </p>
      *
      * @param smsc the SMSC address string.
-     * @return true for success, false otherwise.
+     * @return true for success, false otherwise. Failure can be due modem returning an error.
      */
     @SuppressAutoDoc // for carrier privileges and default SMS application.
     @RequiresPermission(android.Manifest.permission.MODIFY_PHONE_STATE)
@@ -2932,7 +2932,7 @@ public final class SmsManager {
                         smsc, getSubscriptionId(), null);
             }
         } catch (RemoteException ex) {
-            // ignore it
+            throw new RuntimeException(ex);
         }
         return false;
     }