diff --git a/cloud/amazon/dynamodb_table.py b/cloud/amazon/dynamodb_table.py
index 94d1f4616bb..c97ff6f0be0 100644
--- a/cloud/amazon/dynamodb_table.py
+++ b/cloud/amazon/dynamodb_table.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ description:
   - Create or delete AWS Dynamo DB tables.
   - Can update the provisioned throughput on existing tables.
   - Returns the status of the specified table.
+version_added: "2.0"
 author: Alan Loi (@loia)
 version_added: "2.0"
 requirements:
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ options:
       - Name of the hash key.
       - Required when C(state=present).
     required: false
+    default: null
   hash_key_type:
     description:
       - Type of the hash key.
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ options:
     description:
       - Name of the range key.
     required: false
+    default: null
   range_key_type:
     description:
       - Type of the range key.
@@ -117,7 +120,7 @@ try:
     from boto.dynamodb2.table import Table
     from boto.dynamodb2.fields import HashKey, RangeKey
     from boto.dynamodb2.types import STRING, NUMBER, BINARY
-    from boto.exception import BotoServerError, JSONResponseError
+    from boto.exception import BotoServerError, NoAuthHandlerFound, JSONResponseError
     HAS_BOTO = True
 
 except ImportError:
@@ -259,7 +262,14 @@ def main():
         module.fail_json(msg='boto required for this module')
 
     region, ec2_url, aws_connect_params = get_aws_connection_info(module)
-    connection = connect_to_aws(boto.dynamodb2, region, **aws_connect_params)
+    if not region:
+        module.fail_json(msg='region must be specified')
+
+    try:
+        connection = connect_to_aws(boto.dynamodb2, region, **aws_connect_params)
+
+    except (NoAuthHandlerFound, StandardError), e:
+        module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
 
     state = module.params.get('state')
     if state == 'present':
@@ -272,4 +282,5 @@ def main():
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
 from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
-main()
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()