diff --git a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/README.md b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/README.md
index 92d2ecf70..a6db4d324 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/README.md
+++ b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ The resourceId used for Azure Monitor metrics.
 ## specified, the plugin will attempt to retrieve the resource ID
 ## of the VM via the instance metadata service (optional if running 
 ## on an Azure VM with MSI)
-#resourceId = "/subscriptions/<subscription-id>/resourceGroups/<resource-group>/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/<vm-name>"
+#resource_id = "/subscriptions/<subscription_id>/resourceGroups/<resource_group>/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/<vm_name>"
 ## Azure region to publish metrics against.  Defaults to eastus.
 ## Leave blank to automatically query the region via MSI.
 #region = "useast"
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata.go b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata.go
index bc1329c56..c1e8b88d6 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata.go
@@ -80,24 +80,14 @@ func (m *msiToken) parseTimes() {
 	}
 }
 
-// ExpiresAt is the time at which the token expires
-func (m *msiToken) ExpiresAt() time.Time {
-	return m.expiresAt
-}
-
 // ExpiresInDuration returns the duration until the token expires
-func (m *msiToken) ExpiresInDuration() time.Duration {
+func (m *msiToken) expiresInDuration() time.Duration {
 	expiresDuration := m.expiresAt.Sub(time.Now().UTC())
 	return expiresDuration
 }
 
-// NotBeforeTime returns the time at which the token becomes valid
-func (m *msiToken) NotBeforeTime() time.Time {
-	return m.notBefore
-}
-
 // GetMsiToken retrieves a managed service identity token from the specified port on the local VM
-func (a *AzureMonitor) getMsiToken(clientID string, resourceID string) (*msiToken, error) {
+func (a *AzureMonitor) getMsiToken(clientID string) (*msiToken, error) {
 	// Acquire an MSI token.  Documented at:
 	// https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/managed-service-identity/how-to-use-vm-token
 	//
@@ -110,13 +100,9 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) getMsiToken(clientID string, resourceID string) (*msiToke
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Resource ID defaults to https://management.azure.com
-	if resourceID == "" {
-		resourceID = "https://management.azure.com"
-	}
-
 	msiParameters := url.Values{}
-	msiParameters.Add("resource", resourceID)
+	// Resource ID defaults to https://management.azure.com
+	msiParameters.Add("resource", defaultMSIResource)
 	msiParameters.Add("api-version", "2018-02-01")
 
 	// Client id is optional
@@ -143,7 +129,7 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) getMsiToken(clientID string, resourceID string) (*msiToke
 	}
 
 	if resp.StatusCode >= 300 || resp.StatusCode < 200 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Post Error. HTTP response code:%d message:%s, content: %s",
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("E! Get Error. %d HTTP response: %s response body: %s",
 			resp.StatusCode, resp.Status, reply)
 	}
 
@@ -156,41 +142,45 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) getMsiToken(clientID string, resourceID string) (*msiToke
 	return &token, nil
 }
 
-const (
-	vmInstanceMetadataURL  = "http://169.254.169.254/metadata/instance?api-version=2017-12-01"
-	msiInstanceMetadataURL = "http://169.254.169.254/metadata/identity/oauth2/token"
-)
-
 // GetInstanceMetadata retrieves metadata about the current Azure VM
-func (a *AzureMonitor) GetInstanceMetadata() (*VirtualMachineMetadata, error) {
+func (a *AzureMonitor) GetInstanceMetadata() error {
 	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", vmInstanceMetadataURL, nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error creating HTTP request")
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error creating HTTP request")
 	}
 	req.Header.Set("Metadata", "true")
 
 	resp, err := a.client.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	reply, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if resp.StatusCode >= 300 || resp.StatusCode < 200 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Post Error. HTTP response code:%d message:%s reply:\n%s",
+		return fmt.Errorf("Post Error. HTTP response code:%d message:%s reply:\n%s",
 			resp.StatusCode, resp.Status, reply)
 	}
 
 	var metadata VirtualMachineMetadata
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(reply, &metadata); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
-	metadata.AzureResourceID = fmt.Sprintf("/subscriptions/%s/resourceGroups/%s/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/%s",
-		metadata.Compute.SubscriptionID, metadata.Compute.ResourceGroupName, metadata.Compute.Name)
 
-	return &metadata, nil
+	if a.ResourceID == "" {
+		a.ResourceID = fmt.Sprintf(resourceIDTemplate,
+			metadata.Compute.SubscriptionID, metadata.Compute.ResourceGroupName, metadata.Compute.Name)
+	}
+
+	if a.Region == "" {
+		a.Region = metadata.Compute.Location
+	}
+
+	a.url = fmt.Sprintf(urlTemplate, a.Region, a.ResourceID)
+
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata_test.go b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 0611ed2a7..000000000
--- a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremetadata_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-package azuremonitor
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-)
-
-func TestGetMetadata(t *testing.T) {
-	azureMetadata := &AzureMonitor{}
-	metadata, err := azureMetadata.GetInstanceMetadata()
-
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, metadata)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, metadata.AzureResourceID)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, metadata.Compute.Location)
-
-	// if err != nil {
-	// 	t.Logf("could not get metadata: %v\n", err)
-	// } else {
-	// 	t.Logf("resource id  \n%s", metadata.AzureResourceID)
-	// 	t.Logf("metadata is \n%v", metadata)
-	// }
-
-	//fmt.Printf("metadata is \n%v", metadata)
-}
-
-func TestGetTOKEN(t *testing.T) {
-	azureMetadata := &AzureMonitor{}
-
-	resourceID := "https://ingestion.monitor.azure.com/"
-	token, err := azureMetadata.getMsiToken("", resourceID)
-
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, token.AccessToken)
-	require.EqualValues(t, token.Resource, resourceID)
-
-	t.Logf("token is %+v\n", token)
-	t.Logf("expiry time is %s\n", token.ExpiresAt().Format(time.RFC3339))
-	t.Logf("expiry duration is %s\n", token.ExpiresInDuration().String())
-	t.Logf("resource is %s\n", token.Resource)
-
-}
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor.go b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor.go
index 4bd30bc39..98c5caf53 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type AzureMonitor struct {
 	AzureClientSecret   string            `toml:"azure_client_secret"`
 	StringAsDimension   bool              `toml:"string_as_dimension"`
 
-	url string
+	url         string
 	msiToken    *msiToken
 	oauthConfig *adal.OAuthConfig
 	adalToken   adal.OAuthTokenProvider
@@ -51,11 +51,12 @@ type aggregate struct {
 }
 
 const (
-	defaultRegion string = "eastus"
-
-	defaultMSIResource string = "https://monitoring.azure.com/"
-
-	urlTemplate string = "https://%s.monitoring.azure.com%s/metrics"
+	defaultRegion          string = "eastus"
+	defaultMSIResource     string = "https://monitoring.azure.com/"
+	urlTemplate            string = "https://%s.monitoring.azure.com%s/metrics"
+	resourceIDTemplate     string = "/subscriptions/%s/resourceGroups/%s/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/%s"
+	vmInstanceMetadataURL  string = "http://169.254.169.254/metadata/instance?api-version=2017-12-01"
+	msiInstanceMetadataURL string = "http://169.254.169.254/metadata/identity/oauth2/token"
 )
 
 var sampleConfig = `
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ var sampleConfig = `
   ## specified, the plugin will attempt to retrieve the resource ID
   ## of the VM via the instance metadata service (optional if running 
   ## on an Azure VM with MSI)
-  #resource_id = "/subscriptions/<subscription-id>/resourceGroups/<resource-group>/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/<vm-name>"
+  #resource_id = "/subscriptions/<subscription_id>/resourceGroups/<resource_group>/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/<vm_name>"
   ## Azure region to publish metrics against.  Defaults to eastus.
   ## Leave blank to automatically query the region via MSI.
   #region = "useast"
@@ -110,35 +111,27 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) Connect() error {
 	if a.AzureSubscriptionID == "" && a.AzureTenantID == "" && a.AzureClientID == "" && a.AzureClientSecret == "" {
 		a.useMsi = true
 	} else if a.AzureSubscriptionID == "" || a.AzureTenantID == "" || a.AzureClientID == "" || a.AzureClientSecret == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Must provide values for azureSubscription, azureTenant, azureClient and azureClientSecret, or leave all blank to default to MSI")
+		return fmt.Errorf("E! Must provide values for azure_subscription, azure_tenant, azure_client and azure_client_secret, or leave all blank to default to MSI")
 	}
 
 	if !a.useMsi {
 		// If using direct AD authentication create the AD access client
 		oauthConfig, err := adal.NewOAuthConfig(azure.PublicCloud.ActiveDirectoryEndpoint, a.AzureTenantID)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Could not initialize AD client: %s", err)
+			return fmt.Errorf("E! Could not initialize AD client: %s", err)
 		}
 		a.oauthConfig = oauthConfig
 	}
 
-	// Validate the resource identifier
-	metadata, err := a.GetInstanceMetadata()
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("No resource id specified, and Azure Instance metadata service not available.  If not running on an Azure VM, provide a value for resourceId")
-	}
-	a.ResourceID = metadata.AzureResourceID
-
-	if a.Region == "" {
-		a.Region = metadata.Compute.Location
+	// Pull region and resource identifier
+	err := a.GetInstanceMetadata()
+	if err != nil && a.ResourceID == "" && a.Region == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("E! No resource id specified, and Azure Instance metadata service not available.  If not running on an Azure VM, provide a value for resource_id")
 	}
 
-	a.url := fmt.Sprintf(urlTemplate, a.Region, a.ResourceID)
-
-	// Validate credentials
 	err = a.validateCredentials()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("E! Unable to fetch authentication credentials: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	a.Reset()
@@ -149,8 +142,8 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) Connect() error {
 func (a *AzureMonitor) validateCredentials() error {
 	if a.useMsi {
 		// Check expiry on the token
-		if a.msiToken == nil || a.msiToken.ExpiresInDuration() < time.Minute {
-			msiToken, err := a.getMsiToken(a.AzureClientID, defaultMSIResource)
+		if a.msiToken == nil || a.msiToken.expiresInDuration() < time.Minute {
+			msiToken, err := a.getMsiToken(a.AzureClientID)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -227,7 +220,7 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) Write(metrics []telegraf.Metric) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := a.validateCredentials(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error authenticating: %v", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("E! Unable to fetch authentication credentials: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", a.url, bytes.NewBuffer(body))
@@ -249,7 +242,7 @@ func (a *AzureMonitor) Write(metrics []telegraf.Metric) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			reply = nil
 		}
-		return fmt.Errorf("Post Error. HTTP response code:%d message:%s reply:\n%s",
+		return fmt.Errorf("E! Get Error. %d HTTP response: %s response body: %s",
 			resp.StatusCode, resp.Status, reply)
 	}
 
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor_test.go b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor_test.go
index 7980399ce..34b24cd8c 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor_test.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/azuremonitor/azuremonitor_test.go
@@ -7,23 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/metric"
 )
 
-// func TestDefaultConnectAndWrite(t *testing.T) {
-// 	if testing.Short() {
-// 		t.Skip("Skipping integration test in short mode")
-// 	}
-
-// 	// Test with all defaults (MSI+IMS)
-// 	azmon := &AzureMonitor{}
-
-// 	// Verify that we can connect to Log Analytics
-// 	err := azmon.Connect()
-// 	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-// 	// Verify that we can write a metric to Log Analytics
-// 	err = azmon.Write(testutil.MockMetrics())
-// 	require.NoError(t, err)
-// }
-
 // MockMetrics returns a mock []telegraf.Metric object for using in unit tests
 // of telegraf output sinks.
 func getMockMetrics() []telegraf.Metric {
@@ -55,35 +38,3 @@ func getTestMetric(value interface{}, name ...string) telegraf.Metric {
 	)
 	return pt
 }
-
-// func TestPostData(t *testing.T) {
-// 	azmon := &AzureMonitor{
-// 		Region: "eastus",
-// 	}
-// 	err := azmon.Connect()
-
-// 	metrics := getMockMetrics()
-// 	t.Logf("mock metrics are %+v\n", metrics)
-// 	// metricsList, err := azmon.add(&metrics[0])
-// 	for _, m := range metrics {
-// 		azmon.Add(m)
-// 	}
-
-// 	jsonBytes, err := json.Marshal(azmon.cache)
-// 	t.Logf("json content is:\n----------\n%s\n----------\n", string(jsonBytes))
-
-// 	req, err := azmon.postData(&jsonBytes)
-// 	if err != nil {
-// 		// t.Logf("Error publishing metrics %s", err)
-// 		t.Logf("url is %+v\n", req.URL)
-// 		// t.Logf("failed request is %+v\n", req)
-
-// 		// raw, err := httputil.DumpRequestOut(req, true)
-// 		// if err != nil {
-// 		// 	t.Logf("Request detail is \n%s\n", string(raw))
-// 		// } else {
-// 		// 	t.Logf("could not dump request: %s\n", err)
-// 		// }
-// 	}
-// 	require.NoError(t, err)
-// }