diff --git a/example/tests/test_views.py b/example/tests/test_views.py
index 774b06a7..28c39915 100644
--- a/example/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/example/tests/test_views.py
@@ -77,6 +77,18 @@ def test_patch_invalid_entry_relationship_blog_returns_400(self):
                                      content_type='application/vnd.api+json')
         assert response.status_code == 400
 
+    def test_relationship_view_errors_format(self):
+        url = '/entries/{}/relationships/blog'.format(self.first_entry.id)
+        response = self.client.patch(url,
+                                     data=json.dumps({'data': {'invalid': ''}}),
+                                     content_type='application/vnd.api+json')
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+
+        result = json.loads(response.content.decode('utf-8'))
+
+        assert 'data' not in result
+        assert 'errors' in result
+
     def test_get_empty_to_one_relationship(self):
         url = '/comments/{}/relationships/author'.format(self.first_entry.id)
         response = self.client.get(url)
diff --git a/rest_framework_json_api/renderers.py b/rest_framework_json_api/renderers.py
index 1a2edb6c..04a9aaff 100644
--- a/rest_framework_json_api/renderers.py
+++ b/rest_framework_json_api/renderers.py
@@ -419,13 +419,17 @@ def render(self, data, accepted_media_type=None, renderer_context=None):
         view = renderer_context.get("view", None)
         request = renderer_context.get("request", None)
 
+        # Get the resource name.
+        resource_name = utils.get_resource_name(renderer_context)
+
+        # If this is an error response, skip the rest.
+        if resource_name == 'errors':
+            return self.render_errors(data, accepted_media_type, renderer_context)
+
         from rest_framework_json_api.views import RelationshipView
         if isinstance(view, RelationshipView):
             return self.render_relationship_view(data, accepted_media_type, renderer_context)
 
-        # Get the resource name.
-        resource_name = utils.get_resource_name(renderer_context)
-
         # If `resource_name` is set to None then render default as the dev
         # wants to build the output format manually.
         if resource_name is None or resource_name is False:
@@ -433,10 +437,6 @@ def render(self, data, accepted_media_type=None, renderer_context=None):
                 data, accepted_media_type, renderer_context
             )
 
-        # If this is an error response, skip the rest.
-        if resource_name == 'errors':
-            return self.render_errors(data, accepted_media_type, renderer_context)
-
         json_api_data = data
         json_api_included = list()
         # initialize json_api_meta with pagination meta or an empty dict