diff --git a/vtysh/vtysh.c b/vtysh/vtysh.c
index efef106d97..1308e1218b 100644
--- a/vtysh/vtysh.c
+++ b/vtysh/vtysh.c
@@ -2477,7 +2477,12 @@ DEFUN (vtysh_write_memory,
 						   "do write integrated",
 						   outputfile);
 
-		if (ret != CMD_SUCCESS) {
+		/*
+		 * If watchfrr returns CMD_WARNING_CONFIG_FAILED this means
+		 * that it could not write the config, but additionally
+		 * indicates that we should not try either
+		 */
+		if (ret != CMD_SUCCESS && ret != CMD_WARNING_CONFIG_FAILED) {
 			printf("\nWarning: attempting direct configuration write without "
 			       "watchfrr.\nFile permissions and ownership may be "
 			       "incorrect, or write may fail.\n\n");
diff --git a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
index dc3dcbf1e9..264882e21f 100644
--- a/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
+++ b/watchfrr/watchfrr.c
@@ -899,6 +899,16 @@ static int wakeup_send_echo(struct thread *t_wakeup)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+bool check_all_up(void)
+{
+	struct daemon *dmn;
+
+	for (dmn = gs.daemons; dmn; dmn = dmn->next)
+		if (dmn->state != DAEMON_UP)
+			return false;
+	return true;
+}
+
 static void sigint(void)
 {
 	zlog_notice("Terminating on signal");
diff --git a/watchfrr/watchfrr.h b/watchfrr/watchfrr.h
index 53b92bd833..1a1c19056f 100644
--- a/watchfrr/watchfrr.h
+++ b/watchfrr/watchfrr.h
@@ -25,5 +25,12 @@ extern void watchfrr_vty_init(void);
 
 extern pid_t integrated_write_pid;
 extern void integrated_write_sigchld(int status);
+/*
+ * Check if all daemons we are monitoring are in the DAEMON_UP state.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *    True if they are all DAEMON_UP, false otherwise.
+ */
+extern bool check_all_up(void);
 
 #endif /* FRR_WATCHFRR_H */
diff --git a/watchfrr/watchfrr_vty.c b/watchfrr/watchfrr_vty.c
index 1f872c91ff..1bfc41f255 100644
--- a/watchfrr/watchfrr_vty.c
+++ b/watchfrr/watchfrr_vty.c
@@ -40,11 +40,24 @@ DEFUN(config_write_integrated,
 	pid_t child;
 	sigset_t oldmask, sigmask;
 
+	const char *e_inprog = "Configuration write already in progress.";
+	const char *e_dmn = "Not all daemons are up, cannot write config.";
+
 	if (integrated_write_pid != -1) {
-		vty_out(vty, "%% configuration write already in progress.\n");
+		vty_out(vty, "%% %s\n", e_inprog);
 		return CMD_WARNING;
 	}
 
+	/* check that all daemons are up before clobbering config */
+	if (!check_all_up()) {
+		vty_out(vty, "%% %s\n", e_dmn);
+		/*
+		 * vtysh interprets this return value to mean that it should
+		 * not try to write the config itself
+		 */
+		return CMD_WARNING_CONFIG_FAILED;
+	}
+
 	fflush(stdout);
 	fflush(stderr);