diff --git a/tools/frr-reload.py b/tools/frr-reload.py
index 8ffc313c04..88873da904 100755
--- a/tools/frr-reload.py
+++ b/tools/frr-reload.py
@@ -128,17 +128,13 @@ class Vtysh(object):
                     % (child.returncode))
 
     def mark_file(self, filename, stdin=None):
-        kwargs = {}
-        if stdin is not None:
-            kwargs['stdin'] = stdin
-
         child = self._call(['-m', '-f', filename],
-                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, **kwargs)
+                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
         try:
             stdout, stderr = child.communicate()
         except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
             child.kill()
-            stdout, stderr = proc.communicate()
+            stdout, stderr = child.communicate()
             raise VtyshException('vtysh call timed out!')
 
         if child.wait() != 0:
@@ -1313,8 +1309,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     # Create a Config object from the config generated by newconf
     newconf = Config(vtysh)
-    newconf.load_from_file(args.filename)
-    reload_ok = True
+    try:
+        newconf.load_from_file(args.filename)
+        reload_ok = True
+    except VtyshException as ve:
+        log.error("vtysh failed to process new configuration: {}".format(ve))
+        reload_ok = False
 
     if args.test: