diff --git a/launch/launch-node.py b/launch/launch-node.py
index a750be323b..439f953b2c 100755
--- a/launch/launch-node.py
+++ b/launch/launch-node.py
@@ -119,11 +119,14 @@ def bootstrap_server(server, admin_pass, key, cert, environment, name,
     ssh_client.scp("/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/ca.pem",
                    "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/ca.pem")
 
-    ssh_client.ssh("puppet agent "
-                   "--environment %s "
-                   "--server %s "
-                   "--no-daemonize --verbose --onetime --pluginsync true "
-                   "--certname %s" % (environment, puppetmaster, certname))
+    (rc, output) = ssh_client.ssh(
+        "puppet agent "
+        "--environment %s "
+        "--server %s "
+        "--detailed-exitcodes "
+        "--no-daemonize --verbose --onetime --pluginsync true "
+        "--certname %s" % (environment, puppetmaster, certname))
+    utils.interpret_puppet_exitcodes(rc, output)
 
     ssh_client.ssh("reboot")
 
diff --git a/launch/utils.py b/launch/utils.py
index a9f8d01bab..85d7b86c12 100644
--- a/launch/utils.py
+++ b/launch/utils.py
@@ -205,3 +205,24 @@ def delete_server(server):
 
     print "Deleting server", server.id
     server.delete()
+
+
+def interpret_puppet_exitcodes(rc, output):
+    if rc == 0:
+        # success
+        return
+    elif rc == 1:
+        # rc==1 could be because it's disabled
+        # rc==1 could also mean there was a compilation failure
+        disabled = "administratively disabled" in output
+        if disabled:
+            msg = "puppet is disabled"
+        else:
+            msg = "puppet did not run"
+        raise Exception(msg)
+    elif rc == 2:
+        # success with changes
+        return
+    elif rc == 124:
+        # timeout
+        raise Exception("Puppet timed out")