diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
index 4c17403b96..feb4ebc88d 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
@@ -127,11 +127,18 @@ class AgentClient(object):
             LOG.error(msg)
             raise exception.IronicException(msg)
 
+        error = result.get('command_error')
+        exc_type = None
+        if error:
+            # if an error, we should see if a type field exists. This type
+            # field may signal an exception that is compatability based.
+            exc_type = error.get('type')
+
         LOG.debug('Agent command %(method)s for node %(node)s returned '
                   'result %(res)s, error %(error)s, HTTP status code %(code)d',
                   {'node': node.uuid, 'method': method,
                    'res': result.get('command_result'),
-                   'error': result.get('command_error'),
+                   'error': error,
                    'code': response.status_code})
 
         if response.status_code >= http_client.BAD_REQUEST:
@@ -142,6 +149,14 @@ class AgentClient(object):
             raise exception.AgentAPIError(node=node.uuid,
                                           status=response.status_code,
                                           error=result.get('faultstring'))
+        if exc_type == 'TypeError':
+            LOG.error('Agent command %(method)s for node %(node)s failed. '
+                      'Internal %(exc_type)s error detected: Error %(error)s',
+                      {'method': method, 'node': node.uuid,
+                       'exc_type': exc_type, 'error': error})
+            raise exception.AgentAPIError(node=node.uuid,
+                                          status=error.get('code'),
+                                          error=result.get('faultstring'))
 
         return result
 
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
index 65bb58172d..1bea741880 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
@@ -178,6 +178,27 @@ class TestAgentClient(base.TestCase):
             params={'wait': 'false'},
             timeout=60)
 
+    def test__command_error_code_okay_error_typeerror_embedded(self):
+        response_text = ('{"faultstring": "you dun goofd", '
+                         '"command_error": {"type": "TypeError"}}')
+        self.client.session.post.return_value = MockResponse(
+            response_text)
+        method = 'standby.run_image'
+        image_info = {'image_id': 'test_image'}
+        params = {'image_info': image_info}
+
+        url = self.client._get_command_url(self.node)
+        body = self.client._get_command_body(method, params)
+
+        self.assertRaises(exception.AgentAPIError,
+                          self.client._command,
+                          self.node, method, params)
+        self.client.session.post.assert_called_once_with(
+            url,
+            data=body,
+            params={'wait': 'false'},
+            timeout=60)
+
     def test_get_commands_status(self):
         with mock.patch.object(self.client.session, 'get',
                                autospec=True) as mock_get:
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/consider_embedded_ipa_error_codes-c8fdfaa9e6a1ed06.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/consider_embedded_ipa_error_codes-c8fdfaa9e6a1ed06.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f4ee2d512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/consider_embedded_ipa_error_codes-c8fdfaa9e6a1ed06.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes an issue in the ``ironic-python-agent`` client code
+    where a command exception may not be captured in the interaction
+    with the agent rest API. The client code would return the resulting
+    error message and a static error code. We now look with-in the error
+    to detect if the error may be a compatability error to raise the
+    appropriate exception for fallback logic to engage.