diff --git a/devstack/components/nova.py b/devstack/components/nova.py
index 58d572e8..e8b687e1 100644
--- a/devstack/components/nova.py
+++ b/devstack/components/nova.py
@@ -413,11 +413,14 @@ class NovaRuntime(comp.PythonRuntime):
             # should come from the persona.
             virt_type = lv.canon_libvirt_type(self.cfg.get('nova', 'libvirt_type'))
             LOG.info("Checking that your selected libvirt virtualization type %r is working and running." % (virt_type))
-            if not self.virsh.check_virt(virt_type):
+            try:
+                self.virsh.check_virt(virt_type)
+                self.virsh.restart_service()
+            except exceptions.ProcessExecutionError as e:
                 msg = ("Libvirt type %r does not seem to be active or configured correctly, "
-                       "perhaps you should be using %r instead." % (virt_type, lv.DEF_VIRT_TYPE))
+                        "perhaps you should be using %r instead: %s" %
+                        (virt_type, lv.DEF_VIRT_TYPE, e))
                 raise exceptions.StartException(msg)
-            self.virsh.restart_service()
 
     def _get_param_map(self, app_name):
         params = comp.PythonRuntime._get_param_map(self, app_name)
diff --git a/devstack/libvirt.py b/devstack/libvirt.py
index 4753363b..2f7361e1 100644
--- a/devstack/libvirt.py
+++ b/devstack/libvirt.py
@@ -91,26 +91,16 @@ class Virsh(object):
 
     def check_virt(self, virt_type):
         virt_protocol = LIBVIRT_PROTOCOL_MAP.get(virt_type)
-        if not virt_protocol:
-            return False
-        try:
-            self.restart_service()
-        except excp.ProcessExecutionError, e:
-            LOG.warn("Could not restart libvirt due to: %s" % (e))
-            return False
-        try:
-            cmds = list()
-            cmds.append({
-                'cmd': self.distro.get_command('libvirt', 'verify'),
-                'run_as_root': True,
-            })
-            mp = dict()
-            mp['VIRT_PROTOCOL'] = virt_protocol
-            utils.execute_template(*cmds, params=mp)
-            return True
-        except excp.ProcessExecutionError as e:
-            LOG.warn("Could check if libvirt was ok for protocol %r due to: %s" % (virt_protocol, e))
-            return False
+        self.restart_service()
+        cmds = list()
+        cmds.append({
+            'cmd': self.distro.get_command('libvirt', 'verify'),
+            'run_as_root': True,
+        })
+        mp = dict()
+        mp['VIRT_PROTOCOL'] = virt_protocol
+        mp['VIRT_TYPE'] = virt_type
+        utils.execute_template(*cmds, params=mp)
 
     def clear_domains(self, virt_type, inst_prefix):
         libvirt = _get_virt_lib()