diff --git a/bitelab/__init__.py b/bitelab/__init__.py
index f16dc0d..bf5da2b 100644
--- a/bitelab/__init__.py
+++ b/bitelab/__init__.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ from .mocks import *
 import asyncio
 import contextlib
 import json
+import logging
 import orm
 import os
 import socket
@@ -356,8 +357,18 @@ async def release_board(board_id, user: str = Depends(lookup_user),
 		    settings.setup_script, 'release', brd.name, user,
 		    stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
 		stdout, stderr = await sub.communicate()
-		if sub.returncode:
-			raise RuntimeError(sub.returncode, stderr)
+		retcode = sub.returncode
+		if retcode:
+			logging.error('release script failure: ' +
+			    'board: %s, ret: %s, stderr: %s' % (repr(brd.name),
+			    retcode, repr(stderr)))
+			raise BITEError(
+			    status_code=HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+			    errobj=Error(error=
+				'Failed to release board, ret: %d, stderr: %s' %
+				(retcode, repr(stderr)),
+			    board=Board.from_orm(brd)),
+			)
 
 		await data.BoardStatus.delete(brduser)
 		await brd.release()
@@ -509,6 +520,47 @@ class TestBiteLab(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
 		self.assertEqual(res.json(),  { 'cora-z7s': BoardClassInfo(**{
 		    'arch': 'arm-armv7', 'clsname': 'cora-z7s', }) })
 
+	@patch('asyncio.create_subprocess_exec')
+	@patch('bitelab.snmp.snmpget')
+	@patch('logging.error')
+	async def test_board_release_script_fail(self, le, sg, cse):
+		# that when snmpget returns False
+		sg.return_value = False
+
+		# that when the setup script will fail
+		wrap_subprocess_exec(cse, stderr=b'error', retcode=1)
+
+		# that the cora-1 board is reserved
+		data = self.data
+		brd = self.brdmgr.boards['cora-1']
+		async with brd.lock:
+			await brd.reserve()
+			obrdreq = await data.BoardStatus.objects.create(
+			    board='cora-1', user='foo')
+
+		# that when the correct user releases the board
+		res = await self.client.post('/board/cora-1/release',
+		    auth=BiteAuth('thisisanapikey'))
+
+		# it fails
+		self.assertEqual(res.status_code, HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
+
+		# and returns the correct data
+		info = Error(error='Failed to release board, ret: 1, stderr: b\'error\'',
+			board=Board(name='cora-1',
+				brdclass='cora-z7s',
+				reserved=True,
+			),
+		).dict()
+		self.assertEqual(res.json(), info)
+
+		# and that it called the release script
+		cse.assert_called_with(self.settings.setup_script, 'release',
+		    'cora-1', 'foo', stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+
+		# and that the error got logged
+		le.assert_called_with('release script failure: board: \'cora-1\', ret: 1, stderr: b\'error\'')
+
 	@patch('asyncio.create_subprocess_exec')
 	@patch('bitelab.snmp.snmpget')
 	async def test_board_reserve_release(self, sg, cse):