diff --git a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
index 6dc2436d..4e3ff9f5 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
@@ -963,12 +963,15 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
         # run command in subprocess
         log.debug("launching command in subprocess: %s", cmd)
         try:
-            subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+            # nb. we do not capture stderr, but on failure the stdout
+            # will contain a simple error string
+            subprocess.check_output(cmd)
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as error:
             log.warning("command failed with exit code %s!  output was:",
                         error.returncode)
-            log.warning(error.stderr.decode('utf_8'))
-            raise
+            output = error.output.decode('utf_8')
+            log.warning(output)
+            raise Exception(output)
 
     def action_subprocess_thread(self, key, port, username, handler_action, progress, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -1009,8 +1012,8 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
                 progress.session['error_msg'] = (
-                    "{} of '{}' batch failed (see logs for more info)").format(
-                        handler_action, self.handler.batch_key)
+                    "{} of '{}' batch failed: {} (see logs for more info)").format(
+                        handler_action, self.handler.batch_key, error)
                 progress.session.save()
 
             return