diff --git a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_openstack.py b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_openstack.py
index 915d66145..46efb0d1f 100644
--- a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_openstack.py
+++ b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_openstack.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import datetime
 import io
 import mock
+import subprocess
 import tenacity
 
 import unit_tests.utils as ut_utils
@@ -664,17 +665,19 @@ def test_get_ports_from_device_id_no_match(self):
             [])
 
     def test_ping_response(self):
-        self.patch_object(openstack_utils.subprocess, 'check_call')
+        self.patch_object(openstack_utils.subprocess, 'run')
         openstack_utils.ping_response('10.0.0.10')
-        self.check_call.assert_called_once_with(
-            ['ping', '-c', '1', '-W', '1', '10.0.0.10'], stdout=-3)
+        self.run.assert_called_once_with(
+            ['ping', '-c', '1', '-W', '1', '10.0.0.10'], check=True,
+            stdout=mock.ANY, stderr=mock.ANY)
 
     def test_ping_response_fail(self):
         openstack_utils.ping_response.retry.wait = \
             tenacity.wait_none()
-        self.patch_object(openstack_utils.subprocess, 'check_call')
-        self.check_call.side_effect = Exception()
-        with self.assertRaises(Exception):
+        self.patch_object(openstack_utils.subprocess, 'run')
+        self.run.side_effect = subprocess.CalledProcessError(returncode=42,
+                                                             cmd='mycmd')
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError):
             openstack_utils.ping_response('10.0.0.10')
 
     def test_ssh_test(self):
diff --git a/zaza/openstack/configure/guest.py b/zaza/openstack/configure/guest.py
index 920b539c9..bd70bcaec 100644
--- a/zaza/openstack/configure/guest.py
+++ b/zaza/openstack/configure/guest.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 """Encapsulate nova testing."""
 
+import subprocess
 import logging
 import time
 
@@ -132,7 +133,13 @@ def launch_instance(instance_key, use_boot_volume=False, vm_name=None,
         external_network_name,
         port=port)['floating_ip_address']
     logging.info('Assigned floating IP {} to {}'.format(ip, vm_name))
-    openstack_utils.ping_response(ip)
+    try:
+        openstack_utils.ping_response(ip)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        logging.error('Pinging {} failed with {}'.format(ip, e.returncode))
+        logging.error('stdout: {}'.format(e.stdout))
+        logging.error('stderr: {}'.format(e.stderr))
+        raise
 
     # Check ssh'ing to instance.
     logging.info('Testing ssh access.')
diff --git a/zaza/openstack/utilities/openstack.py b/zaza/openstack/utilities/openstack.py
index f4f1374b8..de324e47b 100644
--- a/zaza/openstack/utilities/openstack.py
+++ b/zaza/openstack/utilities/openstack.py
@@ -2258,7 +2258,8 @@ def ping_response(ip):
     :raises: subprocess.CalledProcessError
     """
     cmd = ['ping', '-c', '1', '-W', '1', ip]
-    subprocess.check_call(cmd, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                   check=True)
 
 
 def ssh_test(username, ip, vm_name, password=None, privkey=None):