diff --git a/tests/unit/test_v3.py b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
index f87773b..734c45c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_v3.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_v3.py
@@ -797,6 +797,30 @@
             dict(name='project-test', result='SUCCESS', changes='1,1'),
         ])
 
+    def test_role_error(self):
+        conf = textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            - job:
+                name: project-test
+                roles:
+                  - zuul: common-config
+
+            - project:
+                name: org/project
+                check:
+                  jobs:
+                    - project-test
+            """)
+
+        file_dict = {'.zuul.yaml': conf}
+        A = self.fake_gerrit.addFakeChange('org/project', 'master', 'A',
+                                           files=file_dict)
+        self.fake_gerrit.addEvent(A.getPatchsetCreatedEvent(1))
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.assertIn(
+            '- project-test project-test : ERROR Unable to find role',
+            A.messages[-1])
+
 
 class TestShadow(ZuulTestCase):
     tenant_config_file = 'config/shadow/main.yaml'
diff --git a/zuul/executor/client.py b/zuul/executor/client.py
index 235f606..f764778 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/client.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/client.py
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@
             build.node_name = data.get('node_name')
             if result is None:
                 result = data.get('result')
+                build.error_detail = data.get('error_detail')
             if result is None:
                 if (build.build_set.getTries(build.job.name) >=
                     build.job.attempts):
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index 7108353..f291dce 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@
 DEFAULT_FINGER_PORT = 79
 
 
+class ExecutorError(Exception):
+    """A non-transient run-time executor error
+
+    This class represents error conditions detected by the executor
+    when preparing to run a job which we know are consistently fatal.
+    Zuul should not reschedule the build in these cases.
+    """
+    pass
+
+
 class Watchdog(object):
     def __init__(self, timeout, function, args):
         self.timeout = timeout
@@ -115,8 +125,8 @@
             subprocess.check_output(['ssh-add', key_path], env=env,
                                     stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
-            self.log.error('ssh-add failed. stdout: %s, stderr: %s',
-                           e.output, e.stderr)
+            self.log.exception('ssh-add failed. stdout: %s, stderr: %s',
+                               e.output, e.stderr)
             raise
         self.log.info('Added SSH Key {}'.format(key_path))
 
@@ -746,6 +756,11 @@
                                  self.executor_server.keep_jobdir,
                                  str(self.job.unique))
             self._execute()
+        except ExecutorError as e:
+            result_data = json.dumps(dict(result='ERROR',
+                                          error_detail=e.args[0]))
+            self.log.debug("Sending result: %s" % (result_data,))
+            self.job.sendWorkComplete(result_data)
         except Exception:
             self.log.exception("Exception while executing job")
             self.job.sendWorkException(traceback.format_exc())
@@ -915,8 +930,9 @@
                           project_name, project_default_branch)
             repo.checkoutLocalBranch(project_default_branch)
         else:
-            raise Exception("Project %s does not have the default branch %s" %
-                            (project_name, project_default_branch))
+            raise ExecutorError("Project %s does not have the "
+                                "default branch %s" %
+                                (project_name, project_default_branch))
 
     def runPlaybooks(self, args):
         result = None
@@ -1007,9 +1023,9 @@
         '''
         for entry in os.listdir(path):
             if os.path.isdir(entry) and entry.endswith('_plugins'):
-                raise Exception(
-                    "Ansible plugin dir %s found adjacent to playbook %s in"
-                    " non-trusted repo." % (entry, path))
+                raise ExecutorError(
+                    "Ansible plugin dir %s found adjacent to playbook %s in "
+                    "non-trusted repo." % (entry, path))
 
     def findPlaybook(self, path, required=False, trusted=False):
         for ext in ['.yaml', '.yml']:
@@ -1020,7 +1036,7 @@
                     self._blockPluginDirs(playbook_dir)
                 return fn
         if required:
-            raise Exception("Unable to find playbook %s" % path)
+            raise ExecutorError("Unable to find playbook %s" % path)
         return None
 
     def preparePlaybooks(self, args):
@@ -1038,7 +1054,7 @@
                 break
 
         if self.jobdir.playbook is None:
-            raise Exception("No valid playbook found")
+            raise ExecutorError("No valid playbook found")
 
         for playbook in args['post_playbooks']:
             jobdir_playbook = self.jobdir.addPostPlaybook()
@@ -1126,7 +1142,7 @@
                         self._blockPluginDirs(os.path.join(d, entry))
             return d
         # It is neither a bare role, nor a collection of roles
-        raise Exception("Unable to find role in %s" % (path,))
+        raise ExecutorError("Unable to find role in %s" % (path,))
 
     def prepareZuulRole(self, jobdir_playbook, role, args, root):
         self.log.debug("Prepare zuul role for %s" % (role,))
@@ -1164,7 +1180,7 @@
         link = os.path.join(root, name)
         link = os.path.realpath(link)
         if not link.startswith(os.path.realpath(root)):
-            raise Exception("Invalid role name %s", name)
+            raise ExecutorError("Invalid role name %s", name)
         os.symlink(path, link)
 
         role_path = self.findRole(link, trusted=jobdir_playbook.trusted)
diff --git a/zuul/model.py b/zuul/model.py
index 3c07740..1df70db 100644
--- a/zuul/model.py
+++ b/zuul/model.py
@@ -1098,6 +1098,7 @@
         self.url = None
         self.result = None
         self.result_data = {}
+        self.error_detail = None
         self.build_set = None
         self.execute_time = time.time()
         self.start_time = None
@@ -1118,6 +1119,7 @@
     def getSafeAttributes(self):
         return Attributes(uuid=self.uuid,
                           result=self.result,
+                          error_detail=self.error_detail,
                           result_data=self.result_data)
 
 
diff --git a/zuul/reporter/__init__.py b/zuul/reporter/__init__.py
index 95b9208..49181a7 100644
--- a/zuul/reporter/__init__.py
+++ b/zuul/reporter/__init__.py
@@ -138,7 +138,11 @@
                     elapsed = ' in %ds' % (s)
             else:
                 elapsed = ''
+            if build.error_detail:
+                error = ' ' + build.error_detail
+            else:
+                error = ''
             name = job.name + ' '
-            ret += '- %s%s : %s%s%s\n' % (name, url, result, elapsed,
-                                          voting)
+            ret += '- %s%s : %s%s%s%s\n' % (name, url, result, error,
+                                            elapsed, voting)
         return ret