diff --git a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml.py b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml.py
index 9f4bdbb98..24d520891 100755
--- a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml.py
+++ b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml.py
@@ -44,8 +44,11 @@ def appendItem(content, key, listItem):
     else:
         try:
             content[key].append(listItem)
-        except TypeError:
-            print("The key provided is likely not a list. No action was taken on the file.")
+        except AttributeError:
+            print("The key provided is not a list. No action was taken on the file.")
+            return 1
+        except KeyError:
+            print("The key provided does not exist. No action was taken on the file.")
             return 1
 
 def append(args):
diff --git a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml_test.py b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml_test.py
index f70314ba3..59db43860 100644
--- a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml_test.py
+++ b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/so-yaml_test.py
@@ -149,3 +149,55 @@ class TestRemove(unittest.TestCase):
 
         expected = "key1:\n  child1: 123\n  child2:\n    deep1: 45\n    deep2:\n    - a\n    - b\n    - c\n    - d\nkey2: false\nkey3:\n- e\n- f\n- g\n"
         self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
+
+    def test_append_key_noexist(self):
+        filename = "/tmp/so-yaml_test-append.yaml"
+        file = open(filename, "w")
+        file.write("{key1: { child1: 123, child2: { deep1: 45, deep2: [a,b,c] } }, key2: false, key3: [e,f,g]}")
+        file.close()
+
+        with patch('sys.exit', new=MagicMock()) as sysmock:
+            with patch('sys.stdout', new=StringIO()) as mock_stdout:
+                sys.argv = ["cmd", "append", filename, "key4", "h"]
+                soyaml.main()
+                sysmock.assert_called()
+                self.assertEqual(mock_stdout.getvalue(), "The key provided does not exist. No action was taken on the file.\n")
+
+    def test_append_key_noexist_deep(self):
+        filename = "/tmp/so-yaml_test-append.yaml"
+        file = open(filename, "w")
+        file.write("{key1: { child1: 123, child2: { deep1: 45, deep2: [a,b,c] } }, key2: false, key3: [e,f,g]}")
+        file.close()
+
+        with patch('sys.exit', new=MagicMock()) as sysmock:
+            with patch('sys.stdout', new=StringIO()) as mock_stdout:
+                sys.argv = ["cmd", "append", filename, "key1.child2.deep3", "h"]
+                soyaml.main()
+                sysmock.assert_called()
+                self.assertEqual(mock_stdout.getvalue(), "The key provided does not exist. No action was taken on the file.\n")
+
+    def test_append_key_nonlist(self):
+        filename = "/tmp/so-yaml_test-append.yaml"
+        file = open(filename, "w")
+        file.write("{key1: { child1: 123, child2: { deep1: 45, deep2: [a,b,c] } }, key2: false, key3: [e,f,g]}")
+        file.close()
+
+        with patch('sys.exit', new=MagicMock()) as sysmock:
+            with patch('sys.stdout', new=StringIO()) as mock_stdout:
+                sys.argv = ["cmd", "append", filename, "key1", "h"]
+                soyaml.main()
+                sysmock.assert_called()
+                self.assertEqual(mock_stdout.getvalue(), "The key provided is not a list. No action was taken on the file.\n")
+
+    def test_append_key_nonlist_deep(self):
+        filename = "/tmp/so-yaml_test-append.yaml"
+        file = open(filename, "w")
+        file.write("{key1: { child1: 123, child2: { deep1: 45, deep2: [a,b,c] } }, key2: false, key3: [e,f,g]}")
+        file.close()
+
+        with patch('sys.exit', new=MagicMock()) as sysmock:
+            with patch('sys.stdout', new=StringIO()) as mock_stdout:
+                sys.argv = ["cmd", "append", filename, "key1.child2.deep1", "h"]
+                soyaml.main()
+                sysmock.assert_called()
+                self.assertEqual(mock_stdout.getvalue(), "The key provided is not a list. No action was taken on the file.\n")