diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index 4821605f7..e8360c671 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -251,19 +251,19 @@ check_pass_match() {
 	fi
 }
 
+# False if stopped, true if running
 check_service_status() {
 
 	local service_name=$1
 	echo "Checking service $service_name status" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
 	systemctl status $service_name > /dev/null 2>&1
 	local status=$?
-	#true if there is an issue with the service false if it is running properly
 	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
-		echo "$service_name is not running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		echo 1;
+		echo "  $service_name is not running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 1;
 	else
-		echo "$service_name is running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		echo 0;
+		echo "  $service_name is running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 0;
 	fi
 
 }
@@ -273,28 +273,27 @@ check_salt_master_status() {
 	salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs > /dev/null 2>&1
 	salt-call state.show_top > /dev/null 2>&1
 	local status=$?
-	#true if there is an issue talking to salt master
 	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
-		echo 1;
+		echo "  Could not talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 1;
 	else
-		echo "Can talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		echo 0;
+		echo "  Can talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 0;
 	fi
 
 }
 
 check_salt_minion_status() {
 	echo "Checking if the salt minion will respond to jobs" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-	salt "$MINION_ID" test.ping >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+	salt "$MINION_ID" test.ping > /dev/null 2>&1
 	local status=$?
-	#true if there is an issue getting a job response from the minion
 	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
-		echo 1;
+		echo "  Minion did not respond" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 1;
 	else
-		echo "Received job response from salt minion" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		echo 0;
+		echo "  Received job response from salt minion" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+		return 0;
 	fi
-
 }
 
 check_soremote_pass() {
@@ -767,12 +766,12 @@ detect_os() {
 
 disable_auto_start() {
 	
-	if crontab -l -u $INSTALLUSERNAME 2>&1 | grep so-setup > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+	if crontab -l -u $INSTALLUSERNAME 2>&1 | grep -q so-setup; then
 		# Remove the automated setup script from crontab, if it exists
 		logCmd "crontab -u $INSTALLUSERNAME -r"
 	fi
 
-	if grep so-setup /home/$INSTALLUSERNAME/.bash_profile > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+	if grep -q so-setup /home/$INSTALLUSERNAME/.bash_profile; then
 		# Truncate last line of the bash profile
 		info "Removing auto-run of setup from bash profile"
 		sed -i '$ d' /home/$INSTALLUSERNAME/.bash_profile >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
@@ -1384,13 +1383,47 @@ reserve_group_ids() {
 
 reinstall_init() {
 	info "Putting system in state to run setup again"
+	
+	if [[ $install_type =~ ^(MANAGER|EVAL|HELIXSENSOR|MANAGERSEARCH|STANDALONE|FLEET|IMPORT)$ ]]; then
+		local salt_services=( "salt-master" "salt-minion" )
+	else
+		local salt_services=( "salt-minion" )
+	fi
+
+	local service_retry_count=20
 
 	{
-		# Kill any salt processes
-		pkill -9 -ef /usr/bin/salt
+		if command -v salt-call &> /dev/null; then
+			# Disable schedule so highstate doesn't start running during the install
+			salt-call -l info schedule.disable
+
+			# Kill any currently running salt jobs, also to prevent issues with highstate.
+			salt-call -l info saltutil.kill_all_jobs
+		fi
+
+		# Kill any salt processes (safely)
+		for service in "${salt_services[@]}"; do
+			# Stop the service in the background so we can exit after a certain amount of time
+			systemctl stop "$service" &
+			local pid=$!
+
+			local count=0
+			while check_service_status "$service"; do
+				if [[ $count -gt $service_retry_count ]]; then
+					echo "Could not stop $service after 1 minute, exiting setup."
+
+					# Stop the systemctl process trying to kill the service, show user a message, then exit setup
+					kill -9 $pid
+					kill -SIGUSR1 "$(ps --pid $$ -oppid=)"; exit 1
+				fi
+				
+				sleep 5
+				((count++))
+			done
+		done
 
 		# Remove all salt configs
-		rm -rf /etc/salt/global /etc/salt/minion /etc/salt/master /etc/salt/pki/*
+		rm -rf /etc/salt/grains /etc/salt/minion /etc/salt/pki/*
 
 		if command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
 			# Stop and remove all so-* containers so files can be changed with more safety
@@ -1411,7 +1444,7 @@ reinstall_init() {
 		# Remove the old launcher package in case the config changes
 		remove_package launcher-final
 
-	} >> $setup_log 2>&1
+	} >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
 }
 
 backup_dir() {
@@ -1608,61 +1641,59 @@ salt_checkin() {
 				"salt-master" \
 				"salt-minion"
 				)
-				local LOOP_COUNT=0
+				local count=0
+
 				for service in "${SALT_SERVICES[@]}"; do
-					echo "Stopping service $service" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					systemctl stop "$service" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					LOOP_COUNT=0
-					while ! (( $(check_service_status $service) )); do
-						echo "$service still running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-						if [ $LOOP_COUNT -gt 60 ]; then
-							echo "$service could not be stopped in 60 seconds, exiting" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-							exit 1
+					{
+						echo "Restarting service $service"
+						systemctl restart "$service" &
+						local pid=$!
+					} >> "$setup_log" 2>&1 
+
+					count=0
+					while ! (check_service_status "$service"); do
+						# On final loop, kill the pid trying to restart service and try to manually kill then start it
+						if [ $count -eq 12 ]; then
+							{
+								kill -9 "$pid"
+								systemctl kill "$service"
+								systemctl start "$service" &
+								local pid=$!
+							} >> "$setup_log" 2>&1 
 						fi
-						sleep 1;
-						((LOOP_COUNT+=1))
+						
+						if [ $count -gt 12 ]; then
+							echo "$service could not be restarted in 120 seconds, exiting" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+							kill -9 "$pid"
+							kill -SIGUSR1 "$(ps --pid $$ -oppid=)"; exit 1
+						fi
+						sleep 10;
+						((count++))
 					done
 				done
 
-				sleep 5;
-
-				for service in "${SALT_SERVICES[@]}"; do
-					echo "Starting service $service" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					systemctl start "$service" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					LOOP_COUNT=0
-					while (( $(check_service_status $service) )); do
-						echo "$service still not running" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-						if [ $LOOP_COUNT -gt 60 ]; then
-							echo "$service could not be started in 60 seconds, exiting" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-							exit 1
-						fi
-						sleep 1;
-						((LOOP_COUNT+=1))
-					done
-				done
-
-				sleep 5;
-
-				LOOP_COUNT=0
-				while (( $(check_salt_master_status) )); do
+				count=0
+				while ! (check_salt_master_status); do
 					echo "salt minion cannot talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					if [ $LOOP_COUNT -gt 30 ]; then
+					if [ $count -gt 30 ]; then
 						echo "salt minion could not talk to salt master after 30 attempts, exiting" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-						exit 1
+						kill -SIGUSR1 "$(ps --pid $$ -oppid=)"; exit 1
 					fi
 					sleep 1;
-					((LOOP_COUNT+=1))
+					((count++))
 				done
 
-				LOOP_COUNT=0
-				while (( $(check_salt_minion_status) )); do
+				count=0
+				while ! (check_salt_minion_status); do
 					echo "salt master did not get a job response from salt minion" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-					if [ $LOOP_COUNT -gt 30 ]; then
+					if [ $count -gt 30 ]; then
 						echo "salt master did not get a job response from salt minion after 30 attempts, exiting" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-						exit 1
+						kill -SIGUSR1 "$(ps --pid $$ -oppid=)"; exit 1
 					fi
+					systemctl kill salt-minion
+					systemctl start salt-minion
 					sleep 1;
-					((LOOP_COUNT+=1))
+					((count++))
 				done
 
 				echo " Confirming existence of the CA certificate"
diff --git a/setup/so-setup b/setup/so-setup
index 77c579cfc..1ea238a38 100755
--- a/setup/so-setup
+++ b/setup/so-setup
@@ -428,72 +428,86 @@ whiptail_make_changes
 # From here on changes will be made.
 echo "1" > /root/accept_changes
 
-if [[ $is_reinstall ]]; then
-	reinstall_init
-fi
+# Set up handler for setup to exit early (use `kill -SIGUSR1 "$(ps --pid $$ -oppid=)"; exit 1` in child scripts)
+trap 'catch $LINENO' SIGUSR1
 
-if [[ -n "$TURBO" ]]; then
-	use_turbo_proxy
-fi
-
-if [[ "$setup_type" == 'iso' ]]; then
-	# Init networking so rest of install works
-	set_hostname
-	set_management_interface
-fi
-
-disable_ipv6
-disable_auto_start
-
-if [[ "$setup_type" != 'iso' ]]; then
-	set_hostname
-fi
-
-if [[ $is_minion ]]; then
-	add_mngr_ip_to_hosts
-fi
-
-{
-	mark_version;
-	clear_manager;
-} >> $setup_log 2>&1
-
-
-if [[ $is_manager || $is_import ]]; then
-	{
-		generate_passwords;
-		secrets_pillar;
-		add_socore_user_manager;
-	} >> $setup_log 2>&1	
-fi
-
-if [[ $is_manager && ! $is_eval ]]; then
-	add_soremote_user_manager >> $setup_log 2>&1
-fi
+catch() {
+	info "Fatal error occurred at $1 in so-setup, failing setup."
+	whiptail_setup_failed
+	exit
+}
 
+# This block sets REDIRECTIT which is used by a function outside the below subshell
 {
 	set_main_ip;
 	set_redirect;
 } >> $setup_log 2>&1
 
-host_pillar >> $setup_log 2>&1
-
-if [[ $is_minion || $is_import ]]; then
-	set_updates >> $setup_log 2>&1
-	[ "$automated" == no ] && copy_ssh_key >> $setup_log 2>&1
-fi
-
 # Begin install
 {
 	# Set initial percentage to 0
 	export percentage=0
+
+	# Show initial progress message
+	set_progress_str 0 'Running initial configuration steps'
+
 	set_path
 
-    if [[ $is_manager && $is_airgap ]]; then
-	    info "Creating airgap repo"
-	    create_repo >> $setup_log 2>&1
+	if [[ $is_reinstall ]]; then
+		reinstall_init
+	fi
+
+	if [[ -n "$TURBO" ]]; then
+		use_turbo_proxy
+	fi
+
+	if [[ "$setup_type" == 'iso' ]]; then
+		# Init networking so rest of install works
+		set_hostname >> $setup_log 2>&1
+		set_management_interface
+	fi
+
+	disable_ipv6
+	disable_auto_start
+
+	if [[ "$setup_type" != 'iso' ]]; then
+		set_hostname >> $setup_log 2>&1
+	fi
+
+	if [[ $is_minion ]]; then
+		add_mngr_ip_to_hosts
+	fi
+
+	{
+		mark_version;
+		clear_manager;
+	} >> $setup_log 2>&1
+
+
+	if [[ $is_manager || $is_import ]]; then
+		{
+			generate_passwords;
+			secrets_pillar;
+			add_socore_user_manager;
+		} >> $setup_log 2>&1	
+	fi
+
+	if [[ $is_manager && ! $is_eval ]]; then
+		add_soremote_user_manager >> $setup_log 2>&1
+	fi
+
+	host_pillar >> $setup_log 2>&1
+
+	if [[ $is_minion || $is_import ]]; then
+		set_updates >> $setup_log 2>&1
+		[ "$automated" == no ] && copy_ssh_key >> $setup_log 2>&1
+	fi
+
+	if [[ $is_manager && $is_airgap ]]; then
+		info "Creating airgap repo"
+		create_repo >> $setup_log 2>&1
 		airgap_rules >> $setup_log 2>&1
-    fi
+	fi
 
 	if [[ $is_minion ]]; then
 		set_progress_str 1 'Configuring firewall'
@@ -583,7 +597,7 @@ fi
 
 	if [[ $is_minion ]]; then
 		set_progress_str 22 'Checking if the Salt Minion needs to be updated'
-		salt-call state.apply salt.minion -l info >> $setup_log 2>&1
+		salt-call state.apply -l info salt.minion >> $setup_log 2>&1
 	fi
 
 	set_progress_str 23 'Generating CA and checking in'