diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
index 5e1ecfbeb..7b5f29c00 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
@@ -120,6 +120,30 @@ check_elastic_license() {
 	fi  
 }
 
+check_salt_master_status() {
+	local timeout=$1
+	echo "Checking if we can talk to the salt master"
+	salt-call state.show_top concurrent=true
+
+	return
+}
+
+check_salt_minion_status() {
+	local timeout=$1
+	echo "Checking if the salt minion will respond to jobs" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+	salt "$MINION_ID" test.ping -t $timeout > /dev/null 2>&1
+	local status=$?
+	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
+		echo "  Minion did not respond" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+	else
+		echo "  Received job response from salt minion" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
+	fi
+
+	return $status
+}
+
+
+
 copy_new_files() {
   # Copy new files over to the salt dir
   cd $UPDATE_DIR
diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup b/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
index efa6000a6..70e300cb0 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/soup
@@ -34,7 +34,15 @@ check_err() {
   local err_msg="Unhandled error occured, please check $SOUP_LOG for details."
 
   [[ $ERR_HANDLED == true ]] && exit $exit_code
+
   if [[ $exit_code -ne 0 ]]; then
+  
+    set +e
+    systemctl_func "start" "$cron_service_name"
+    systemctl_func "start" "salt-master"
+    systemctl_func "start" "salt-minion"
+    enable_highstate
+
     printf '%s' "Soup failed with error $exit_code: "
     case $exit_code in
       2)
@@ -91,9 +99,7 @@ check_err() {
     if [[ $exit_code -ge 64 && $exit_code -le 113 ]]; then
       echo "$err_msg"
     fi
-    set +e
-    systemctl_func "start" "$cron_service_name"
-    enable_highstate
+
     exit $exit_code
   fi
 
@@ -1014,6 +1020,17 @@ main() {
   echo "### Preparing soup at $(date) ###"
   echo ""
 
+  set_os
+  set_cron_service_name
+  if ! check_salt_master_status; then
+  	echo "Could not talk to salt master"
+    echo "Please run 'systemctl status salt-master' to ensure the salt-master service is running and check the log at /opt/so/log/salt/master."
+    echo "SOUP will now attempt to start the salt-master service and exit."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  echo "This node can communicate with the salt-master."
+
   echo "Checking to see if this is a manager."
   echo ""
   require_manager
@@ -1049,8 +1066,6 @@ main() {
   echo "Verifying we have the latest soup script."
   verify_latest_update_script
   echo ""
-  set_os
-  set_cron_service_name
   set_palette
   check_elastic_license
   echo ""
diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index accc0e991..26c39a8d7 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -249,36 +249,6 @@ check_service_status() {
 
 }
 
-check_salt_master_status() {
-	local timeout=$1
-	echo "Checking if we can talk to the salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-	salt-call saltutil.kill_all_jobs > /dev/null 2>&1
-	salt-call state.show_top -t $timeout > /dev/null 2>&1
-	local status=$?
-	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
-		echo "  Could not talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		return 1;
-	else
-		echo "  Can talk to salt master" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		return 0;
-	fi
-
-}
-
-check_salt_minion_status() {
-	local timeout=$1
-	echo "Checking if the salt minion will respond to jobs" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-	salt "$MINION_ID" test.ping -t $timeout > /dev/null 2>&1
-	local status=$?
-	if [ $status -gt 0 ]; then
-		echo "  Minion did not respond" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		return 1;
-	else
-		echo "  Received job response from salt minion" >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
-		return 0;
-	fi
-}
-
 check_soremote_pass() {
 	check_pass_match "$SOREMOTEPASS1" "$SOREMOTEPASS2" "SCMATCH"
 }