diff --git a/tes/sshwrapper/__init__.py b/tes/sshwrapper/__init__.py
index 833416218d21fa1847837f9af58c7e5867970cf8..c134eb6face3006b976853f43ce961e4c507d590 100644
--- a/tes/sshwrapper/__init__.py
+++ b/tes/sshwrapper/__init__.py
@@ -171,6 +171,14 @@ class Ssh:
             (stdout,stderr) = ctrl_p.communicate()
             logger.error('control socket error {} {}'.format(stdout,stderr))
             raise SshCtrlException(error.decode())
+        DOUBLECHECK=True
+        if DOUBLECHECK:
+            time.sleep(1)
+            ctrl_p.poll()
+            if ctrl_p.returncode != None:
+                (stdout,stderr) = ctrl_p.communicate()
+                logger.error('ctrl_p died {} {} {}'.format(ctrl_p.returncode,stdout,stderr))
+
         sess.lock.release()
         return ctrlsocket