diff --git a/python/ray/_raylet.pyx b/python/ray/_raylet.pyx
index 8005a4d04..83d48eafc 100644
--- a/python/ray/_raylet.pyx
+++ b/python/ray/_raylet.pyx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from ray.includes.unique_ids cimport (
 )
 from ray.includes.task cimport CTaskSpec
 from ray.includes.ray_config cimport RayConfig
+from ray.exceptions import RayletError
 from ray.utils import decode
 
 cimport cpython
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ cdef int check_status(const CRayStatus& status) nogil except -1:
 
     with gil:
         message = status.message().decode()
-        raise Exception(message)
+        raise RayletError(message)
 
 
 cdef c_vector[CObjectID] ObjectIDsToVector(object_ids):
diff --git a/python/ray/exceptions.py b/python/ray/exceptions.py
index 2cd5ed56d..1d1dfcd97 100644
--- a/python/ray/exceptions.py
+++ b/python/ray/exceptions.py
@@ -77,6 +77,19 @@ class RayActorError(RayError):
         return "The actor died unexpectedly before finishing this task."
 
 
+class RayletError(RayError):
+    """Indicates that the Raylet client has errored.
+
+    This exception can be thrown when the raylet is killed.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, client_exc):
+        self.client_exc = client_exc
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "The Raylet died with this message: {}".format(self.client_exc)
+
+
 class UnreconstructableError(RayError):
     """Indicates that an object is lost and cannot be reconstructed.
 
diff --git a/python/ray/import_thread.py b/python/ray/import_thread.py
index 91f5e8b1d..484410f1c 100644
--- a/python/ray/import_thread.py
+++ b/python/ray/import_thread.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 
+import redis
 import threading
 import traceback
 
@@ -11,6 +12,10 @@ from ray import cloudpickle as pickle
 from ray import profiling
 from ray import utils
 
+import logging
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class ImportThread(object):
     """A thread used to import exports from the driver or other workers.
@@ -80,6 +85,8 @@ class ImportThread(object):
                     num_imported += 1
                     key = self.redis_client.lindex("Exports", i)
                     self._process_key(key)
+        except (OSError, redis.exceptions.ConnectionError) as e:
+            logger.error("ImportThread: {}".format(e))
         finally:
             # Close the pubsub client to avoid leaking file descriptors.
             import_pubsub_client.close()
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/examples/mnist_pytorch.py b/python/ray/tune/examples/mnist_pytorch.py
index acef9fc51..b791f7415 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/examples/mnist_pytorch.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/examples/mnist_pytorch.py
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if args.ray_redis_address:
         ray.init(redis_address=args.ray_redis_address)
+    datasets.MNIST("~/data", train=True, download=True)
     sched = AsyncHyperBandScheduler(
         time_attr="training_iteration", metric="mean_accuracy")
     tune.run(
diff --git a/python/ray/worker.py b/python/ray/worker.py
index 40bbd8c75..e9729d243 100644
--- a/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import numpy as np
 import os
+import redis
 import signal
 from six.moves import queue
 import sys
@@ -1520,8 +1521,12 @@ def custom_excepthook(type, value, tb):
     # If this is a driver, push the exception to redis.
     if global_worker.mode == SCRIPT_MODE:
         error_message = "".join(traceback.format_tb(tb))
-        global_worker.redis_client.hmset(b"Drivers:" + global_worker.worker_id,
-                                         {"exception": error_message})
+        try:
+            global_worker.redis_client.hmset(
+                b"Drivers:" + global_worker.worker_id,
+                {"exception": error_message})
+        except (ConnectionRefusedError, redis.exceptions.ConnectionError):
+            logger.warning("Could not push exception to redis.")
     # Call the normal excepthook.
     normal_excepthook(type, value, tb)
 
@@ -1583,6 +1588,8 @@ def print_logs(redis_client, threads_stopped):
                     "The driver may not be able to keep up with the "
                     "stdout/stderr of the workers. To avoid forwarding logs "
                     "to the driver, use 'ray.init(log_to_driver=False)'.")
+    except (OSError, redis.exceptions.ConnectionError) as e:
+        logger.error("print_logs: {}".format(e))
     finally:
         # Close the pubsub client to avoid leaking file descriptors.
         pubsub_client.close()
@@ -1681,6 +1688,8 @@ def listen_error_messages_raylet(worker, task_error_queue, threads_stopped):
                 task_error_queue.put((error_message, time.time()))
             else:
                 logger.error(error_message)
+    except (OSError, redis.exceptions.ConnectionError) as e:
+        logger.error("listen_error_messages_raylet: {}".format(e))
     finally:
         # Close the pubsub client to avoid leaking file descriptors.
         worker.error_message_pubsub_client.close()