diff --git a/tempest/lib/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py b/tempest/lib/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
index 64d6be2..aef2ff3 100644
--- a/tempest/lib/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
+++ b/tempest/lib/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
@@ -28,29 +28,37 @@
     def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
         try:
             return function(self, *args, **kwargs)
-        except tempest.lib.exceptions.SSHTimeout:
-            try:
-                original_exception = sys.exc_info()
-                caller = test_utils.find_test_caller() or "not found"
-                if self.server:
-                    msg = 'Caller: %s. Timeout trying to ssh to server %s'
-                    LOG.debug(msg, caller, self.server)
-                    if self.console_output_enabled and self.servers_client:
-                        try:
-                            msg = 'Console log for server %s: %s'
-                            console_log = (
-                                self.servers_client.get_console_output(
-                                    self.server['id'])['output'])
-                            LOG.debug(msg, self.server['id'], console_log)
-                        except Exception:
-                            msg = 'Could not get console_log for server %s'
-                            LOG.debug(msg, self.server['id'])
-                # re-raise the original ssh timeout exception
-                six.reraise(*original_exception)
-            finally:
-                # Delete the traceback to avoid circular references
-                _, _, trace = original_exception
-                del trace
+        except Exception as e:
+            caller = test_utils.find_test_caller() or "not found"
+            if not isinstance(e, tempest.lib.exceptions.SSHTimeout):
+                message = ('Initializing SSH connection to %(ip)s failed. '
+                           'Error: %(error)s' % {'ip': self.ip_address,
+                                                 'error': e})
+                message = '(%s) %s' % (caller, message)
+                LOG.error(message)
+                raise
+            else:
+                try:
+                    original_exception = sys.exc_info()
+                    if self.server:
+                        msg = 'Caller: %s. Timeout trying to ssh to server %s'
+                        LOG.debug(msg, caller, self.server)
+                        if self.console_output_enabled and self.servers_client:
+                            try:
+                                msg = 'Console log for server %s: %s'
+                                console_log = (
+                                    self.servers_client.get_console_output(
+                                        self.server['id'])['output'])
+                                LOG.debug(msg, self.server['id'], console_log)
+                            except Exception:
+                                msg = 'Could not get console_log for server %s'
+                                LOG.debug(msg, self.server['id'])
+                    # re-raise the original ssh timeout exception
+                    six.reraise(*original_exception)
+                finally:
+                    # Delete the traceback to avoid circular references
+                    _, _, trace = original_exception
+                    del trace
     return wrapper
 
 
@@ -78,6 +86,7 @@
         """
         self.server = server
         self.servers_client = servers_client
+        self.ip_address = ip_address
         self.console_output_enabled = console_output_enabled
         self.ssh_shell_prologue = ssh_shell_prologue
         self.ping_count = ping_count
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/manager.py b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
index f25ab1d..38e03c7 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/manager.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
@@ -313,13 +313,15 @@
 
         return secgroup
 
-    def get_remote_client(self, ip_address, username=None, private_key=None):
+    def get_remote_client(self, ip_address, username=None, private_key=None,
+                          server=None):
         """Get a SSH client to a remote server
 
         @param ip_address the server floating or fixed IP address to use
                           for ssh validation
         @param username name of the Linux account on the remote server
         @param private_key the SSH private key to use
+        @param server: server dict, used for debugging purposes
         @return a RemoteClient object
         """
 
@@ -334,22 +336,10 @@
         else:
             password = CONF.validation.image_ssh_password
             private_key = None
-        linux_client = remote_client.RemoteClient(ip_address, username,
-                                                  pkey=private_key,
-                                                  password=password)
-        try:
-            linux_client.validate_authentication()
-        except Exception as e:
-            message = ('Initializing SSH connection to %(ip)s failed. '
-                       'Error: %(error)s' % {'ip': ip_address,
-                                             'error': e})
-            caller = test_utils.find_test_caller()
-            if caller:
-                message = '(%s) %s' % (caller, message)
-            LOG.exception(message)
-            self._log_console_output()
-            raise
-
+        linux_client = remote_client.RemoteClient(
+            ip_address, username, pkey=private_key, password=password,
+            server=server, servers_client=self.servers_client)
+        linux_client.validate_authentication()
         return linux_client
 
     def _image_create(self, name, fmt, path,
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_minimum_basic.py b/tempest/scenario/test_minimum_basic.py
index eae1056..26a834b 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_minimum_basic.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_minimum_basic.py
@@ -141,14 +141,16 @@
 
         # check that we can SSH to the server before reboot
         self.linux_client = self.get_remote_client(
-            floating_ip['ip'], private_key=keypair['private_key'])
+            floating_ip['ip'], private_key=keypair['private_key'],
+            server=server)
 
         self.nova_reboot(server)
 
         # check that we can SSH to the server after reboot
         # (both connections are part of the scenario)
         self.linux_client = self.get_remote_client(
-            floating_ip['ip'], private_key=keypair['private_key'])
+            floating_ip['ip'], private_key=keypair['private_key'],
+            server=server)
 
         self.check_disks()
 
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_network_basic_ops.py b/tempest/scenario/test_network_basic_ops.py
index 4efeffd..48ddac6 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_network_basic_ops.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_network_basic_ops.py
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
         ip_address = old_floating_ip['floating_ip_address']
         private_key = self._get_server_key(server)
         ssh_client = self.get_remote_client(
-            ip_address, private_key=private_key)
+            ip_address, private_key=private_key, server=server)
         old_nic_list = self._get_server_nics(ssh_client)
         # get a port from a list of one item
         port_list = self.os_admin.ports_client.list_ports(
@@ -348,7 +348,8 @@
         ip_address = floating_ip['floating_ip_address']
         private_key = self._get_server_key(self.floating_ip_tuple.server)
         ssh_source = self.get_remote_client(
-            ip_address, private_key=private_key)
+            ip_address, private_key=private_key,
+            server=self.floating_ip_tuple.server)
 
         for remote_ip in address_list:
             self.check_remote_connectivity(ssh_source, remote_ip,
@@ -575,7 +576,7 @@
         ip_address = floating_ip['floating_ip_address']
         private_key = self._get_server_key(server)
         ssh_client = self.get_remote_client(
-            ip_address, private_key=private_key)
+            ip_address, private_key=private_key, server=server)
 
         dns_servers = [initial_dns_server]
         servers = ssh_client.get_dns_servers()
@@ -641,7 +642,8 @@
 
         private_key = self._get_server_key(server2)
         ssh_client = self.get_remote_client(server2_fip['floating_ip_address'],
-                                            private_key=private_key)
+                                            private_key=private_key,
+                                            server=server2)
 
         self.check_public_network_connectivity(
             should_connect=True, msg="before updating "
@@ -830,7 +832,8 @@
         spoof_port = new_ports[0]
         private_key = self._get_server_key(server)
         ssh_client = self.get_remote_client(fip['floating_ip_address'],
-                                            private_key=private_key)
+                                            private_key=private_key,
+                                            server=server)
         spoof_nic = ssh_client.get_nic_name_by_mac(spoof_port["mac_address"])
         peer = self._create_server(self.new_net)
         peer_address = peer['addresses'][self.new_net['name']][0]['addr']
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_network_v6.py b/tempest/scenario/test_network_v6.py
index 6d9addd..bf26c2e 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_network_v6.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_network_v6.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
         ips = self.define_server_ips(srv=srv)
         ssh = self.get_remote_client(
             ip_address=fip['floating_ip_address'],
-            username=username)
+            username=username, server=srv)
         return ssh, ips, srv["id"]
 
     def turn_nic6_on(self, ssh, sid, network_id):
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py b/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
index 77563b3..0c441ab 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_server_basic_ops.py
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@
             self.ssh_client = self.get_remote_client(
                 ip_address=self.fip,
                 username=self.ssh_user,
-                private_key=keypair['private_key'])
+                private_key=keypair['private_key'],
+                server=self.instance)
 
     def verify_metadata(self):
         if self.run_ssh and CONF.compute_feature_enabled.metadata_service: