diff --git a/tempest/cmd/verify_tempest_config.py b/tempest/cmd/verify_tempest_config.py
index 9049886..0ba322d 100644
--- a/tempest/cmd/verify_tempest_config.py
+++ b/tempest/cmd/verify_tempest_config.py
@@ -97,7 +97,14 @@
                              ca_certs=ca_certs)
     __, body = raw_http.request(endpoint, 'GET')
     client_dict[service].reset_path()
-    body = json.loads(body)
+    try:
+        body = json.loads(body)
+    except ValueError:
+        LOG.error(
+            'Failed to get a JSON response from unversioned endpoint %s '
+            '(versioned endpoint was %s). Response is:\n%s',
+            endpoint, client_dict[service].base_url, body[:100])
+        raise
     if service == 'keystone':
         versions = map(lambda x: x['id'], body['versions']['values'])
     else:
diff --git a/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py b/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
index 193abc7..dc0ba6f 100644
--- a/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
+++ b/tempest/tests/cmd/test_verify_tempest_config.py
@@ -82,6 +82,28 @@
         self.assertIn('v2.0', versions)
         self.assertIn('v3.0', versions)
 
+    def test_get_versions_invalid_response(self):
+        # When the response doesn't contain a JSON response, an error is
+        # logged.
+        mock_log_error = self.useFixture(mockpatch.PatchObject(
+            verify_tempest_config.LOG, 'error')).mock
+
+        self.useFixture(mockpatch.PatchObject(
+            verify_tempest_config, '_get_unversioned_endpoint'))
+
+        # Simulated response is not JSON.
+        sample_body = (
+            '<html><head>Sample Response</head><body>This is the sample page '
+            'for the web server. Why are you requesting it?</body></html>')
+        self.useFixture(mockpatch.Patch('httplib2.Http.request',
+                                        return_value=(None, sample_body)))
+
+        # service value doesn't matter, just needs to match what
+        # _get_api_versions puts in its client_dict.
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, verify_tempest_config._get_api_versions,
+                          os=mock.MagicMock(), service='keystone')
+        self.assertTrue(mock_log_error.called)
+
     def test_verify_api_versions(self):
         api_services = ['cinder', 'glance', 'keystone']
         fake_os = mock.MagicMock()