diff --git a/tools/net/ynl/cli.py b/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
index e8a65fbc3698..f131e33ac3ee 100755
--- a/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
+++ b/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import json
 import pprint
 import time
 
-from lib import YnlFamily, Netlink
+from lib import YnlFamily, Netlink, NlError
 
 
 class YnlEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
@@ -66,12 +66,16 @@ def main():
     if args.sleep:
         time.sleep(args.sleep)
 
-    if args.do:
-        reply = ynl.do(args.do, attrs, args.flags)
-        output(reply)
-    if args.dump:
-        reply = ynl.dump(args.dump, attrs)
-        output(reply)
+    try:
+        if args.do:
+            reply = ynl.do(args.do, attrs, args.flags)
+            output(reply)
+        if args.dump:
+            reply = ynl.dump(args.dump, attrs)
+            output(reply)
+    except NlError as e:
+        print(e)
+        exit(1)
 
     if args.ntf:
         ynl.check_ntf()
diff --git a/tools/net/ynl/lib/__init__.py b/tools/net/ynl/lib/__init__.py
index f7eaa07783e7..9137b83e580a 100644
--- a/tools/net/ynl/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/tools/net/ynl/lib/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 from .nlspec import SpecAttr, SpecAttrSet, SpecEnumEntry, SpecEnumSet, \
     SpecFamily, SpecOperation
-from .ynl import YnlFamily, Netlink
+from .ynl import YnlFamily, Netlink, NlError
 
 __all__ = ["SpecAttr", "SpecAttrSet", "SpecEnumEntry", "SpecEnumSet",
-           "SpecFamily", "SpecOperation", "YnlFamily", "Netlink"]
+           "SpecFamily", "SpecOperation", "YnlFamily", "Netlink", "NlError"]