diff --git a/octavia/api/v2/controllers/base.py b/octavia/api/v2/controllers/base.py
index 805d75af68..60b334ff17 100644
--- a/octavia/api/v2/controllers/base.py
+++ b/octavia/api/v2/controllers/base.py
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ class BaseController(pecan.rest.RestController):
             try:
                 self.cert_manager.set_acls(context, ref)
                 self.cert_manager.get_cert(context, ref, check_only=True)
+            except exceptions.UnreadablePKCS12:
+                raise
             except Exception:
                 bad_refs.append(ref)
 
diff --git a/octavia/certificates/common/pkcs12.py b/octavia/certificates/common/pkcs12.py
index c5870e01a5..1e3aba4604 100644
--- a/octavia/certificates/common/pkcs12.py
+++ b/octavia/certificates/common/pkcs12.py
@@ -21,12 +21,16 @@ from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import serialization
 from OpenSSL import crypto
 
 from octavia.certificates.common import cert
+from octavia.common import exceptions
 
 
 class PKCS12Cert(cert.Cert):
     """Representation of a Cert for local storage."""
     def __init__(self, certbag):
-        p12 = crypto.load_pkcs12(certbag)
+        try:
+            p12 = crypto.load_pkcs12(certbag)
+        except crypto.Error as e:
+            raise exceptions.UnreadablePKCS12(error=str(e))
         self.certificate = p12.get_certificate()
         self.intermediates = p12.get_ca_certificates()
         self.private_key = p12.get_privatekey()
diff --git a/octavia/certificates/manager/barbican.py b/octavia/certificates/manager/barbican.py
index 0293d4a49e..a6b36399f6 100644
--- a/octavia/certificates/manager/barbican.py
+++ b/octavia/certificates/manager/barbican.py
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ class BarbicanCertManager(cert_mgr.CertManager):
         try:
             cert_secret = connection.secrets.get(secret_ref=cert_ref)
             return pkcs12.PKCS12Cert(cert_secret.payload)
+        except exceptions.UnreadablePKCS12:
+            raise
         except Exception:
             # If our get fails, try with the legacy driver.
             # TODO(rm_work): Remove this code when the deprecation cycle for
diff --git a/octavia/common/exceptions.py b/octavia/common/exceptions.py
index a806171431..28d8bad8c0 100644
--- a/octavia/common/exceptions.py
+++ b/octavia/common/exceptions.py
@@ -128,6 +128,13 @@ class UnreadableCert(OctaviaException):
     message = _("Could not read X509 from PEM")
 
 
+class UnreadablePKCS12(APIException):
+    msg = _("The PKCS12 bundle is unreadable. Please check the PKCS12 bundle "
+            "validity. In addition, make sure it does not require a pass "
+            "phrase. Error: %(error)s")
+    code = 400
+
+
 class MisMatchedKey(OctaviaException):
     message = _("Key and x509 certificate do not match")
 
diff --git a/octavia/tests/unit/certificates/manager/test_barbican.py b/octavia/tests/unit/certificates/manager/test_barbican.py
index c0369e3f32..365465e344 100644
--- a/octavia/tests/unit/certificates/manager/test_barbican.py
+++ b/octavia/tests/unit/certificates/manager/test_barbican.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import uuid
 
 from barbicanclient.v1 import secrets
 import mock
+from OpenSSL import crypto
 
 import octavia.certificates.common.barbican as barbican_common
 import octavia.certificates.common.cert as cert
@@ -138,6 +139,22 @@ class TestBarbicanManager(base.TestCase):
                          sorted(data.get_intermediates()))
         self.assertIsNone(data.get_private_key_passphrase())
 
+    @mock.patch('OpenSSL.crypto.load_pkcs12')
+    def test_get_cert_bad_pkcs12(self, mock_load_pkcs12):
+
+        mock_load_pkcs12.side_effect = [crypto.Error]
+
+        # Mock out the client
+        self.bc.secrets.get.return_value = self.secret_pkcs12
+
+        # Test bad pkcs12 bundle re-raises UnreadablePKCS12
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.UnreadablePKCS12,
+                          self.cert_manager.get_cert,
+                          context=self.context,
+                          cert_ref=self.secret_ref,
+                          resource_ref=self.secret_ref,
+                          service_name='Octavia')
+
     def test_delete_cert_legacy(self):
         # Attempt to deregister as a consumer
         self.cert_manager.delete_cert(