diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/compute/console_auth_tokens.py b/nova/api/openstack/compute/console_auth_tokens.py
index d7ce020f241e..a85b6a35424e 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/compute/console_auth_tokens.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/compute/console_auth_tokens.py
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ class ConsoleAuthTokensController(wsgi.Controller):
             # loop as soon as we find a result because the token is associated
             # with one instance, which can only be in one cell.
             for result in results.values():
-                if result not in (nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                                  nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel):
+                if not nova_context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(result):
                     connect_info = result.to_dict()
                     break
 
diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/compute/views/servers.py b/nova/api/openstack/compute/views/servers.py
index ee858b0c25ef..1eab3d61d1ce 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/compute/views/servers.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/compute/views/servers.py
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ class ViewBuilder(common.ViewBuilder):
                         objects.BlockDeviceMappingList.bdms_by_instance_uuid,
                         instance_uuids)
         for cell_uuid, result in results.items():
-            if result is nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel:
+            if isinstance(result, Exception):
                 LOG.warning('Failed to get block device mappings for cell %s',
                             cell_uuid)
             elif result is nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel:
diff --git a/nova/compute/api.py b/nova/compute/api.py
index b39ad081c39d..e10d098f303a 100644
--- a/nova/compute/api.py
+++ b/nova/compute/api.py
@@ -5046,8 +5046,7 @@ class HostAPI(base.Base):
             service_dict = nova_context.scatter_gather_all_cells(context,
                 objects.ServiceList.get_all, disabled, set_zones=set_zones)
             for service in service_dict.values():
-                if service not in (nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                                   nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel):
+                if not nova_context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(service):
                     services.extend(service)
         else:
             services = objects.ServiceList.get_all(context, disabled,
diff --git a/nova/compute/migration_list.py b/nova/compute/migration_list.py
index ca0c1ff95651..77b36c83feb2 100644
--- a/nova/compute/migration_list.py
+++ b/nova/compute/migration_list.py
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ class MigrationLister(multi_cell_list.CrossCellLister):
             ctx, db.migration_get_by_uuid, marker)
         db_migration = None
         for result_cell_uuid, result in results.items():
-            if result not in (context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                              context.raised_exception_sentinel):
+            if not context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(result):
                 db_migration = result
                 cell_uuid = result_cell_uuid
                 break
diff --git a/nova/compute/multi_cell_list.py b/nova/compute/multi_cell_list.py
index 99f29a41c15a..4975d49688a0 100644
--- a/nova/compute/multi_cell_list.py
+++ b/nova/compute/multi_cell_list.py
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ from nova import exception
 from nova.i18n import _
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-CELL_FAIL_SENTINELS = (context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                       context.raised_exception_sentinel)
 
 CONF = nova.conf.CONF
 
@@ -77,9 +75,9 @@ class RecordWrapper(object):
         # $limit results from good cells before we noticed the failed
         # cells, and would not properly report them as failed for
         # fix-up in the higher layers.
-        if self._db_record in CELL_FAIL_SENTINELS:
+        if context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(self._db_record):
             return True
-        elif other._db_record in CELL_FAIL_SENTINELS:
+        elif context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(other._db_record):
             return False
 
         r = self._sort_ctx.compare_records(self._db_record,
@@ -108,11 +106,11 @@ def query_wrapper(ctx, fn, *args, **kwargs):
             # wrapping the sentinel indicating timeout.
             yield RecordWrapper(ctx, None, context.did_not_respond_sentinel)
             raise StopIteration
-        except Exception:
+        except Exception as e:
             # Here, we yield a RecordWrapper (no sort_ctx needed since
             # we won't call into the implementation's comparison routines)
-            # wrapping the sentinel indicating failure.
-            yield RecordWrapper(ctx, None, context.raised_exception_sentinel)
+            # wrapping the exception object indicating failure.
+            yield RecordWrapper(ctx, None, e.__class__(e.args))
             raise StopIteration
 
 
@@ -403,7 +401,7 @@ class CrossCellLister(object):
             except StopIteration:
                 return
 
-            if item._db_record in CELL_FAIL_SENTINELS:
+            if context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(item._db_record):
                 if not CONF.api.list_records_by_skipping_down_cells:
                     raise exception.NovaException(
                         _('Cell %s is not responding but configuration '
@@ -413,7 +411,7 @@ class CrossCellLister(object):
                             item.cell_uuid)
                 if item._db_record == context.did_not_respond_sentinel:
                     self._cells_timed_out.add(item.cell_uuid)
-                elif item._db_record == context.raised_exception_sentinel:
+                elif isinstance(item._db_record, Exception):
                     self._cells_failed.add(item.cell_uuid)
                 # We might have received one batch but timed out or failed
                 # on a later one, so be sure we fix the accounting.
diff --git a/nova/context.py b/nova/context.py
index 59830ff3dc1e..f290a02be7fb 100644
--- a/nova/context.py
+++ b/nova/context.py
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@ CELL_CACHE = {}
 # NOTE(melwitt): Used for the scatter-gather utility to indicate we timed out
 # waiting for a result from a cell.
 did_not_respond_sentinel = object()
-# NOTE(melwitt): Used for the scatter-gather utility to indicate an exception
-# was raised gathering a result from a cell.
-raised_exception_sentinel = object()
 # FIXME(danms): Keep a global cache of the cells we find the
 # first time we look. This needs to be refreshed on a timer or
 # trigger.
@@ -429,7 +426,7 @@ def scatter_gather_cells(context, cell_mappings, timeout, fn, *args, **kwargs):
     :param kwargs: The kwargs for the function to call for each cell
     :returns: A dict {cell_uuid: result} containing the joined results. The
               did_not_respond_sentinel will be returned if a cell did not
-              respond within the timeout. The raised_exception_sentinel will
+              respond within the timeout. The exception object will
               be returned if the call to a cell raised an exception. The
               exception will be logged.
     """
@@ -442,9 +439,9 @@ def scatter_gather_cells(context, cell_mappings, timeout, fn, *args, **kwargs):
         try:
             with target_cell(context, cell_mapping) as cctxt:
                 result = fn(cctxt, *args, **kwargs)
-        except Exception:
+        except Exception as e:
             LOG.exception('Error gathering result from cell %s', cell_uuid)
-            result = raised_exception_sentinel
+            result = e.__class__(e.args)
         # The queue is already synchronized.
         queue.put((cell_uuid, result))
 
@@ -488,6 +485,11 @@ def load_cells():
         LOG.error('No cells are configured, unable to continue')
 
 
+def is_cell_failure_sentinel(record):
+    return (record is did_not_respond_sentinel or
+            isinstance(record, Exception))
+
+
 def scatter_gather_skip_cell0(context, fn, *args, **kwargs):
     """Target all cells except cell0 in parallel and return their results.
 
@@ -502,7 +504,7 @@ def scatter_gather_skip_cell0(context, fn, *args, **kwargs):
     :param kwargs: The kwargs for the function to call for each cell
     :returns: A dict {cell_uuid: result} containing the joined results. The
               did_not_respond_sentinel will be returned if a cell did not
-              respond within the timeout. The raised_exception_sentinel will
+              respond within the timeout. The exception object will
               be returned if the call to a cell raised an exception. The
               exception will be logged.
     """
@@ -527,7 +529,7 @@ def scatter_gather_single_cell(context, cell_mapping, fn, *args, **kwargs):
     :param kwargs: The kwargs for the function to call for this cell
     :returns: A dict {cell_uuid: result} containing the joined results. The
               did_not_respond_sentinel will be returned if the cell did not
-              respond within the timeout. The raised_exception_sentinel will
+              respond within the timeout. The exception object will
               be returned if the call to the cell raised an exception. The
               exception will be logged.
     """
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ def scatter_gather_all_cells(context, fn, *args, **kwargs):
     :param kwargs: The kwargs for the function to call for each cell
     :returns: A dict {cell_uuid: result} containing the joined results. The
               did_not_respond_sentinel will be returned if a cell did not
-              respond within the timeout. The raised_exception_sentinel will
+              respond within the timeout. The exception object will
               be returned if the call to a cell raised an exception. The
               exception will be logged.
     """
diff --git a/nova/objects/service.py b/nova/objects/service.py
index f761dd331cf4..0493de711bd7 100644
--- a/nova/objects/service.py
+++ b/nova/objects/service.py
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ def get_minimum_version_all_cells(context, binaries, require_all=False):
                         'service version', cell_uuid)
             if require_all:
                 raise exception.CellTimeout()
-        elif result is nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel:
+        elif isinstance(result, Exception):
             LOG.warning('Failed to get minimum service version for cell %s',
                         cell_uuid)
             if require_all:
diff --git a/nova/quota.py b/nova/quota.py
index 41dc12ce2d5d..0a2de6a1787b 100644
--- a/nova/quota.py
+++ b/nova/quota.py
@@ -1174,8 +1174,7 @@ def _instances_cores_ram_count(context, project_id, user_id=None):
     if user_id:
         total_counts['user'] = {'instances': 0, 'cores': 0, 'ram': 0}
     for result in results.values():
-        if result not in (nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                          nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel):
+        if not nova_context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(result):
             for resource, count in result['project'].items():
                 total_counts['project'][resource] += count
             if user_id:
diff --git a/nova/scheduler/host_manager.py b/nova/scheduler/host_manager.py
index 7eda6ee4d20c..bb9624a2a3f4 100644
--- a/nova/scheduler/host_manager.py
+++ b/nova/scheduler/host_manager.py
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ class HostManager(object):
         compute_nodes = collections.defaultdict(list)
         services = {}
         for cell_uuid, result in results.items():
-            if result is context_module.raised_exception_sentinel:
+            if isinstance(result, Exception):
                 LOG.warning('Failed to get computes for cell %s', cell_uuid)
             elif result is context_module.did_not_respond_sentinel:
                 LOG.warning('Timeout getting computes for cell %s', cell_uuid)
diff --git a/nova/scheduler/utils.py b/nova/scheduler/utils.py
index 253dfdc5701c..bef218c0ecf0 100644
--- a/nova/scheduler/utils.py
+++ b/nova/scheduler/utils.py
@@ -892,8 +892,7 @@ def _get_instance_group_hosts_all_cells(context, instance_group):
         # is raised while targeting a cell and when a cell does not respond
         # as part of the "handling of a down cell" spec:
         # https://blueprints.launchpad.net/nova/+spec/handling-down-cell
-        if result not in (nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-                          nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel):
+        if not nova_context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(result):
             hosts.extend(result)
     return hosts
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_serversV21.py b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_serversV21.py
index e44a8ea7a74b..3dffa8684a16 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_serversV21.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/compute/test_serversV21.py
@@ -6803,7 +6803,7 @@ class ServersViewBuilderTest(test.TestCase):
         # just faking a nova list scenario
         mock_sg.return_value = {
             uuids.cell1: bdms[0],
-            uuids.cell2: context.raised_exception_sentinel
+            uuids.cell2: exception.BDMNotFound(id='fake')
         }
         ctxt = context.RequestContext('fake', 'fake')
         result = self.view_builder._get_instance_bdms_in_multiple_cells(
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_host_api.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_host_api.py
index 48e2dd97470c..bac58ed73261 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_host_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_host_api.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class ComputeHostAPITestCase(test.TestCase):
                                   host='host-%s' % uuids.cell1)
         mock_sg.return_value = {
             uuids.cell1: [service],
-            uuids.cell2: context.raised_exception_sentinel
+            uuids.cell2: context.did_not_respond_sentinel
         }
         services = self.host_api.service_get_all(self.ctxt, all_cells=True)
         # returns the results from cell1 and ignores cell2.
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_instance_list.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_instance_list.py
index ca77a4350968..25c0a4c4f733 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_instance_list.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_instance_list.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class TestInstanceList(test.NoDBTestCase):
         # creating one up cell and two down cells
         ret_val = {}
         ret_val[uuids.cell0] = instances
-        ret_val[uuids.cell1] = [wrap(nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel)]
+        ret_val[uuids.cell1] = [wrap(exception.BuildRequestNotFound(uuid='f'))]
         ret_val[uuids.cell2] = [wrap(nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel)]
         mock_sg.return_value = ret_val
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ class TestInstanceList(test.NoDBTestCase):
         # creating one up cell and two down cells
         ret_val = {}
         ret_val[uuids.cell0] = instances
-        ret_val[uuids.cell1] = [wrap(nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel)]
+        ret_val[uuids.cell1] = [wrap(exception.BuildRequestNotFound(uuid='f'))]
         ret_val[uuids.cell2] = [wrap(nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel)]
         mock_sg.return_value = ret_val
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_multi_cell_list.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_multi_cell_list.py
index b96edef2940b..6bb67a76b8d6 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_multi_cell_list.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_multi_cell_list.py
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ class TestUtils(test.NoDBTestCase):
         iw2 = multi_cell_list.RecordWrapper(ctx, sort_ctx,
                                             context.did_not_respond_sentinel)
         iw3 = multi_cell_list.RecordWrapper(ctx, sort_ctx,
-                                            context.raised_exception_sentinel)
+                                            exception.InstanceNotFound(
+                                                instance_id='fake'))
 
         # NOTE(danms): The sentinel wrappers always win
         self.assertTrue(iw2 < iw1)
@@ -157,13 +158,15 @@ class TestUtils(test.NoDBTestCase):
                               mock.MagicMock(), test)])
 
     def test_query_wrapper_fail(self):
-        def test(ctx):
+        def tester(ctx):
             raise test.TestingException
 
-        self.assertEqual([context.raised_exception_sentinel],
-                         [x._db_record for x in
-                          multi_cell_list.query_wrapper(
-                              mock.MagicMock(), test)])
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            # query_wrapper is a generator so we convert to a list and
+            # check the type on the first and only result
+            [x._db_record for x in multi_cell_list.query_wrapper(
+                mock.MagicMock(), tester)][0],
+            test.TestingException)
 
 
 class TestListContext(multi_cell_list.RecordSortContext):
@@ -351,7 +354,7 @@ class FailureLister(TestLister):
 
         if action == context.did_not_respond_sentinel:
             raise exception.CellTimeout
-        elif action == context.raised_exception_sentinel:
+        elif isinstance(action, Exception):
             raise test.TestingException
         else:
             return super(FailureLister, self).get_by_filters(ctx, *a, **k)
@@ -369,7 +372,11 @@ class TestBaseClass(test.NoDBTestCase):
         # Two of the cells will fail, one with timeout and one
         # with an error
         lister.set_fails(uuids.cell0, [context.did_not_respond_sentinel])
-        lister.set_fails(uuids.cell1, [context.raised_exception_sentinel])
+        # Note that InstanceNotFound exception will never appear during
+        # instance listing, the aim is to only simulate a situation where
+        # there could be some type of exception arising.
+        lister.set_fails(uuids.cell1, exception.InstanceNotFound(
+            instance_id='fake'))
         ctx = context.RequestContext()
         result = lister.get_records_sorted(ctx, {}, 50, None, batch_size=10)
         # We should still have 50 results since there are enough from the
@@ -390,7 +397,11 @@ class TestBaseClass(test.NoDBTestCase):
         # One cell will succeed and then time out, one will fail immediately,
         # and the last will always work
         lister.set_fails(uuids.cell0, [None, context.did_not_respond_sentinel])
-        lister.set_fails(uuids.cell1, [context.raised_exception_sentinel])
+        # Note that BuildAbortException will never appear during instance
+        # listing, the aim is to only simulate a situation where there could
+        # be some type of exception arising.
+        lister.set_fails(uuids.cell1, exception.BuildAbortException(
+            instance_uuid='fake', reason='fake'))
         ctx = context.RequestContext()
         result = lister.get_records_sorted(ctx, {}, 50, None,
                                            batch_size=5)
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_service.py b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_service.py
index f824bf88a1ad..79b945ec55c9 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_service.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_service.py
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ class TestServiceVersionCells(test.TestCase):
     def test_version_all_cells_with_fail(self, mock_scatter):
         mock_scatter.return_value = {
             'foo': {'nova-compute': 13},
-            'bar': context.raised_exception_sentinel,
+            'bar': exception.ServiceNotFound(service_id='fake'),
         }
         self.assertEqual(13, service.get_minimum_version_all_cells(
             self.context, ['nova-compute']))
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/test_host_manager.py b/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/test_host_manager.py
index 3b3c5df89946..a4fc0d840fbc 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/test_host_manager.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/scheduler/test_host_manager.py
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ class HostManagerTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
             uuids.cell1: ([mock.MagicMock(host='a'), mock.MagicMock(host='b')],
                           [mock.sentinel.c1n1, mock.sentinel.c1n2]),
             uuids.cell2: nova_context.did_not_respond_sentinel,
-            uuids.cell3: nova_context.raised_exception_sentinel,
+            uuids.cell3: exception.ComputeHostNotFound(host='c'),
         }
         context = nova_context.RequestContext('fake', 'fake')
         cns, srv = self.host_manager._get_computes_for_cells(context, [])
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py b/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
index ac40f9a7cf66..b40d95bf5b11 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
@@ -335,6 +335,14 @@ class ContextTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         mock_create_cm.assert_not_called()
         mock_create_tport.assert_not_called()
 
+    def test_is_cell_failure_sentinel(self):
+        record = context.did_not_respond_sentinel
+        self.assertTrue(context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(record))
+        record = TypeError()
+        self.assertTrue(context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(record))
+        record = objects.Instance()
+        self.assertFalse(context.is_cell_failure_sentinel(record))
+
     @mock.patch('nova.context.target_cell')
     @mock.patch('nova.objects.InstanceList.get_by_filters')
     def test_scatter_gather_cells(self, mock_get_inst, mock_target_cell):
@@ -422,7 +430,7 @@ class ContextTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
             ctxt, mappings, 30, objects.InstanceList.get_by_filters)
         self.assertEqual(2, len(results))
         self.assertIn(mock.sentinel.instances, results.values())
-        self.assertIn(context.raised_exception_sentinel, results.values())
+        isinstance(results.values(), Exception)
         self.assertTrue(mock_log_exception.called)
 
     @mock.patch('nova.context.scatter_gather_cells')