diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 43d92d594d5..a9afaf08e1a 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 from tests.common.cache import FactsCache
 from tests.common.config_reload import config_reload
 from tests.common.connections.console_host import ConsoleHost
+from tests.common.helpers.assertions import pytest_assert as pt_assert
 
 try:
     from tests.macsec import MacsecPlugin
@@ -63,6 +64,8 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 cache = FactsCache()
 
+DUTHOSTS_FIXTURE_FAILED_RC = 15
+
 pytest_plugins = ('tests.common.plugins.ptfadapter',
                   'tests.common.plugins.ansible_fixtures',
                   'tests.common.plugins.dut_monitor',
@@ -314,6 +317,12 @@ def get_specified_duts(request):
     return duts
 
 
+def pytest_sessionfinish(session, exitstatus):
+    if session.config.cache.get("duthosts_fixture_failed", None):
+        session.config.cache.set("duthosts_fixture_failed", None)
+        session.exitstatus = DUTHOSTS_FIXTURE_FAILED_RC
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(name="duthosts", scope="session")
 def fixture_duthosts(enhance_inventory, ansible_adhoc, tbinfo, request):
     """
@@ -323,7 +332,14 @@ def fixture_duthosts(enhance_inventory, ansible_adhoc, tbinfo, request):
         mandatory argument for the class constructors.
     @param tbinfo: fixture provides information about testbed.
     """
-    return DutHosts(ansible_adhoc, tbinfo, get_specified_duts(request))
+    try:
+        host = DutHosts(ansible_adhoc, tbinfo, get_specified_duts(request))
+        return host
+    except BaseException as e:
+        logger.error("Failed to initialize duthosts.")
+        request.config.cache.set("duthosts_fixture_failed", True)
+        pt_assert(False, "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! duthosts fixture failed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
+                  "Exception: {}".format(repr(e)))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
diff --git a/tests/run_tests.sh b/tests/run_tests.sh
index f3cc2cdd31a..1411aa9f01f 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run_tests.sh
@@ -320,6 +320,11 @@ function run_individual_tests()
                 echo "=== Sanity check failed for $test_script. Skip rest of the scripts if there is any. ==="
                 return ${ret_code}
             fi
+            # rc 15 means duthosts fixture failed
+            if [ ${ret_code} -eq 15 ]; then
+                echo "=== duthosts fixture failed for $test_script. Skip rest of the scripts if there is any. ==="
+                return ${ret_code}
+            fi
 
             EXIT_CODE=1
             if [[ ${TEST_MAX_FAIL} != 0 ]]; then