diff --git a/tests/common/fixtures/ptfhost_utils.py b/tests/common/fixtures/ptfhost_utils.py
index 4f8d1d4fb0e..fcc347bcd36 100644
--- a/tests/common/fixtures/ptfhost_utils.py
+++ b/tests/common/fixtures/ptfhost_utils.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 from tests.common.dualtor.dual_tor_utils import update_linkmgrd_probe_interval, recover_linkmgrd_probe_interval
 from tests.common.utilities import wait_until
 from tests.common.dualtor.dual_tor_utils import mux_cable_server_ip
+from pytest_ansible.errors import AnsibleConnectionFailure
+
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@
 GARP_SERVICE_CONF_TEMPL = 'garp_service.conf.j2'
 PTF_TEST_PORT_MAP = '/root/ptf_test_port_map.json'
 PROBER_INTERVAL_MS = 3000
+PTFHOST_EXCEPTION_RC = 16
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
@@ -299,11 +302,17 @@ def ptf_portmap_file_module(rand_selected_dut, ptfhost, tbinfo):
     yield _ptf_portmap_file(rand_selected_dut, ptfhost, tbinfo)
 
 
+def pytest_sessionfinish(session, exitstatus):
+    if session.config.cache.get("ptfhost_exception", None):
+        session.config.cache.set("ptfhost_exception", None)
+        session.exitstatus = PTFHOST_EXCEPTION_RC
+
+
 icmp_responder_session_started = False
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
-def run_icmp_responder_session(duthosts, duthost, ptfhost, tbinfo):
+def run_icmp_responder_session(duthosts, duthost, ptfhost, tbinfo, request):
     """Run icmp_responder on ptfhost session-wise on dualtor testbeds with active-active ports."""
     # No vlan is available on non-t0 testbed, so skip this fixture
     if "dualtor-mixed" not in tbinfo["topo"]["name"] and "dualtor-aa" not in tbinfo["topo"]["name"]:
@@ -319,7 +328,12 @@ def run_icmp_responder_session(duthosts, duthost, ptfhost, tbinfo):
 
     duthost = duthosts[0]
     logger.debug("Copy icmp_responder.py to ptfhost '{0}'".format(ptfhost.hostname))
-    ptfhost.copy(src=os.path.join(SCRIPTS_SRC_DIR, ICMP_RESPONDER_PY), dest=OPT_DIR)
+    try:
+        ptfhost.copy(src=os.path.join(SCRIPTS_SRC_DIR, ICMP_RESPONDER_PY), dest=OPT_DIR)
+    except AnsibleConnectionFailure as e:
+        logger.error("Failed to copy files to ptfhost.")
+        request.config.cache.set("ptfhost_exception", True)
+        pt_assert(False, "!!! ptfhost copy file failed !!! Exception: {}".format(repr(e)))
 
     logger.info("Start running icmp_responder")
     templ = Template(open(os.path.join(TEMPLATES_DIR, ICMP_RESPONDER_CONF_TEMPL)).read())
diff --git a/tests/run_tests.sh b/tests/run_tests.sh
index 2b818952ff7..752fc910eaf 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run_tests.sh
@@ -364,6 +364,12 @@ function run_individual_tests()
                 return ${ret_code}
             fi
 
+            # rc 16 means ptfhost is unreachable
+            if [ ${ret_code} -eq 16 ]; then
+                echo "=== ptfhost has exception 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
                 return ${EXIT_CODE}