diff --git a/run_kraken.py b/run_kraken.py
index 71d1c47b0..e0e9a4931 100644
--- a/run_kraken.py
+++ b/run_kraken.py
@@ -223,13 +223,16 @@ def main(options, command: Optional[str]) -> int:
         safe_logger = SafeLogger(filename=telemetry_log_file)
 
         try:
-            kubeconfig_path
             os.environ["KUBECONFIG"] = str(kubeconfig_path)
             # krkn-lib-kubernetes init
             kubecli = KrknKubernetes(kubeconfig_path=kubeconfig_path)
             ocpcli = KrknOpenshift(kubeconfig_path=kubeconfig_path)
-        except:
-            kubecli.initialize_clients(None)
+        except Exception:
+            logging.exception(
+                "Failed to initialize Kubernetes client with kubeconfig %s, exiting with code 1",
+                kubeconfig_path,
+            )
+            return 1
 
         distribution = "kubernetes"
         if ocpcli.is_openshift():