diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcd/fencing.py b/node-daemon/pvcd/fencing.py
index 32996335..2b74bc12 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcd/fencing.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcd/fencing.py
@@ -77,29 +77,32 @@ def migrateFromFencedNode(zk_conn, node_name, logger):
     logger.out('Moving VMs from dead node "{}" to new hosts'.format(node_name), state='i')
     dead_node_running_domains = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/runningdomains'.format(node_name)).split()
     for dom_uuid in dead_node_running_domains:
-        target_node = findTargetHypervisor(zk_conn, 'mem', dom_uuid)
-
         logger.out('Flushing RBD locks for VM "{}"'.format(dom_uuid), state='i')
         # Get the list of RBD images
         rbd_list = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/domains/{}/rbdlist'.format(dom_uuid)).split(',')
         for rbd in rbd_list:
             # Check if a lock exists
-            retcode, stdout, stderr = common.run_os_command('rbd lock list --format json {}'.format(rbd))
-            if not retcode:
+            lock_list_retcode, lock_list_stdout, lock_list_stderr = common.run_os_command('rbd lock list --format json {}'.format(rbd))
+            if lock_list_retcode != 0:
                 logger.out('Failed to obtain lock list for volume "{}"'.format(rbd), state='e')
                 continue
-            lock_list = stdout
+            try:
+                lock_list = json.loads(lock_list_stdout)
+            except:
+                lock_list = {}
+
             # If there's at least one lock
             if lock_list:
                 # Loop through the locks
                 for lock, detail in lock_list.items():
                     # Free the lock
-                    retcode, stdout, stderr = common.run_os_command('rbd lock remove {} "{}" "{}"'.format(rbd, lock, detail['locker']))
-                    if not retcode:
+                    lock_remove_retcode, lock_remove_stdout, lock_remove_stderr = common.run_os_command('rbd lock remove {} "{}" "{}"'.format(rbd, lock, detail['locker']))
+                    if lock_remove_retcode != 0:
                         logger.out('Failed to free RBD lock "{}" on volume "{}"'.format(lock, rbd), state='e')
                         continue
                     logger.out('Freed RBD lock "{}" on volume "{}"'.format(lock, rbd), state='o')
-                        
+
+        target_node = common.findTargetHypervisor(zk_conn, 'mem', dom_uuid)
 
         logger.out('Migrating VM "{}" to node "{}"'.format(dom_uuid, target_node), state='i')
         zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, {