diff --git a/heat/engine/environment.py b/heat/engine/environment.py
index 7a29290d8b..5d1eae3e41 100644
--- a/heat/engine/environment.py
+++ b/heat/engine/environment.py
@@ -820,9 +820,8 @@ def read_global_environment(env, env_dir=None):
 
     try:
         env_files = glob.glob(os.path.join(env_dir, '*'))
-    except OSError as osex:
-        LOG.error(_LE('Failed to read %s'), env_dir)
-        LOG.exception(osex)
+    except OSError:
+        LOG.exception(_LE('Failed to read %s'), env_dir)
         return
 
     for file_path in env_files:
@@ -832,11 +831,7 @@ def read_global_environment(env, env_dir=None):
                 env_body = env_fmt.parse(env_fd.read())
                 env_fmt.default_for_missing(env_body)
                 env.load(env_body)
-        except ValueError as vex:
-            LOG.error(_LE('Failed to parse %(file_path)s'), {
-                      'file_path': file_path})
-            LOG.exception(vex)
-        except IOError as ioex:
-            LOG.error(_LE('Failed to read %(file_path)s'), {
-                      'file_path': file_path})
-            LOG.exception(ioex)
+        except ValueError:
+            LOG.exception(_LE('Failed to parse %s'), file_path)
+        except IOError:
+            LOG.exception(_LE('Failed to read %s'), file_path)
diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index d679676db9..9ffc2c9bd0 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -168,11 +168,12 @@ class Resource(object):
         try:
             svc_available = cls.is_service_available(context)
         except Exception as exc:
+            LOG.exception(_LE("Resource type %s unavailable"),
+                          resource_type)
             ex = exception.ResourceTypeUnavailable(
                 resource_type=resource_type,
                 service_name=cls.default_client_name,
                 reason=six.text_type(exc))
-            LOG.exception(exc)
             raise ex
         else:
             if not svc_available:
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
index 6edad44ef5..4336d6af98 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/nova/server.py
@@ -1246,15 +1246,16 @@ class Server(stack_user.StackUser, sh.SchedulerHintsMixin,
                 self.context, sd['id'])
             self.rpc_client().delete_software_config(
                 self.context, sc['id'])
-        except Exception as e:
+        except Exception:
             # Updating the software config transport is on a best-effort
             # basis as any raised exception here would result in the resource
             # going into an ERROR state, which will be replaced on the next
             # stack update. This is not desirable for a server. The old
             # transport will continue to work, and the new transport may work
             # despite exceptions in the above block.
-            LOG.error(_LE('Error while updating software config transport'))
-            LOG.exception(e)
+            LOG.exception(
+                _LE('Error while updating software config transport')
+            )
 
     def check_update_complete(self, updaters):
         """Push all updaters to completion in list order."""
diff --git a/heat/engine/stack.py b/heat/engine/stack.py
index 37e15565c3..833e95a19d 100644
--- a/heat/engine/stack.py
+++ b/heat/engine/stack.py
@@ -1564,14 +1564,12 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
         # There are cases where the user_creds cannot be returned
         # due to credentials truncated when being saved to DB.
         # Ignore this error instead of blocking stack deletion.
-        user_creds = None
         try:
-            user_creds = ucreds_object.UserCreds.get_by_id(
-                self.context, self.user_creds_id)
-        except exception.Error as err:
-            LOG.exception(err)
-            pass
-        return user_creds
+            return ucreds_object.UserCreds.get_by_id(self.context,
+                                                     self.user_creds_id)
+        except exception.Error:
+            LOG.exception(_LE("Failed to retrieve user_creds"))
+            return None
 
     def _delete_credentials(self, stack_status, reason, abandon):
         # Cleanup stored user_creds so they aren't accessible via
@@ -1601,7 +1599,7 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
                             self.clients.client('keystone').delete_trust(
                                 trust_id)
                     except Exception as ex:
-                        LOG.exception(ex)
+                        LOG.exception(_LE("Error deleting trust"))
                         stack_status = self.FAILED
                         reason = ("Error deleting trust: %s" %
                                   six.text_type(ex))
@@ -1629,7 +1627,7 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
                 keystone.delete_stack_domain_project(
                     project_id=self.stack_user_project_id)
             except Exception as ex:
-                LOG.exception(ex)
+                LOG.exception(_LE("Error deleting project"))
                 stack_status = self.FAILED
                 reason = "Error deleting project: %s" % six.text_type(ex)
 
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
index 7980d81db3..603c8f2117 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ class VolumeBackupRestoreIntegrationTest(scenario_base.ScenarioTestsBase):
                 template_name='test_volumes_create_from_backup.yaml',
                 add_parameters={'backup_id': backup.id})
             stack2 = self.client.stacks.get(stack_identifier2)
-        except exceptions.StackBuildErrorException as e:
-            LOG.error("Halting test due to bug: #1382300")
-            LOG.exception(e)
+        except exceptions.StackBuildErrorException:
+            LOG.exception("Halting test due to bug: #1382300")
             return
 
         # Verify with cinder that the volume exists, with matching details