diff --git a/extraconfig/pre_deploy/rhel-registration/rhel-registration.yaml b/extraconfig/pre_deploy/rhel-registration/rhel-registration.yaml
index b9fd08b4db..d296073e2d 100644
--- a/extraconfig/pre_deploy/rhel-registration/rhel-registration.yaml
+++ b/extraconfig/pre_deploy/rhel-registration/rhel-registration.yaml
@@ -173,18 +173,26 @@ resources:
       config: |
         #!/bin/bash
         set -x
-        num_updates=$(yum list -q updates | wc -l)
-        if [ "$num_updates" -eq "0" ]; then
+        # yum check-update exits 100 if updates are available
+        set +e
+        check_update=$(yum check-update 2>&1)
+        check_update_exit=$?
+        set -e
+        if [[ "$check_update_exit" == "100" ]]; then
+            full_command="yum -q -y update"
+            echo "Running: $full_command"
+            result=$($full_command)
+            return_code=$?
+            echo "$result"
+            echo "yum return code: $return_code"
+            exit $return_code
+        elif [[ "$check_update_exit" == "1" ]]; then
+            echo "Failed to check for package updates"
+            echo "$check_update"
+        else
            echo "No packages require updating"
            exit 0
         fi
-        full_command="yum -q -y update"
-        echo "Running: $full_command"
-        result=$($full_command)
-        return_code=$?
-        echo "$result"
-        echo "yum return code: $return_code"
-        exit $return_code
 
   UpdateDeploymentAfterRHELRegistration:
     type: OS::Heat::SoftwareDeployment