diff --git a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
index fa9e6e54d..d0db2e760 100644
--- a/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/ensure-zookeeper/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@
 
 - name: Ensure Zookeeper not running
   command: pkill -f zookeeper
-  ignore_errors: true
+  register: _pkill
+  # 0 is killed
+  # 1 is no process matched
+  # >1 is some sort of actual error
+  failed_when: _pkill.rc > 1
   become: true
 
 - name: Start Zookeeper