diff --git a/conman/connection_manager.py b/conman/connection_manager.py
index aa1b320..cbb3b5b 100755
--- a/conman/connection_manager.py
+++ b/conman/connection_manager.py
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@
 
   @property
   def client_up(self):
-    wpa_cli_status = self.wifi.wpa_cli_status()
-    return (wpa_cli_status.get('wpa_state') == 'COMPLETED'
-            and wpa_cli_status.get('ssid') == self.ssid)
+    wpa_status = self.wifi.wpa_status()
+    return (wpa_status.get('wpa_state') == 'COMPLETED'
+            and wpa_status.get('ssid') == self.ssid)
 
   def start_access_point(self):
     """Start an access point."""
diff --git a/conman/interface.py b/conman/interface.py
index d45f42e..f575bf3 100755
--- a/conman/interface.py
+++ b/conman/interface.py
@@ -355,15 +355,15 @@
       logging.error('Error attaching to wpa_supplicant: %s', e)
       return False
 
-    status = self.wpa_cli_status()
+    status = self.wpa_status()
     self.wpa_supplicant = status.get('wpa_state') == 'COMPLETED'
     if not self._initialized:
       self.initial_ssid = status.get('ssid')
 
     return True
 
-  def wpa_cli_status(self):
-    """Parse the STATUS response from the wpa_supplicant CLI.
+  def wpa_status(self):
+    """Parse the STATUS response from the wpa_supplicant control interface.
 
     Returns:
       A dict containing the parsed results, where key and value are separated by
@@ -371,8 +371,12 @@
     """
     status = {}
 
-    if self._wpa_control:
-      lines = self._wpa_control.request('STATUS').splitlines()
+    if self._wpa_control and self._wpa_control.attached:
+      lines = []
+      try:
+        lines = self._wpa_control.request('STATUS').splitlines()
+      except wpactrl.error:
+        logging.error('wpa_control STATUS request failed')
       for line in lines:
         if '=' not in line:
           continue
diff --git a/conman/interface_test.py b/conman/interface_test.py
index 8a376a6..034c5b0 100755
--- a/conman/interface_test.py
+++ b/conman/interface_test.py
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
     self.attached = False
     self.connected = False
     self.ssid_testonly = None
+    self.request_status_fails = False
 
   def pending(self):
     self.check_socket_exists('pending: socket does not exist')
@@ -97,6 +98,8 @@
 
   def request(self, request_type):
     if request_type == 'STATUS':
+      if self.request_status_fails:
+        raise wpactrl.error('test error')
       return ('foo\nwpa_state=COMPLETED\nssid=%s\nbar' % self.ssid_testonly
               if self.connected else 'foo')
     else:
@@ -185,6 +188,7 @@
   def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
     super(FrenzyWPACtrl, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
     self.ssid_testonly = None
+    self.request_status_fails = False
 
   def _qcsapi(self, *command):
     return self.fake_qcsapi.get(command[0], None)
@@ -207,6 +211,12 @@
     self.add_terminating_event()
     super(FrenzyWPACtrl, self).detach()
 
+  def request(self, request_type):
+    if request_type == 'STATUS' and self.request_status_fails:
+      raise wpactrl.error('test error')
+
+    return super(FrenzyWPACtrl, self).request(request_type)
+
 
 class FrenzyWifi(FakeInterfaceMixin, interface.FrenzyWifi):
   WPACtrl = FrenzyWPACtrl
@@ -366,6 +376,10 @@
   w.initialize()
   wvtest.WVPASSEQ(w.initial_ssid, None)
 
+  wvtest.WVPASSNE(w.wpa_status(), {})
+  w._wpa_control.request_status_fails = True
+  wvtest.WVPASSEQ(w.wpa_status(), {})
+
   # The wpa_supplicant process disconnects and terminates.
   wpa_control.add_disconnected_event()
   wpa_control.add_terminating_event()
diff --git a/conman/test/fake_wpactrl/wpactrl/__init__.py b/conman/test/fake_wpactrl/wpactrl/__init__.py
index e69de29..b8ce1fd 100644
--- a/conman/test/fake_wpactrl/wpactrl/__init__.py
+++ b/conman/test/fake_wpactrl/wpactrl/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class error(Exception):
+  pass
+
+class WPACtrl(object):
+  pass