diff --git a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/task/ShellBolt.java b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/task/ShellBolt.java
index 3ff8696c7..854aa8f53 100644
--- a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/task/ShellBolt.java
+++ b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/task/ShellBolt.java
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ public void run() {
                         if (write != null) {
                             _process.writeMessage(write);
                         }
+                        // drain the error stream to avoid dead lock because of full error stream buffer
+                        _process.drainErrorStream();
                     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                     } catch (Throwable t) {
                         die(t);
diff --git a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/utils/ShellProcess.java b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/utils/ShellProcess.java
index e4ee7c4c8..011b60691 100644
--- a/src/jvm/backtype/storm/utils/ShellProcess.java
+++ b/src/jvm/backtype/storm/utils/ShellProcess.java
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
 import org.json.simple.JSONObject;
 import org.json.simple.JSONValue;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 public class ShellProcess {
+    public static Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(ShellProcess.class);
     private DataOutputStream processIn;
     private BufferedReader processOut;
     private InputStream processErrorStream;
@@ -80,6 +82,22 @@ public String getErrorsString() {
         }
     }
 
+    public void drainErrorStream()
+    {
+        try {
+            while (processErrorStream.available() > 0)
+            {
+                int bufferSize = processErrorStream.available();
+                byte[] errorReadingBuffer =  new byte[bufferSize];
+
+                processErrorStream.read(errorReadingBuffer, 0, bufferSize);
+
+                LOG.info("Got error from shell process: " + new String(errorReadingBuffer));
+            }
+        } catch(Exception e) {
+        }
+    }
+
     private String readString() throws IOException {
         StringBuilder line = new StringBuilder();
 
@@ -95,8 +113,6 @@ private String readString() throws IOException {
                     else {
                         errorMessage.append(" Currently read output: " + line.toString() + "\n");
                     }
-                    errorMessage.append("Shell Process Exception:\n");
-                    errorMessage.append(getErrorsString() + "\n");
                     throw new RuntimeException(errorMessage.toString());
                 }
                 if(subline.equals("end")) {