diff --git a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd.go b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd.go
index f576d20..1ddab34 100644
--- a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd.go
+++ b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd.go
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 package commandhandler
 
 import (
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/constants"
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/logging"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/constants"
+	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/logging"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 type ICommandHandler interface {
@@ -70,10 +71,13 @@ func execCmdInDirWithAction(cmd, workingDir, logDir string, waitForCompletion bo
 			stdOutFile.Close()
 		}
 
-		stdErrFile, err3 := os.OpenFile(errFileName, os.O_RDONLY, constants.FilePermissions_UserOnly_ReadWrite)
+		stdErrContents, err3 := os.ReadFile(errFileName)
 		if err3 == nil {
-			el.InfoFromStream("stderr:", stdErrFile)
-			stdErrFile.Close()
+			el.Info("stderr: %s", stdErrContents)
+
+			if execErr != nil {
+				return exitCode, errors.Wrap(execErr, string(stdErrContents))
+			}
 		}
 
 	} else {
diff --git a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_linux_test.go b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_linux_test.go
index 3d30f99..01e5fd8 100644
--- a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_linux_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_linux_test.go
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ package commandhandler
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -97,3 +99,16 @@ func TestCommandWithEnvironmentVariableEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, err, "stdout file should be read")
 	assert.Contains(t, string(fileInfo), "", "stdout message should be as expected")
 }
+
+func TestNonExistingCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	defer cleanupTest()
+	cmd := New()
+	retcode, err := cmd.Execute("command_does_not_exist", workingDir, workingDir, true, extensionLogger)
+	assert.Equal(t, commandNotExistReturnCode, retcode)
+	assert.Error(t, err, "command execution should fail")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "command_does_not_exist: not found", "error returned by cmd.Execute should include stderr")
+
+	fileInfo, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(workingDir, "stderr"))
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "stderr file should be read")
+	assert.Contains(t, string(fileInfo), "command_does_not_exist: not found", "stderr message should be as expected")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_test.go b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_test.go
index 94a37df..9057902 100644
--- a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_test.go
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 package commandhandler
 
 import (
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/logging"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/Azure/azure-extension-platform/pkg/logging"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
 var workingDir = path.Join(".", "testdir", "currentWorkingDir")
@@ -43,11 +44,3 @@ func TestStderr(t *testing.T) {
 	stdoutResult := strings.TrimSuffix(strings.TrimSuffix(string(fileBytes), lineReturnCharacter), " ")
 	assert.Equal(t, "1 2 3 4", stdoutResult)
 }
-
-func TestNonExistingCommand(t *testing.T) {
-	defer cleanupTest()
-	cmd := New()
-	retcode, err := cmd.Execute("command_does_not_exist", workingDir, workingDir, true, extensionLogger)
-	assert.Equal(t, commandNotExistReturnCode, retcode)
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_windows_test.go b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_windows_test.go
index ff63a2d..d8d6633 100644
--- a/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commandhandler/cmd_windows_test.go
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@ package commandhandler
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -140,3 +141,16 @@ func TestDoesntWaitForCompletionEnvironmentVariable(t *testing.T) {
 	duration := endTime.Sub(startTime)
 	assert.Less(t, duration, time.Second, "execute shouldn't block")
 }
+
+func TestNonExistingCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	defer cleanupTest()
+	cmd := New()
+	retcode, err := cmd.Execute("command_does_not_exist", workingDir, workingDir, true, extensionLogger)
+	assert.Equal(t, commandNotExistReturnCode, retcode)
+	assert.Error(t, err, "command execution should fail")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "is not recognized as an internal or external command", "error returned by cmd.Execute should include stderr")
+
+	fileInfo, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(workingDir, "stderr"))
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "stderr file should be read")
+	assert.Contains(t, string(fileInfo), "is not recognized as an internal or external command", "stderr message should be as expected")
+}