diff --git a/bitelab/__init__.py b/bitelab/__init__.py
index 6e15fb5..dd21778 100644
--- a/bitelab/__init__.py
+++ b/bitelab/__init__.py
@@ -370,7 +370,11 @@ class BoardImpl:
 		self._user = user
 		self.reserved = True
 
-		await self.activate()
+		try:
+			await self.activate()
+		except Exception:
+			await self.release()
+			raise
 
 	async def release(self):
 		'''Release the board.'''
@@ -749,13 +753,12 @@ async def reserve_board(board_id_or_class,
 			await brd.reserve(user, sshpubkey)
 		except Exception as e:
 			if isinstance(e, RuntimeError):
-				retcode, stderr = e.args
 				raise BITEError(
 				    status_code=HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
 				    errobj=Error(error=
-					'Failed to init board, ret: %d, stderr: %s' %
-					(retcode, repr(stderr)),
-				    board=Board.from_orm(brd)),
+				        'Failed to init board: %s' %
+				        repr(e.args),
+				        board=Board.from_orm(brd)),
 				)
 			raise
 
@@ -1403,7 +1406,7 @@ class TestBiteLabAPI(TestCommon):
 		self.assertEqual(res.status_code, HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
 
 		# and returns the correct data
-		info = Error(error='Failed to init board, ret: 1, stderr: b\'error\'',
+		info = Error(error='Failed to init board: (1, b\'error\')',
 			board=Board(name='cora-1',
 				brdclass='cora-z7s',
 				reserved=False,
@@ -1522,6 +1525,39 @@ class TestBiteLabAPI(TestCommon):
 		# and deactivated attributes
 		bideact.assert_called()
 
+		bideact.reset_mock()
+
+		# when one of the atributes fails to activate
+		errtxt = 'some error to pass'
+		biact.side_effect = RuntimeError(errtxt)
+
+		# that reserving the board
+		res = await self.client.post('/board/cora-1/reserve',
+		    json=dict(sshpubkey=keydata),
+		    auth=BiteAuth('thisisanapikey'))
+
+		# the reservation fails
+		self.assertEqual(res.status_code,
+		    HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
+
+		# and returns the correct errtxt
+		info = {
+			'error': 'Failed to init board: %s' % repr((errtxt,)),
+			'board': dict(attrs=dict(power=False),
+				brdclass='cora-z7s', name='cora-1', user=None,
+				reserved=False),
+		}
+		self.assertEqual(res.json(), info)
+
+		# and that the board is not reserved
+		self.assertFalse(self.brdmgr.boards['cora-1'].reserved)
+
+		# and deactivated attributes
+		bideact.assert_called()
+
+		# that when activate is reset
+		biact.reset_mock(side_effect=True)
+
 		# that it can be reserved by a different user
 		res = await self.client.post('/board/cora-1/reserve',
 		    auth=BiteAuth('anotherlongapikey'))