diff --git a/resource-managers/yarn/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ApplicationMaster.scala b/resource-managers/yarn/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ApplicationMaster.scala
index ae9486d7e44c..9216b64864bc 100644
--- a/resource-managers/yarn/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ApplicationMaster.scala
+++ b/resource-managers/yarn/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ApplicationMaster.scala
@@ -578,7 +578,11 @@ private[spark] class ApplicationMaster(
             e.getMessage)
         case e: Throwable =>
           failureCount += 1
-          if (!NonFatal(e) || failureCount >= reporterMaxFailures) {
+          if (!NonFatal(e)) {
+            finish(FinalApplicationStatus.FAILED,
+              ApplicationMaster.EXIT_REPORTER_FAILURE,
+              "Fatal exception: " + StringUtils.stringifyException(e))
+          } else if (failureCount >= reporterMaxFailures) {
             finish(FinalApplicationStatus.FAILED,
               ApplicationMaster.EXIT_REPORTER_FAILURE, "Exception was thrown " +
                 s"$failureCount time(s) from Reporter thread.")