diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/commands.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/commands.py
index 2364811d8..f377a5fe7 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/commands.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/commands.py
@@ -351,7 +351,8 @@ def exec_cluster(config_file,
                  stop=False,
                  start=False,
                  override_cluster_name=None,
-                 port_forward=None):
+                 port_forward=None,
+                 with_output=False):
     """Runs a command on the specified cluster.
 
     Arguments:
@@ -408,7 +409,13 @@ def exec_cluster(config_file,
                     shutdown_cmd = wrap_docker(shutdown_cmd)
                 cmd += ("; {}; sudo shutdown -h now".format(shutdown_cmd))
 
-        _exec(updater, cmd, screen, tmux, port_forward=port_forward)
+        result = _exec(
+            updater,
+            cmd,
+            screen,
+            tmux,
+            port_forward=port_forward,
+            with_output=with_output)
 
         if tmux or screen:
             attach_command_parts = ["ray attach", config_file]
@@ -424,11 +431,12 @@ def exec_cluster(config_file,
             attach_info = "Use `{}` to check on command status.".format(
                 attach_command)
             logger.info(attach_info)
+        return result
     finally:
         provider.cleanup()
 
 
-def _exec(updater, cmd, screen, tmux, port_forward=None):
+def _exec(updater, cmd, screen, tmux, port_forward=None, with_output=False):
     if cmd:
         if screen:
             cmd = [
@@ -443,8 +451,12 @@ def _exec(updater, cmd, screen, tmux, port_forward=None):
                 quote(cmd + "; exec bash")
             ]
             cmd = " ".join(cmd)
-    updater.cmd_runner.run(
-        cmd, allocate_tty=True, exit_on_fail=True, port_forward=port_forward)
+    return updater.cmd_runner.run(
+        cmd,
+        allocate_tty=True,
+        exit_on_fail=True,
+        port_forward=port_forward,
+        with_output=with_output)
 
 
 def rsync(config_file,
diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
index 664df34ba..1e1d3f52c 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/updater.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ class KubernetesCommandRunner:
             timeout=120,
             allocate_tty=False,
             exit_on_fail=False,
-            port_forward=None):
+            port_forward=None,
+            with_output=False):
         if cmd and port_forward:
             raise Exception(
                 "exec with Kubernetes can't forward ports and execute"
@@ -82,7 +83,12 @@ class KubernetesCommandRunner:
                 "--",
             ] + with_interactive(cmd)
             try:
-                self.process_runner.check_call(" ".join(final_cmd), shell=True)
+                if with_output:
+                    return self.process_runner.check_output(
+                        " ".join(final_cmd), shell=True)
+                else:
+                    self.process_runner.check_call(
+                        " ".join(final_cmd), shell=True)
             except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
                 if exit_on_fail:
                     quoted_cmd = " ".join(final_cmd[:-1] +
@@ -232,7 +238,8 @@ class SSHCommandRunner:
             timeout=120,
             allocate_tty=False,
             exit_on_fail=False,
-            port_forward=None):
+            port_forward=None,
+            with_output=False):
 
         self.set_ssh_ip_if_required()
 
@@ -260,7 +267,10 @@ class SSHCommandRunner:
             # still create an interactive shell in some ssh versions.
             final_cmd.append("while true; do sleep 86400; done")
         try:
-            self.process_runner.check_call(final_cmd)
+            if with_output:
+                return self.process_runner.check_output(final_cmd)
+            else:
+                self.process_runner.check_call(final_cmd)
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
             if exit_on_fail:
                 quoted_cmd = " ".join(final_cmd[:-1] + [quote(final_cmd[-1])])
@@ -402,7 +412,6 @@ class NodeUpdater:
     def do_update(self):
         self.provider.set_node_tags(
             self.node_id, {TAG_RAY_NODE_STATUS: STATUS_WAITING_FOR_SSH})
-
         deadline = time.time() + NODE_START_WAIT_S
         self.wait_ready(deadline)