diff --git a/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip.go b/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip.go
index 7b0189ca5..5fd11d60a 100644
--- a/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip.go
+++ b/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package fix
 
 import (
-	"log"
+	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ func (FixerAmazonPrivateIP) Fix(input map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interf
 			var err error
 			privateIP, err = strconv.ParseBool(privateIPi.(string))
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatalf("Wrong type for ssh_private_ip")
-				continue
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("ssh_private_ip is not a boolean, %s", err)
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip_test.go b/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip_test.go
index 71961f2f8..55b2104a6 100644
--- a/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip_test.go
+++ b/fix/fixer_amazon_private_ip_test.go
@@ -75,3 +75,19 @@ func TestFixerAmazonPrivateIP(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFixerAmazonPrivateIPNonBoolean(t *testing.T) {
+	var f FixerAmazonPrivateIP
+
+	input := map[string]interface{}{
+		"builders": []map[string]interface{}{{
+			"type":           "amazon-ebs",
+			"ssh_private_ip": "not-a-boolean-value",
+		}},
+	}
+
+	_, err := f.Fix(input)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have errored")
+	}
+}