diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/junos.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/junos.py
index dfe3148157..211e099eb6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/junos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/junos.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def get_diff(module):
     if output is not None:
         return output.text
 
-def load_config(module, candidate, action='merge', commit=False, format='xml',
+def load_config(module, candidate, warnings, action='merge', commit=False, format='xml',
                 comment=None, confirm=False, confirm_timeout=None):
 
     with locked_config(module):
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ def load_config(module, candidate, action='merge', commit=False, format='xml',
             candidate = '\n'.join(candidate)
 
         reply = load_configuration(module, candidate, action=action, format=format)
+        if isinstance(reply, list):
+            warnings.extend(reply)
 
         validate(module)
         diff = get_diff(module)
@@ -168,4 +170,3 @@ def load_config(module, candidate, action='merge', commit=False, format='xml',
                 discard_changes(module)
 
         return diff
-
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/netconf.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/netconf.py
index f2b0e03747..580de33c2b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/netconf.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/netconf.py
@@ -31,13 +31,31 @@ from xml.etree.ElementTree import tostring, fromstring
 
 from ansible.module_utils.connection import exec_command
 
+
+NS_MAP = {'nc': "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"}
+
 def send_request(module, obj, check_rc=True):
     request = tostring(obj)
     rc, out, err = exec_command(module, request)
-    if rc != 0:
-        if check_rc:
+    if rc != 0 and check_rc:
+        error_root = fromstring(err)
+        fake_parent = Element('root')
+        fake_parent.append(error_root)
+
+        error_list = fake_parent.findall('.//nc:rpc-error', NS_MAP)
+        if not error_list:
             module.fail_json(msg=str(err))
-        return fromstring(out)
+
+        warnings = []
+        for rpc_error in error_list:
+            message = rpc_error.find('./nc:error-message', NS_MAP).text
+            severity = rpc_error.find('./nc:error-severity', NS_MAP).text
+
+            if severity == 'warning':
+                warnings.append(message)
+            else:
+                module.fail_json(msg=str(err))
+        return warnings
     return fromstring(out)
 
 def children(root, iterable):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/_junos_template.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/_junos_template.py
index 7b82e4143a..5dd13cfa7f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/_junos_template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/_junos_template.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def main():
             module.fail_json(msg='unable to retrieve device configuration')
         result['__backup__'] = str(match.text).strip()
 
-    diff = load_config(module, src, action=action, commit=commit, format=fmt)
+    diff = load_config(module, src, warnings, action=action, commit=commit, format=fmt)
     if diff:
         result['changed'] = True
         if module._diff:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/junos_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/junos_config.py
index c26a5fdb49..b69b1e570e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/junos_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/junos/junos_config.py
@@ -219,12 +219,10 @@ def filter_delete_statements(module, candidate):
     reply = get_configuration(module, format='set')
     match = reply.find('.//configuration-set')
     if match is None:
-        module.fail_json(msg='unable to retrieve device configuration')
+        # Could not find configuration-set in reply, perhaps device does not support it?
+        return candidate
     config = str(match.text)
 
-    #if 'delete interfaces lo0' in candidate:
-    #    raise ValueError(config)
-
     modified_candidate = candidate[:]
     for index, line in enumerate(candidate):
         if line.startswith('delete'):
@@ -234,7 +232,7 @@ def filter_delete_statements(module, candidate):
 
     return modified_candidate
 
-def configure_device(module):
+def configure_device(module, warnings):
     candidate = module.params['lines'] or module.params['src']
     if isinstance(candidate, string_types):
         candidate = candidate.split('\n')
@@ -266,7 +264,7 @@ def configure_device(module):
         kwargs['format'] = 'text'
         kwargs['action'] = 'set'
 
-    return load_config(module, candidate, **kwargs)
+    return load_config(module, candidate, warnings, **kwargs)
 
 def main():
     """ main entry point for module execution
@@ -307,10 +305,14 @@ def main():
     result = {'changed': False, 'warnings': warnings}
 
     if module.params['backup']:
-        reply = get_configuration(module, format='set')
-        match = reply.find('.//configuration-set')
-        if match is None:
+        for conf_format in ['set', 'text']:
+            reply = get_configuration(module, format=conf_format)
+            match = reply.find('.//configuration-%s' % conf_format)
+            if match is not None:
+                break
+        else:
             module.fail_json(msg='unable to retrieve device configuration')
+
         result['__backup__'] = str(match.text).strip()
 
     if module.params['rollback']:
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@ def main():
         result['changed'] = True
 
     else:
-        diff = configure_device(module)
+        diff = configure_device(module, warnings)
         if diff:
             if module._diff:
                 result['diff'] = {'prepared': diff}