diff --git a/lib/anacondatest.pm b/lib/anacondatest.pm
index feb46331..1e2b2ae6 100644
--- a/lib/anacondatest.pm
+++ b/lib/anacondatest.pm
@@ -25,6 +25,31 @@ sub post_fail_hook {
 
     save_screenshot;
     $self->root_console();
+    # if we don't have tar or a network connection, we'll try and at
+    # least send out *some* kinda info via the serial line
+    my $hostip = $testapi::host_ip();
+    if (script_run "ping -c 2 ${hostip}") {
+        script_run 'printf "\n** X.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/X.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** ANACONDA.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/anaconda.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** PACKAGING.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/packaging.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** STORAGE.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/storage.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** SYSLOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/syslog > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** PROGRAM.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/program.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** DNF.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/dnf.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** DNF.LIBREPO.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/dnf.librepo.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** DNF.RPM.LOG **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "cat /tmp/dnf.rpm.log > /dev/ttyS0";
+        return;
+    }
+
     upload_logs "/tmp/X.log", failok=>1;
     upload_logs "/tmp/anaconda.log", failok=>1;
     upload_logs "/tmp/packaging.log", failok=>1;
diff --git a/lib/installedtest.pm b/lib/installedtest.pm
index 26de22db..c7cf862c 100644
--- a/lib/installedtest.pm
+++ b/lib/installedtest.pm
@@ -37,7 +37,21 @@ sub post_fail_hook {
     # rely on dnf always working (it fails in emergency mode, not sure
     # why), so try it, then check if we have tar
     script_run "dnf -y install tar", 180;
-    assert_script_run "rpm -q tar";
+
+    # if we don't have tar or a network connection, we'll try and at
+    # least send out *some* kinda info via the serial line
+    my $hostip = $testapi::host_ip();
+    if (script_run "rpm -q tar" || script_run "ping -c 2 ${hostip}") {
+        script_run 'printf "\n** IP ADDR **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "ip addr > /dev/ttyS0 2>&1";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** IP ROUTE **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "ip route > /dev/ttyS0 2>&1";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** NETWORKMANAGER.SERVICE STATUS **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "systemctl --no-pager status NetworkManager.service > /dev/ttyS0 2>&1";
+        script_run 'printf "\n** JOURNAL **\n" > /dev/ttyS0';
+        script_run "journalctl -b --no-pager > /dev/ttyS0";
+        return;
+    }
 
     # Note: script_run returns the exit code, so the logic looks weird.
     # We're testing that the directory exists and contains something.