diff --git a/conf/minion b/conf/minion
index c2c561c13c..5d230bce88 100644
--- a/conf/minion
+++ b/conf/minion
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
 # A value of 10 minutes is a reasonable default.
 #
 # If the value is set to zero, this check is disabled.
-#grains_refresh_every = 1
+#grains_refresh_every: 1
 
 # When healing, a dns_check is run. This is to make sure that the originally
 # resolved dns has not changed. If this is something that does not happen in
diff --git a/salt/grains/external_ip.py b/salt/grains/external_ip.py
index 07ead5e0c7..300823253a 100644
--- a/salt/grains/external_ip.py
+++ b/salt/grains/external_ip.py
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@
 '''
 
 # Import Python Libs
-import urllib2
 import contextlib
+import socket
+import urllib2
 
 # Import salt libs
 from salt.utils.validate.net import ipv4_addr as _ipv4_addr
@@ -40,7 +41,9 @@ def external_ip():
                 if not _ipv4_addr(ip_):
                     continue
             return {'external_ip': ip_}
-        except (urllib2.HTTPError, urllib2.URLError):
+        except (urllib2.HTTPError,
+                urllib2.URLError,
+                socket.timeout):
             continue
 
     # Return an empty value as a last resort
diff --git a/salt/modules/file.py b/salt/modules/file.py
index c28a79bda7..da4f8d63b5 100644
--- a/salt/modules/file.py
+++ b/salt/modules/file.py
@@ -2126,7 +2126,8 @@ def extract_hash(hash_fn, hash_type='md5', file_name=''):
     source_sum = None
     partial_id = False
     name_sought = re.findall(r'^(.+)/([^/]+)$', '/x' + file_name)[0][1]
-    log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): Extracting hash for file named: {}'.format(name_sought))
+    log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): Extracting hash for file '
+              'named: {0}'.format(name_sought))
     hash_fn_fopen = salt.utils.fopen(hash_fn, 'r')
     for hash_variant in HASHES:
         if hash_type == '' or hash_type == hash_variant[0]:
@@ -2136,26 +2137,29 @@ def extract_hash(hash_fn, hash_type='md5', file_name=''):
             hash_fn_fopen.seek(0)
             for line in hash_fn_fopen.read().splitlines():
                 hash_array = re.findall(r'(?i)(?<![a-z0-9])[a-f0-9]{' + str(hash_variant[1]) + '}(?![a-z0-9])', line)
-                log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): '
-                    'From "line": {} got : {}'.format(line, hash_array))
+                log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): From "line": {0} '
+                          'got : {1}'.format(line, hash_array))
                 if hash_array:
                     if not partial_id:
                         source_sum = {'hsum': hash_array[0], 'hash_type': hash_variant[0]}
                         partial_id = True
 
-                    log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): Found : {} -- {}'.format(
-                                            source_sum['hash_type'], source_sum['hsum']))
+                    log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash(): Found: {0} '
+                              '-- {1}'.format(source_sum['hash_type'],
+                                              source_sum['hsum']))
 
                     if re.search(name_sought, line):
                         source_sum = {'hsum': hash_array[0], 'hash_type': hash_variant[0]}
-                        log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash: '
-                        'For {} -- returning the {} hash "{}".'.format(
-                                 name_sought, source_sum['hash_type'], source_sum['hsum']))
+                        log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash: For {0} -- '
+                                  'returning the {1} hash "{2}".'.format(
+                                      name_sought,
+                                      source_sum['hash_type'],
+                                      source_sum['hsum']))
                         return source_sum
 
     if partial_id:
-        log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash: '
-                'Returning the partially identified {} hash "{}".'.format(
+        log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash: Returning the partially '
+                  'identified {0} hash "{1}".'.format(
                        source_sum['hash_type'], source_sum['hsum']))
     else:
         log.debug('modules.file.py - extract_hash: Returning None.')