diff --git a/salt/client/ssh/__init__.py b/salt/client/ssh/__init__.py
index da9fa81f4c..9c950a5839 100644
--- a/salt/client/ssh/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/client/ssh/__init__.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class SSH(object):
             raise salt.exceptions.SaltSystemExit('No ssh binary found in path -- ssh must be installed for salt-ssh to run. Exiting.')
         self.opts['_ssh_version'] = ssh_version()
         self.tgt_type = self.opts['selected_target_option'] \
-                if self.opts['selected_target_option'] else 'glob'
+            if self.opts['selected_target_option'] else 'glob'
         self.roster = salt.roster.Roster(opts, opts.get('roster', 'flat'))
         self.targets = self.roster.targets(
                 self.opts['tgt'],
@@ -385,9 +385,10 @@ class SSH(object):
         returned = set()
         rets = set()
         init = False
-        if not self.targets:
-            raise salt.exceptions.SaltClientError('No matching targets found in roster.')
         while True:
+            if not self.targets:
+                log.error('No matching targets found in roster.')
+                break
             if len(running) < self.opts.get('ssh_max_procs', 25) and not init:
                 try:
                     host = next(target_iter)
diff --git a/salt/roster/__init__.py b/salt/roster/__init__.py
index 37dc18dcd5..77ef61b29d 100644
--- a/salt/roster/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/roster/__init__.py
@@ -82,12 +82,5 @@ class Roster(object):
             except IOError as exc:
                 pass
 
-        if not targets:
-            raise salt.exceptions.SaltSystemExit(
-                    'No hosts found with target {0} of type {1}'.format(
-                        tgt,
-                        tgt_type)
-                    )
-
         log.debug('Matched minions: {0}'.format(targets))
         return targets