diff --git a/http/Provision/Config/Apache/Ssl/vhost_ssl.tpl.php b/http/Provision/Config/Apache/Ssl/vhost_ssl.tpl.php
index 8dbe4e04..f9f256bb 100644
--- a/http/Provision/Config/Apache/Ssl/vhost_ssl.tpl.php
+++ b/http/Provision/Config/Apache/Ssl/vhost_ssl.tpl.php
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-<?php if ($this->ssl_enabled && $this->ssl_key) : ?>
+<?php if ($this->ssl_enabled && $this->ssl_key && $this->ssl_cert_ok) : ?>
 
   <VirtualHost <?php print "{$ip_address}:{$http_ssl_port}"; ?>>
   <?php if ($this->site_mail) : ?>
diff --git a/http/Provision/Config/Http/Ssl/Site.php b/http/Provision/Config/Http/Ssl/Site.php
index 00658db1..2170a5ae 100644
--- a/http/Provision/Config/Http/Ssl/Site.php
+++ b/http/Provision/Config/Http/Ssl/Site.php
@@ -9,12 +9,11 @@
 class Provision_Config_Http_Ssl_Site extends Provision_Config_Http_Site {
   public $template = 'vhost_ssl.tpl.php';
   public $disabled_template = 'vhost_ssl_disabled.tpl.php';
+  public $ssl_cert_ok = TRUE;
 
   public $description = 'encrypted virtual host configuration';
 
   function write() {
-    parent::write();
-
     if ($this->ssl_enabled && $this->ssl_key) {
       $path = dirname($this->data['ssl_cert']);
       // Make sure the ssl.d directory in the server ssl.d exists. 
@@ -28,28 +27,39 @@ class Provision_Config_Http_Ssl_Site extends Provision_Config_Http_Site {
       // XXX: test. data structure may not be sound. try d($this->uri)
       // if $this fails
       Provision_Service_http_ssl::assign_certificate_site($this->ssl_key, $this);
-
+      
       // Copy the certificates to the server's ssl.d directory.
-      provision_file()->copy(
-        $this->data['ssl_cert_source'],
-        $this->data['ssl_cert'])
-        || drush_set_error('SSL_CERT_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL certificate in place'));
-      provision_file()->copy(
-        $this->data['ssl_cert_key_source'],
-        $this->data['ssl_cert_key'])
-        || drush_set_error('SSL_KEY_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL key in place'));
+      if (!provision_file()->copy($this->data['ssl_cert_source'], $this->data['ssl_cert'])->status()) {
+        drush_set_error('SSL_CERT_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL certificate in place'));
+        $this->ssl_cert_ok = FALSE;
+      }
+      if (!provision_file()->copy($this->data['ssl_cert_key_source'], $this->data['ssl_cert_key'])->status()) {
+        drush_set_error('SSL_KEY_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL key in place'));
+        $this->ssl_cert_ok = FALSE;
+      }
       // Copy the chain certificate, if it is set.
       if (!empty($this->data['ssl_chain_cert_source'])) {
-	      provision_file()->copy(
-          $this->data['ssl_chain_cert_source'],
-          $this->data['ssl_chain_cert'])
-        || drush_set_error('SSL_CHAIN_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL certficate chain in place'));
+        if (!provision_file()->copy($this->data['ssl_chain_cert_source'], $this->data['ssl_chain_cert'])->status()) {
+          drush_set_error('SSL_CHAIN_COPY_FAIL', dt('failed to copy SSL certficate chain in place'));
+          $this->ssl_cert_ok = FALSE;
+        }
       }
+
+      // If cert is not ok, turn off ssl_redirection.
+      if ($this->ssl_cert_ok == FALSE) {
+        $this->data['ssl_redirection'] = FALSE;
+        drush_log(dt('SSL Certificate preparation failed. SSL has been disabled for this site.'), 'warning');
+      }
+
       // Sync the key directory to the remote server.
       $this->data['server']->sync($path, array(
        'exclude' => "{$path}/*.receipt",  // Don't need to synch the receipts
      ));
     }
+
+    // Call parent's write AFTER ensuring the certificates are in place to prevent
+    // the vhost from referencing missing files.
+    parent::write();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/http/Provision/Service/http/ssl.php b/http/Provision/Service/http/ssl.php
index 849c6743..f30c5e8f 100644
--- a/http/Provision/Service/http/ssl.php
+++ b/http/Provision/Service/http/ssl.php
@@ -77,12 +77,6 @@ class Provision_Service_http_ssl extends Provision_Service_http_public {
         $certs = $this->get_certificates($ssl_key);
         $data = array_merge($data, $certs);
       }
-
-      // Turn off ssl and redirection if the cert key is not readable or doesn't exist for some reason.
-      if (!is_readable($data['ssl_cert_key'])) {
-        $this->context->ssl_enabled = FALSE;
-        $data['ssl_redirection'] = FALSE;
-      }
     }
 
     return $data;