diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/create_board/ncs_create_board.py b/scripts/west_commands/create_board/ncs_create_board.py
index 9e527c1664cd..f57e9d81cfba 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/create_board/ncs_create_board.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/create_board/ncs_create_board.py
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 import json
 import shutil
+import sys
 
 from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader, TemplateNotFound
 from west.commands import WestCommand
-from west import log
 from yaml import load
 import jsonschema
 
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 except ImportError:
     from yaml import Loader
 
+sys.path.append(str(Path(__file__).parents[1]))
+import utils
+
+
+utils.install_json_excepthook()
+
 
 SCRIPT_DIR = Path(__file__).absolute().parent
 TEMPLATE_DIR = SCRIPT_DIR / "templates"
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ def do_run(self, args, unknown_args):
         try:
             jsonschema.validate(input, schema)
         except jsonschema.ValidationError as e:
-            raise Exception("Board configuration is not valid") from e
+            raise ValueError("Board configuration is not valid") from e
 
         soc_parts = input["soc"].split("-")
         req_soc = soc_parts[0].lower()
@@ -86,8 +92,7 @@ def do_run(self, args, unknown_args):
                     break
 
         if not series:
-            log.err(f"Invalid/unsupported SoC: {req_soc}")
-            return
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid/unsupported SoC: {req_soc}")
 
         targets = []
         for variant in soc["variants"]:
@@ -130,8 +135,7 @@ def do_run(self, args, unknown_args):
                 break
 
         if not targets:
-            log.err(f"Invalid/unsupported variant: {req_variant}")
-            return
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid/unsupported variant: {req_variant}")
 
         # prepare Jinja environment
         env = Environment(