diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/sniffer.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/sniffer.py
index a9bc9c3bc..bf46c986a 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/sniffer.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/sniffer.py
@@ -80,11 +80,18 @@ class Sniffer:
         while self._thread_alive.is_set():
             data, nodeid = self._transport.recv(self.RECV_BUFFER_SIZE)
 
-            msg = self._message_factory.create(io.BytesIO(data))
+            # Ignore any exceptions
+            try:
+                msg = self._message_factory.create(io.BytesIO(data))
 
-            if msg is not None:
-                self.logger.debug("Received message: {}".format(msg))
-                self._buckets[nodeid].put(msg)
+                if msg is not None:
+                    self.logger.debug("Received message: {}".format(msg))
+                    self._buckets[nodeid].put(msg)
+
+            except Exception as e:
+                # Just print the exception to the console
+                print("EXCEPTION: %s" % e)
+                pass
 
         self.logger.debug("Sniffer stopped.")