diff --git a/src/aare/devices/tell_backend.py b/src/aare/devices/tell_backend.py
index 0a6f962e..478a6f06 100644
--- a/src/aare/devices/tell_backend.py
+++ b/src/aare/devices/tell_backend.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import json
 import re
 import time
 from typing import Any, Callable, Protocol
+from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import requests
@@ -149,8 +150,25 @@ class PShellTellBackend:
     def wait_events(self, events: dict[str, Any], timeout: float):
         return self._pshell.wait_events(events, timeout=timeout)
 
+    def _handle_pshell_error(self, e: HTTPError, operation: str, endpoint: str):
+        """Extract meaningful error message from HTTPError response."""
+        msg = "Unknown server error"
+        if e.response is not None and e.response.text:
+            msg = e.response.text.strip()
+        raise TellCommunicationError(
+            msg,
+            base_url=self._url,
+            endpoint=endpoint,
+            operation=operation,
+        ) from e
+
     def eval(self, expr: str):
-        return self._pshell.eval(expr)
+        try:
+            return self._pshell.eval(expr)
+        except HTTPError as e:
+            self._handle_pshell_error(e, "EVAL", f"eval/{expr}")
+        except Exception:
+            raise
 
     def start_eval(self, expr: str) -> int:
         return self._pshell.start_eval(expr)
diff --git a/src/aare/devices/tell_client.py b/src/aare/devices/tell_client.py
index 28870bc8..0fe435d0 100755
--- a/src/aare/devices/tell_client.py
+++ b/src/aare/devices/tell_client.py
@@ -263,6 +263,12 @@ class TellClient:
     def get_setting(self, key: str) -> str:
         return self.backend.eval(f"get_setting('{key}')&")
 
+    def blower_on(self):
+        self.backend.eval("blower_on()&")
+
+    def blower_off(self):
+        self.backend.eval("blower_off()&")
+
     def get_mounted_sample(self) -> SampleDewarAddress | None:
         ret = self.get_setting("mounted_sample_position").strip()
         if not ret:
@@ -327,7 +333,8 @@ class TellClient:
         return self.get_robot_status()["powered"]
 
     def check_enable_motion(self):
-        return True
+        if not self.is_powered():
+            self.backend.eval("enable_motion()&")
 
     def is_in_cold(self):
         return self.is_position(POSITION_COLD)
@@ -398,6 +405,9 @@ def make_tell_client(bl: MXBeamline) -> TellClient:
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     from aare.common.beamline import mx_beamline
+    import time
     bl = mx_beamline()
     tell_client = make_tell_client(bl)
-    tell_client.state()
\ No newline at end of file
+    tell_client.blower_on()
+    # time.sleep(5)
+    tell_client.blower_off()
\ No newline at end of file