diff --git a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
index 4727e8bd..fd43d56b 100644
--- a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
+++ b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ async def comm_info_request(self, stream, ident, parent):
         msg = self.session.send(stream, "comm_info_reply", reply_content, parent, ident)
         self.log.debug("%s", msg)
 
-    def _send_interupt_children(self):
+    def _send_interrupt_children(self):
         if os.name == "nt":
             self.log.error("Interrupt message not supported on Windows")
         else:
@@ -892,20 +892,24 @@ def _send_interupt_children(self):
             # Prefer process-group over process
             # but only if the kernel is the leader of the process group
             if pgid and pgid == pid and hasattr(os, "killpg"):
-                try:
-                    os.killpg(pgid, SIGINT)
-                    return
-                except OSError:
-                    pass
-            try:
+                os.killpg(pgid, SIGINT)
+            else:
                 os.kill(pid, SIGINT)
-            except OSError:
-                pass
 
     async def interrupt_request(self, stream, ident, parent):
         """Handle an interrupt request."""
-        self._send_interupt_children()
-        content = parent["content"]
+        try:
+            self._send_interrupt_children()
+            content = { "status": "ok" }
+        except OSError as err:
+            import traceback
+            content = {
+                "status": "error",
+                "traceback": traceback.format_stack(),
+                "ename": str(type(err).__name__),
+                "evalue": str(err),
+            }
+
         self.session.send(stream, "interrupt_reply", content, parent, ident=ident)
         return
 
diff --git a/ipykernel/tests/conftest.py b/ipykernel/tests/conftest.py
index 45341cef..00f8394f 100644
--- a/ipykernel/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/ipykernel/tests/conftest.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ async def _wait_for_msg(self):
         _, msg = self.session.feed_identities(self._reply)
         return self.session.deserialize(msg)
 
-    def _send_interupt_children(self):
+    def _send_interrupt_children(self):
         # override to prevent deadlock
         pass
 
diff --git a/ipykernel/tests/test_ipkernel_direct.py b/ipykernel/tests/test_ipkernel_direct.py
index 0e65c9a8..254b3a99 100644
--- a/ipykernel/tests/test_ipkernel_direct.py
+++ b/ipykernel/tests/test_ipkernel_direct.py
@@ -90,9 +90,20 @@ async def test_comm_info_request(ipkernel):
 
 
 async def test_direct_interrupt_request(ipkernel):
-    reply = await ipkernel.test_shell_message("interrupt_request", {})
+    reply = await ipkernel.test_control_message("interrupt_request", {})
     assert reply["header"]["msg_type"] == "interrupt_reply"
+    assert reply["content"] == { "status": "ok" }
 
+    # test failure on interrupt request
+    def raiseOSError():
+        raise OSError("evalue")
+    ipkernel._send_interrupt_children = raiseOSError
+    reply = await ipkernel.test_control_message("interrupt_request", {})
+    assert reply["header"]["msg_type"] == "interrupt_reply"
+    assert reply["content"]["status"] == "error"
+    assert reply["content"]["ename"] == "OSError"
+    assert reply["content"]["evalue"] == "evalue"
+    assert len(reply["content"]["traceback"]) > 0
 
 # TODO: this causes deadlock
 # async def test_direct_shutdown_request(ipkernel):
diff --git a/ipykernel/tests/test_kernel_direct.py b/ipykernel/tests/test_kernel_direct.py
index f75d8b6d..900f17ba 100644
--- a/ipykernel/tests/test_kernel_direct.py
+++ b/ipykernel/tests/test_kernel_direct.py
@@ -69,8 +69,20 @@ async def test_comm_info_request(kernel):
 
 
 async def test_direct_interrupt_request(kernel):
-    reply = await kernel.test_shell_message("interrupt_request", {})
+    reply = await kernel.test_control_message("interrupt_request", {})
     assert reply["header"]["msg_type"] == "interrupt_reply"
+    assert reply["content"] == { "status": "ok" }
+
+    # test failure on interrupt request
+    def raiseOSError():
+        raise OSError("evalue")
+    kernel._send_interrupt_children = raiseOSError
+    reply = await kernel.test_control_message("interrupt_request", {})
+    assert reply["header"]["msg_type"] == "interrupt_reply"
+    assert reply["content"]["status"] == "error"
+    assert reply["content"]["ename"] == "OSError"
+    assert reply["content"]["evalue"] == "evalue"
+    assert len(reply["content"]["traceback"]) > 0
 
 
 async def test_direct_shutdown_request(kernel):
@@ -145,8 +157,8 @@ async def test_connect_request(kernel):
     await kernel.connect_request(kernel.shell_stream, "foo", {})
 
 
-async def test_send_interupt_children(kernel):
-    kernel._send_interupt_children()
+async def test_send_interrupt_children(kernel):
+    kernel._send_interrupt_children()
 
 
 # TODO: this causes deadlock