diff --git a/devtools/conda-envs/openmm.yaml b/devtools/conda-envs/openmm.yaml
index e47dba7c8..ae4630228 100644
--- a/devtools/conda-envs/openmm.yaml
+++ b/devtools/conda-envs/openmm.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ dependencies:
   - py-cpuinfo
   - psutil
   - qcelemental >=0.11.1
-  - pydantic >=0.30.1
+  - pydantic >=1.8.2
 
     # Testing
   - pytest
diff --git a/devtools/conda-envs/qcore.yaml b/devtools/conda-envs/qcore.yaml
index 151a52cc8..8e848bc27 100644
--- a/devtools/conda-envs/qcore.yaml
+++ b/devtools/conda-envs/qcore.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ dependencies:
   - py-cpuinfo
   - psutil
   - qcelemental >=0.24
-  - pydantic >=0.30.1
+  - pydantic >=1.8.2
   - tbb<2021
 
     # Testing
diff --git a/devtools/conda-envs/xtb.yaml b/devtools/conda-envs/xtb.yaml
index 974f2d020..fb710e50d 100644
--- a/devtools/conda-envs/xtb.yaml
+++ b/devtools/conda-envs/xtb.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ dependencies:
   - py-cpuinfo
   - psutil
   - qcelemental >=0.11.1
-  - pydantic >=0.30.1
+  - pydantic >=1.8.2
 
     # Extras
   - gcp-correction
diff --git a/qcengine/programs/psi4.py b/qcengine/programs/psi4.py
index 7dd4d5e1e..99b725c64 100644
--- a/qcengine/programs/psi4.py
+++ b/qcengine/programs/psi4.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def _handle_errors(self, output_data):
                 error_message = output_data["error"]["error_message"]
                 error_type = output_data["error"].get("error_type", "unknown_error")
         else:
-            error_message = "Unknown error, error message is not found, possibly segfaulted"
+            error_message = "Unknown error, error message is not found, possible segmentation fault!"
             error_type = "internal_error"
 
         return error_message, error_type
diff --git a/qcengine/tests/test_harness_canonical.py b/qcengine/tests/test_harness_canonical.py
index ca4c19db8..ed482ceb4 100644
--- a/qcengine/tests/test_harness_canonical.py
+++ b/qcengine/tests/test_harness_canonical.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """
 Tests the DQM compute dispatch module
 """
+import msgpack
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 from qcelemental.models import AtomicInput, BasisSet
@@ -148,3 +149,27 @@ def test_compute_bad_models(program, model):
 
     with pytest.raises(qcng.exceptions.InputError) as exc:
         ret = qcng.compute(inp, program, raise_error=True)
+
+
+def test_psi4_restarts(monkeypatch):
+    """
+    Make sure that a random error is raised which can be restarted if psi4 fails with no error message
+    """
+    if not has_program("psi4"):
+        pytest.skip("Program psi4 not found.")
+
+    # create the psi4 task
+    inp = AtomicInput(molecule=qcng.get_molecule("hydrogen"), driver="energy", model={"method": "hf", "basis": "6-31G"})
+
+    def mock_execute(*args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Mock the output of a failed psi4 task with missing error message.
+        """
+
+        mock_output = {"sucess": False, "outfiles": {"data.msgpack": msgpack.dumps({"missing": "data"})}}
+        return True, mock_output
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("qcengine.programs.psi4.execute", mock_execute)
+
+    with pytest.raises(qcng.exceptions.RandomError):
+        _ = qcng.compute(input_data=inp, program="psi4", raise_error=True, task_config={"retries": 0})