Index: src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/DeleteLocalInstanceCommand.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/DeleteLocalInstanceCommand.java	(revision 42904)
+++ src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/DeleteLocalInstanceCommand.java	(working copy)
@@ -145,23 +145,24 @@
      * Ask DAS to wipe it out from domain.xml
      */
     private void doRemote() throws CommandException {
-        try {
+        if (isDASRunning()) {
             RemoteCommand rc = new RemoteCommand("_unregister-instance", programOpts, env);
             rc.execute("_unregister-instance",
                     "--node", getServerDirs().getServerParentDir().getName(),
-                    //"--remote_only", "true",
                     getServerDirs().getServerName());
+        } else {
+            String newString = Strings.get("DeleteInstance.remoteError",
+                    programOpts.getHost(), "" + programOpts.getPort());
+            throw new CommandException(newString);
         }
-        catch (CommandException ce) {
-            // Let's add our $0.02 to this Exception!
-            Throwable t = ce.getCause();
-            String newString = Strings.get("DeleteInstance.remoteError",
-                    ce.getLocalizedMessage());
+    }
 
-            if (t != null)
-                throw new CommandException(newString, t);
-            else
-                throw new CommandException(newString);
+    private boolean isDASRunning() {
+        try {
+            getUptime();
+            return true;
+        } catch (CommandException ex) {
+            return false;
         }
     }
 }
Index: src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/LocalStrings.properties
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/LocalStrings.properties	(revision 42904)
+++ src/main/java/com/sun/enterprise/admin/cli/cluster/LocalStrings.properties	(working copy)
@@ -115,10 +115,7 @@
 DeleteInstance.badWhack=Unable to delete the instance directory: {0}  The directory still exists after trying to delete it.
 DeleteInstance.badWhackWithException=Unable to delete the instance directory: {0}.  \n\
 This IOException was thrown: {1) \n** STACK TRACE **\n{2}
-DeleteInstance.remoteError=The DAS command to remove the instance from the configuration failed.  \
-The entire operation has been rolled back.  \nRun the command again after solving the problem with \
-the Domain Administration Server.  \nOr run this command again with the filesystemonly argument set to true and the \
-local files will be deleted only.  \nBelow is the original message from CLI and/or DAS:\n\n{0}
+DeleteInstance.remoteError=Failed to connect to DAS on {0}:{1}.
 DeleteInstance.noWhack=The instance directory does not exist: {0}
 DeleteInstance.noInstance=The instance does not exist on this machine.
 Config.badConfigNames=You must specify a source and destination config