diff --git a/src/lib/core.rs b/src/lib/core.rs
index d240b24ae..2ab7266b1 100644
--- a/src/lib/core.rs
+++ b/src/lib/core.rs
@@ -210,7 +210,13 @@ pub fn create_server_core(config: Configuration) {
     // server as they come in.
 
     // Start the query server with the given be path: future config
-    let server_addr = server::start(log_addr.clone(), config.db_path.as_str(), config.threads);
+    let server_addr = match server::start(log_addr.clone(), config.db_path.as_str(), config.threads) {
+        Ok(addr) => addr,
+        Err(e) => {
+            // Oh shiiiiiiii
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+    };
 
     // Setup timed events
     let _int_addr = IntervalActor::new(server_addr.clone()).start();
diff --git a/src/lib/server.rs b/src/lib/server.rs
index 6b352020f..3bd06fad8 100644
--- a/src/lib/server.rs
+++ b/src/lib/server.rs
@@ -22,23 +22,31 @@ use modify::{Modify, ModifyList};
 use plugins::Plugins;
 use schema::{Schema, SchemaReadTransaction, SchemaTransaction, SchemaWriteTransaction};
 
-pub fn start(log: actix::Addr<EventLog>, path: &str, threads: usize) -> actix::Addr<QueryServer> {
+pub fn start(log: actix::Addr<EventLog>, path: &str, threads: usize) -> Result<actix::Addr<QueryServer>, OperationError> {
     let mut audit = AuditScope::new("server_start");
     let log_inner = log.clone();
 
-    let qs_addr = audit_segment!(audit, || {
+    let qs_addr: Result<actix::Addr<QueryServer>, _> = audit_segment!(audit, || {
         // Create "just enough" schema for us to be able to load from
         // disk ... Schema loading is one time where we validate the
         // entries as we read them, so we need this here.
         // FIXME: Handle results in start correctly
-        let schema = Arc::new(Schema::new(&mut audit).unwrap());
+        let schema = match Schema::new(&mut audit) {
+            Ok(s) => Arc::new(s),
+            Err(e) => return Err(e),
+        };
+
+        // Create a new backend audit scope
         let mut audit_be = AuditScope::new("backend_new");
-        let be = Backend::new(&mut audit_be, path).unwrap();
+        let be = match Backend::new(&mut audit_be, path) {
+            Ok(be) => be,
+            Err(e) => return Err(e),
+        };
+        audit.append_scope(audit_be);
+
         {
-            // Create a new backend audit scope
             let be_txn = be.write();
             let mut schema_write = schema.write();
-            audit.append_scope(audit_be);
 
             // Now, we have the initial schema in memory. Use this to trigger
             // an index of the be for the core schema.
@@ -49,16 +57,22 @@ pub fn start(log: actix::Addr<EventLog>, path: &str, threads: usize) -> actix::A
 
             // Now load the remaining backend schema into memory.
             // TODO: Schema elements should be versioned individually.
-            schema_write.bootstrap_core(&mut audit).unwrap();
-
-            // TODO: Backend setup indexes as needed from schema, for the core
-            // system schema.
-            // TODO: Trigger an index? This could be costly ...
-            //   Perhaps a config option to say if we index on startup or not.
-            // TODO: Check the results!
-            schema_write.validate(&mut audit);
-            be_txn.commit();
-            schema_write.commit();
+            match schema_write.bootstrap_core(&mut audit)
+                // TODO: Backend setup indexes as needed from schema, for the core
+                // system schema.
+                // TODO: Trigger an index? This could be costly ...
+                //   Perhaps a config option to say if we index on startup or not.
+                // TODO: Check the results!
+                .and_then(|_| {
+                    schema_write.validate(&mut audit);
+                    be_txn.commit()
+                })
+                .and_then(|_| {
+                    schema_write.commit()
+                }) {
+                Ok(_) => {}
+                Err(e) => return Err(e),
+            }
         }
 
         // Create a temporary query_server implementation
@@ -68,12 +82,17 @@ pub fn start(log: actix::Addr<EventLog>, path: &str, threads: usize) -> actix::A
         let query_server_write = query_server.write();
         query_server_write.initialise(&mut audit_qsc);
         // We are good to go! Finally commit and consume the txn.
-        audit_segment!(audit_qsc, || query_server_write.commit(&mut audit_qsc));
+        match audit_segment!(audit_qsc, || query_server_write.commit(&mut audit_qsc)) {
+            Ok(_) => {}
+            Err(e) => return Err(e),
+        };
+
         audit.append_scope(audit_qsc);
 
-        SyncArbiter::start(threads, move || {
+        let x = SyncArbiter::start(threads, move || {
             QueryServer::new(log_inner.clone(), be.clone(), schema.clone())
-        })
+        });
+        Ok(x)
     });
     log.do_send(audit);
     qs_addr
@@ -859,9 +878,12 @@ impl<'a> QueryServerWriteTransaction<'a> {
                     // it exists. To guarantee content exactly as is, we compare if it's identical.
                     if !e.compare(&results[0]) {
                         self.internal_delete(audit, filt)
-                            .and_then(
+                            .and_then(|_| {
                                 self.internal_create(audit, vec![e.invalidate()])
-                            )
+                            })
+                    } else {
+                        // No action required
+                        Ok(())
                     }
                 } else {
                     Err(OperationError::InvalidDBState)