diff --git a/kmod/src/msg.h b/kmod/src/msg.h
index e08682c8..54477825 100644
--- a/kmod/src/msg.h
+++ b/kmod/src/msg.h
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ do {									\
 	}								\
 } while (0)								\
 
+#define scoutfs_bug_on_err(sb, err, fmt, args...) \
+do { \
+	__typeof__(err) _err = (err); \
+	scoutfs_bug_on(sb, _err < 0 && _err != -ENOLINK, fmt, ##args); \
+} while (0)
+
 /*
  * Each message is only generated once per volume.  Remounting resets
  * the messages.
diff --git a/kmod/src/server.c b/kmod/src/server.c
index 4c6686b2..7ed04b52 100644
--- a/kmod/src/server.c
+++ b/kmod/src/server.c
@@ -2518,10 +2518,9 @@ out:
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (ret < 0)
-		scoutfs_err(sb, "server error %d splicing log merge completion: %s", ret, err_str);
-
-	BUG_ON(ret); /* inconsistent */
+	/* inconsistent */
+	scoutfs_bug_on_err(sb, ret,
+			   "server error %d splicing log merge completion: %s", ret, err_str);
 
 	return ret ?: einprogress;
 }