diff --git a/audit/audit.cc b/audit/audit.cc
index 1fcc133e55..25c1b6890e 100644
--- a/audit/audit.cc
+++ b/audit/audit.cc
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ future<> audit::stop_audit() {
         return make_ready_future<>();
     }
     return audit::audit::audit_instance().invoke_on_all([] (auto& local_audit) {
+        SCYLLA_ASSERT(!local_audit._storage_running);
         return local_audit.shutdown();
     }).then([] {
         return audit::audit::audit_instance().stop();
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 94c273a818..10dfdc2a54 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -2363,9 +2363,7 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             // The table-based audit backend needs Raft (via join_cluster)
             // to create its keyspace and table.
             checkpoint(stop_signal, "starting audit storage");
-            audit::audit::start_storage(*cfg).handle_exception([&] (auto&& e) {
-                startlog.error("audit storage start failed: {}", e);
-            }).get();
+            audit::audit::start_storage(*cfg).get();
             auto audit_storage_stop = defer([] {
                 audit::audit::stop_storage().get();
             });