diff --git a/src/server/mod.rs b/src/server/mod.rs
index 811e7cf..81b98fa 100644
--- a/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ pub fn init(data_paths: DataPaths, server_parameters: ServerParameters) {
         }
         info!("Found PID file at {pid_file_path:?}, overwriting...");
     }
-    let pid_file = qpidfile::Pidfile::new(pid_file_path).unwrap();
+    let pid_file = match qpidfile::Pidfile::new(&pid_file_path) {
+        Ok(pidfile) => pidfile,
+        Err(e) => {
+            error!("Failed to create PID file at {}", pid_file_path.display());
+            error!("{}", e);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
 
     let runtime = match tokio::runtime::Runtime::new() {
         Err(e) => {