diff --git a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
index b35b38a0da8..b563a36294a 100644
--- a/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/net_plugin/net_plugin.cpp
@@ -3022,6 +3022,8 @@ namespace eosio {
    }
 
    void net_plugin::plugin_startup() {
+      handle_sighup();
+      try {
       my->producer_plug = app().find_plugin<producer_plugin>();
 
       // currently thread_pool only used for server_ioc
@@ -3056,17 +3058,13 @@ namespace eosio {
          }
       }
 
-      my->keepalive_timer.reset( new boost::asio::steady_timer( my->thread_pool->get_executor() ) );
-      my->ticker();
-
       if( my->acceptor ) {
          my->acceptor->open(my->listen_endpoint.protocol());
          my->acceptor->set_option(tcp::acceptor::reuse_address(true));
          try {
            my->acceptor->bind(my->listen_endpoint);
          } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-           fc_elog( logger, "net_plugin::plugin_startup failed to bind to port ${port}",
-                    ("port", my->listen_endpoint.port()));
+           elog( "net_plugin::plugin_startup failed to bind to port ${port}", ("port", my->listen_endpoint.port()));
            throw e;
          }
          my->acceptor->listen();
@@ -3078,6 +3076,9 @@ namespace eosio {
          cc.accepted_block.connect(  boost::bind(&net_plugin_impl::accepted_block, my.get(), _1));
       }
 
+      my->keepalive_timer.reset( new boost::asio::steady_timer( my->thread_pool->get_executor() ) );
+      my->ticker();
+
       my->incoming_transaction_ack_subscription = app().get_channel<channels::transaction_ack>().subscribe(boost::bind(&net_plugin_impl::transaction_ack, my.get(), _1));
 
       if( cc.get_read_mode() == chain::db_read_mode::READ_ONLY ) {
@@ -3090,7 +3091,12 @@ namespace eosio {
       for( auto seed_node : my->supplied_peers ) {
          connect( seed_node );
       }
-      handle_sighup();
+
+      } catch (...) {
+         // always want plugin_shutdown even on exception
+         plugin_shutdown();
+         throw;
+      }
    }
 
    void net_plugin::handle_sighup() {
diff --git a/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp b/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
index 4291dffaeb6..a9cfab68cb4 100644
--- a/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/producer_plugin/producer_plugin.cpp
@@ -804,6 +804,7 @@ void producer_plugin::plugin_startup()
 { try {
    handle_sighup(); // Sets loggers
 
+   try {
    ilog("producer plugin:  plugin_startup() begin");
 
    chain::controller& chain = my->chain_plug->chain();
@@ -840,6 +841,11 @@ void producer_plugin::plugin_startup()
    my->schedule_production_loop();
 
    ilog("producer plugin:  plugin_startup() end");
+   } catch( ... ) {
+      // always call plugin_shutdown, even on exception
+      plugin_shutdown();
+      throw;
+   }
 } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW() }
 
 void producer_plugin::plugin_shutdown() {