diff --git a/pkg/command/server.go b/pkg/command/server.go
index 4c05977d652..223cc25501d 100644
--- a/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package command
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
 	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/owncloud/ocis-accounts/pkg/flagset"
@@ -53,8 +52,14 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 				logger.Info().Str("service", service.Name()).Msg("Reporting settings bundle to account service")
 				go svc.RegisterSettingsBundles(&logger)
 				return service.Run()
-			}, func(_ error) {
-				fmt.Println("shutting down grpc server")
+			}, func(err error) {
+				if err != nil {
+					logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("account service died")
+				} else {
+					logger.Info().
+						Str("service", service.Name()).
+						Msg("Shutting down server")
+				}
 				cancel()
 			})
 
diff --git a/pkg/server/grpc/server.go b/pkg/server/grpc/server.go
index b2031ef998c..16e6471ffbe 100644
--- a/pkg/server/grpc/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/grpc/server.go
@@ -18,8 +18,13 @@ func NewService(opts ...Option) grpc.Service {
 		grpc.Logger(options.Logger),
 	)
 
-	hdlr := svc.New(options.Config)
-	if err := proto.RegisterAccountsServiceHandler(service.Server(), hdlr); err != nil {
+	var hdlr *svc.Service
+	var err error
+
+	if hdlr, err = svc.New(options.Config); err != nil {
+		options.Logger.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("could not initialize service handler")
+	}
+	if err = proto.RegisterAccountsServiceHandler(service.Server(), hdlr); err != nil {
 		options.Logger.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("could not register service handler")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/service/v0/service.go b/pkg/service/v0/service.go
index 3b6c9a6f45c..a37b480e61f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/v0/service.go
+++ b/pkg/service/v0/service.go
@@ -34,57 +34,66 @@ import (
 )
 
 // New returns a new instance of Service
-func New(cfg *config.Config) Service {
+// TODO pass in logger as options
+func New(cfg *config.Config) (s *Service, err error) {
 	// read all user and group records
 
 	// for now recreate index on every start
-	os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "index.bleve"))
-	os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts"), 0700)
+	if err = os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "index.bleve")); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err = os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts"), 0700); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	mapping := bleve.NewIndexMapping()
+	// keep all symbols in terms to allow exact maching, eg. emails
 	mapping.DefaultAnalyzer = keyword.Name
-
 	// TODO don't bother to store fields as we will load the account from disk
-	index, err := bleve.New(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "index.bleve"), mapping)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+
+	s = &Service{
+		Config: cfg,
 	}
-	f, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts"))
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Error().Err(err).Str("dir", filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts")).Msg("could not open acconts folder")
-		panic(err)
+
+	if s.index, err = bleve.New(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "index.bleve"), mapping); err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	var f *os.File
+	if f, err = os.Open(filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts")); err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Str("dir", filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts")).Msg("could not open accounts folder")
+		return
 	}
 	list, err := f.Readdir(-1)
 	f.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error().Err(err).Str("dir", filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts")).Msg("could not list accounts folder")
-		panic(err)
+		return
 	}
+	var data []byte
 	for _, file := range list {
 		path := filepath.Join(cfg.Server.AccountsDataPath, "accounts", file.Name())
-		data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
-		if err != nil {
+		if data, err = ioutil.ReadFile(path); err != nil {
 			log.Error().Err(err).Str("path", path).Msg("could not read account")
 			continue
 		}
 		a := proto.Account{}
-		err = json.Unmarshal(data, &a)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err = json.Unmarshal(data, &a); err != nil {
 			log.Error().Err(err).Str("path", path).Msg("could not unmarshal account")
 			continue
 		}
 		log.Debug().Interface("account", a).Msg("found account")
-		index.Index(a.Id, a)
+		if err = s.index.Index(a.Id, a); err != nil {
+			log.Error().Err(err).Str("path", path).Interface("account", a).Msg("could not index account")
+			continue
+		}
 	}
 
 	// TODO watch folders for new records
 
-	s := Service{
-		Config: cfg,
-		index:  index,
-	}
+	s.Config = cfg
 
-	return s
+	return
 }
 
 // Service implements the AccountsServiceHandler interface