diff --git a/server/pom.xml b/server/pom.xml
index df8c54b55..dd2252469 100644
--- a/server/pom.xml
+++ b/server/pom.xml
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
 
   <properties>
     <!-- https://github.com/vert-x3/vertx-dependencies/blob/6b147024b6aa7732386c6a94a126eacf3b4dda1b/pom.xml#LL50C20-L50C32 -->
-    <netty.version>4.1.107.Final</netty.version>
-    <logback.version>1.5.3</logback.version>
-    <vertx.version>4.5.4</vertx.version>
+    <netty.version>4.1.112.Final</netty.version>
+    <logback.version>1.5.7</logback.version>
+    <vertx.version>4.5.9</vertx.version>
     <junit.jupiter.version>5.10.3</junit.jupiter.version>
     <assertj-core.version>3.26.3</assertj-core.version>
     <mockito-core.version>5.12.0</mockito-core.version>
-    <slf4j-api.version>2.0.12</slf4j-api.version>
+    <slf4j-api.version>2.0.16</slf4j-api.version>
     <maven.compiler.source>11</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>11</maven.compiler.target>
     <owasp-html-sanitizer.version>20240325.1</owasp-html-sanitizer.version>
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
       <artifactId>commons-text</artifactId>
-      <version>1.11.0</version>
+      <version>1.12.0</version>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.structurizr</groupId>
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/io/kroki/server/Server.java b/server/src/main/java/io/kroki/server/Server.java
index 95761d6a7..576f17b6f 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/io/kroki/server/Server.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/io/kroki/server/Server.java
@@ -45,13 +45,17 @@ public void start(Promise<Void> startPromise) {
       if (configResult.failed()) {
         startPromise.fail(configResult.cause());
       } else {
-        start(vertx, vertxOptions, configResult.result(), startResult -> {
-          if (startResult.succeeded()) {
-            startPromise.complete();
-          } else {
-            startPromise.fail(startResult.cause());
-          }
-        });
+        try {
+          start(vertx, vertxOptions, configResult.result(), startResult -> {
+            if (startResult.succeeded()) {
+              startPromise.complete();
+            } else {
+              startPromise.fail(startResult.cause());
+            }
+          });
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+          startPromise.fail(e);
+        }
       }
     });
   }