diff --git a/src/eventlog.js b/src/eventlog.js
index e41d7cebe..81ac4791e 100644
--- a/src/eventlog.js
+++ b/src/eventlog.js
@@ -101,14 +101,9 @@ async function add(action, source, data) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object');
 
     const id = uuid.v4();
-    try {
-        await database.query('INSERT INTO eventlog (id, action, source, data) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)', [ id, action, JSON.stringify(source), JSON.stringify(data) ]);
-        await notifications.onEvent(id, action, source, data);
-        return id;
-    } catch (error) {
-        debug('add: error adding event', error);
-        return null;
-    }
+    await database.query('INSERT INTO eventlog (id, action, source, data) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)', [ id, action, JSON.stringify(source), JSON.stringify(data) ]);
+    await notifications.onEvent(id, action, source, data);
+    return id;
 }
 
 // never throws, only logs because previously code did not take a callback
@@ -126,16 +121,11 @@ async function upsertLoginEvent(action, source, data) {
         args: [ action, JSON.stringify(source) ]
     }];
 
-    try {
-        const result = await database.transaction(queries);
-        if (result[0].affectedRows >= 1) return result[1][0].id;
+    const result = await database.transaction(queries);
+    if (result[0].affectedRows >= 1) return result[1][0].id;
 
-        // no existing eventlog found, create one
-        return await add(action, source, data);
-    } catch (error) {
-        debug('add: error adding event', error);
-        return null;
-    }
+    // no existing eventlog found, create one
+    return await add(action, source, data);
 }
 
 async function get(id) {
diff --git a/src/volumes.js b/src/volumes.js
index c2c0cff62..c1b63fa01 100644
--- a/src/volumes.js
+++ b/src/volumes.js
@@ -92,14 +92,11 @@ async function add(volume, auditSource) {
         await mounts.tryAddMount(volume, { timeout: 10 }); // 10 seconds
     }
 
-    try {
-        await database.query('INSERT INTO volumes (id, name, hostPath, mountType, mountOptionsJson) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)', [ id, name, volume.hostPath, mountType, JSON.stringify(mountOptions) ]);
-    } catch (error) {
-        if (error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('name') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'name already exists');
-        if (error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('hostPath') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'hostPath already exists');
-        if (error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('PRIMARY') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'id already exists');
-        throw error;
-    }
+    [error] = await safe(database.query('INSERT INTO volumes (id, name, hostPath, mountType, mountOptionsJson) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)', [ id, name, volume.hostPath, mountType, JSON.stringify(mountOptions) ]));
+    if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('name') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'name already exists');
+    if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('hostPath') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'hostPath already exists');
+    if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY' && error.sqlMessage.indexOf('PRIMARY') !== -1) throw new BoxError(BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS, 'id already exists');
+    if (error) throw error;
 
     eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_VOLUME_ADD, auditSource, { id, name, hostPath: volume.hostPath });
     // in theory, we only need to do this mountpoint volumes. but for some reason a restart is required to detect new "mounts"