diff --git a/crates/federate/src/lib.rs b/crates/federate/src/lib.rs
index 0e3a707e2..2151c0eed 100644
--- a/crates/federate/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/federate/src/lib.rs
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@ impl SendManager {
 
   pub fn run(mut self) -> CancellableTask {
     CancellableTask::spawn(WORKER_EXIT_TIMEOUT, move |cancel| async move {
-      self.do_loop(cancel).await.unwrap();
-      self.cancel().await.unwrap();
+      self.do_loop(cancel).await?;
+      self.cancel().await?;
+      Ok(())
     })
   }
 
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ impl SendManager {
           self.workers.insert(
             instance.id,
             CancellableTask::spawn(WORKER_EXIT_TIMEOUT, move |stop| async move {
-              InstanceWorker::init_and_loop(instance, req_data, stop, stats_sender).await
+              InstanceWorker::init_and_loop(instance, req_data, stop, stats_sender).await?;
+              Ok(())
             }),
           );
         } else if !should_federate {
diff --git a/crates/federate/src/util.rs b/crates/federate/src/util.rs
index c7f020e1d..f88ea5c9f 100644
--- a/crates/federate/src/util.rs
+++ b/crates/federate/src/util.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use lemmy_db_schema::{
   traits::ApubActor,
   utils::{get_conn, DbPool},
 };
+use lemmy_utils::error::LemmyResult;
 use moka::future::Cache;
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use reqwest::Url;
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ use serde_json::Value;
 use std::{fmt::Debug, future::Future, pin::Pin, sync::Arc, time::Duration};
 use tokio::{task::JoinHandle, time::sleep};
 use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
+use tracing::error;
 
 /// Decrease the delays of the federation queue.
 /// Should only be used for federation tests since it significantly increases CPU and DB load of the federation queue.
@@ -59,26 +61,26 @@ impl CancellableTask {
     task: impl FnOnce(CancellationToken) -> F + Send + 'static,
   ) -> CancellableTask
   where
-    F: Future<Output = R> + Send + 'static,
+    F: Future<Output = LemmyResult<R>> + Send + 'static,
     R: Send + 'static,
   {
     let stop = CancellationToken::new();
     let stop2 = stop.clone();
-    // TODO: need to print error
-    let task: JoinHandle<R> = tokio::spawn(task(stop2.clone()));
+    let task: JoinHandle<LemmyResult<R>> = tokio::spawn(task(stop2));
     let abort = task.abort_handle();
     CancellableTask {
       f: Box::pin(async move {
         stop.cancel();
         tokio::select! {
             r = task => {
-              r.context("could not join")?;
-                Ok(())
+              if let Err(ref e) = r? {
+                error!("CancellableTask threw error: {e}");
+              }
+              Ok(())
             },
             _ = sleep(timeout) => {
                 abort.abort();
-                tracing::warn!("Graceful shutdown timed out, aborting task");
-                Err(anyhow!("task aborted due to timeout"))
+                Err(anyhow!("CancellableTask aborted due to shutdown timeout"))
             }
         }
       }),