diff --git a/crates/projection-xmpp/src/lib.rs b/crates/projection-xmpp/src/lib.rs
index 9192092..9e852ca 100644
--- a/crates/projection-xmpp/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/projection-xmpp/src/lib.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ pub async fn launch(
 
     let key = match read_one(&mut SyncBufReader::new(File::open(config.key)?))? {
         Some(PemItem::ECKey(k) | PemItem::PKCS8Key(k) | PemItem::RSAKey(k)) => PrivateKey(k),
-        _ => panic!("no keys in file"),
+        _ => return Err(fail("no keys in file")),
     };
 
     let loaded_config = Arc::new(LoadedConfig {
diff --git a/crates/proto-xmpp/src/stream.rs b/crates/proto-xmpp/src/stream.rs
index 4d11039..b336bc8 100644
--- a/crates/proto-xmpp/src/stream.rs
+++ b/crates/proto-xmpp/src/stream.rs
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ impl ClientStreamStart {
         if let Event::Start(e) = incoming {
             let (ns, local) = reader.resolve_element(e.name());
             if ns != ResolveResult::Bound(Namespace(XMLNS.as_bytes())) {
-                return Err(panic!());
+                return Err(anyhow!("Invalid namespace for stream element"));
             }
             if local.into_inner() != b"stream" {
-                return Err(panic!());
+                return Err(anyhow!("Invalid local name for stream element"));
             }
             let mut to = None;
             let mut lang = None;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ impl ClientStreamStart {
                 version: version.unwrap(),
             })
         } else {
-            Err(panic!())
+            Err(anyhow!("Incoming message does not belong XML Start Event"))
         }
     }
 }