diff --git a/src/shrpx_tls.cc b/src/shrpx_tls.cc
index 653dd58e..ece7e869 100644
--- a/src/shrpx_tls.cc
+++ b/src/shrpx_tls.cc
@@ -1082,6 +1082,7 @@ SSL_CTX *create_ssl_context(const char *private_key_file, const char *cert_file,
                                   SSL_FILETYPE_PEM) != 1) {
     LOG(FATAL) << "SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file failed: "
                << ERR_error_string(ERR_get_error(), nullptr);
+    DIE();
   }
 #else  // HAVE_NEVERBLEED
   std::array<char, NEVERBLEED_ERRBUF_SIZE> errbuf;
@@ -1377,6 +1378,7 @@ SSL_CTX *create_quic_ssl_context(const char *private_key_file,
                                   SSL_FILETYPE_PEM) != 1) {
     LOG(FATAL) << "SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file failed: "
                << ERR_error_string(ERR_get_error(), nullptr);
+    DIE();
   }
 #  else  // HAVE_NEVERBLEED
   std::array<char, NEVERBLEED_ERRBUF_SIZE> errbuf;