diff --git a/sources/frontend.c b/sources/frontend.c
index 75756a24..47478fed 100644
--- a/sources/frontend.c
+++ b/sources/frontend.c
@@ -879,10 +879,18 @@ od_frontend_cleanup(od_client_t *client, char *context,
 		/* close backend connection */
 		od_router_close(router, client);
 		break;
-
-	default:
-		abort();
-		break;
+	case OD_UNDEF:
+	case OD_SKIP:
+	case OD_ATTACH:
+	case OD_DETACH:
+        od_error(&instance->logger, context, client, server,
+                 "%s", "unexpected error status %s (%d)", od_status_to_str(status), (uint32)status);
+        od_router_close(router, client);
+        break;
+    default:
+        od_error(&instance->logger, context, client, server,
+                 "%s", "unexpected error status %s (%d), possible corruption, abort()", od_status_to_str(status), (uint32)status);
+        abort();
 	}
 }