diff --git a/nomt/src/bitbox/mod.rs b/nomt/src/bitbox/mod.rs
index 016ba3e3..72ea5c87 100644
--- a/nomt/src/bitbox/mod.rs
+++ b/nomt/src/bitbox/mod.rs
@@ -276,6 +276,10 @@ pub struct SyncController {
     wal_result_tx: Option<Sender<std::io::Result<()>>>,
     /// The channel to receive the result of the WAL writeout.
     wal_result_rx: Receiver<std::io::Result<()>>,
+    /// The channel to send the result of the begin_sync task. Option is to allow `take`.
+    begin_sync_result_tx: Option<Sender<std::io::Result<()>>>,
+    /// The channel to receive the result of the the begin_sync task.
+    begin_sync_result_rx: Receiver<std::io::Result<()>>,
     /// The pages along with their page numbers to write out to the HT file.
     ht_to_write: Arc<Mutex<Option<Vec<(u64, Arc<FatPage>)>>>>,
 }
@@ -283,10 +287,13 @@ pub struct SyncController {
 impl SyncController {
     fn new(db: DB) -> Self {
         let (wal_result_tx, wal_result_rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(1);
+        let (begin_sync_result_tx, begin_sync_result_rx) = crossbeam_channel::bounded(1);
         Self {
             db,
             wal_result_tx: Some(wal_result_tx),
             wal_result_rx,
+            begin_sync_result_tx: Some(begin_sync_result_tx),
+            begin_sync_result_rx,
             ht_to_write: Arc::new(Mutex::new(None)),
         }
     }
@@ -306,7 +313,8 @@ impl SyncController {
         let wal_blob_builder = self.db.shared.wal_blob_builder.clone();
         // UNWRAP: safe because begin_sync is called only once.
         let wal_result_tx = self.wal_result_tx.take().unwrap();
-        self.db.shared.sync_tp.execute(move || {
+
+        let begin_sync_task = move || {
             let mut wal_blob_builder = wal_blob_builder.lock();
             let (ht_pages, cache_updates) =
                 bitbox.prepare_sync(sync_seqn, &page_pool, updated_pages, &mut *wal_blob_builder);
@@ -320,6 +328,20 @@ impl SyncController {
             // evict and drop old pages outside of the critical path.
             page_cache.batch_update(cache_updates);
             page_cache.evict();
+        };
+
+        // UNWRAP: safe because begin_sync is called only once.
+        let begin_sync_result_tx = self.begin_sync_result_tx.take().unwrap();
+        self.db.shared.sync_tp.execute(move || {
+            let output_or_panic =
+                std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| begin_sync_task()))
+                    .map_err(|e| {
+                        std::io::Error::new(
+                            std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                            anyhow::anyhow!("panic in bitbox begin sync: {:?}", e),
+                        )
+                    });
+            let _ = begin_sync_result_tx.send(output_or_panic);
         });
     }
 
@@ -338,10 +360,19 @@ impl SyncController {
     ///
     /// Must be invoked by the sync thread. Blocking.
     pub fn wait_pre_meta(&self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
-        match self.wal_result_rx.recv() {
-            Ok(wal_result) => wal_result,
-            Err(_) => panic!("unexpected hungup"),
-        }
+        self.begin_sync_result_rx.recv().map_err(|recv_err| {
+            std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                anyhow::anyhow!("unexpected hungup of bitbox begin sync: {:?}", recv_err),
+            )
+        })??;
+        self.wal_result_rx.recv().map_err(|recv_err| {
+            std::io::Error::new(
+                std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                anyhow::anyhow!("unexpected hungup of wal writeout: {:?}", recv_err),
+            )
+        })??;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Write out the HT pages and truncate the WAL file.