diff --git a/etcdserver/server.go b/etcdserver/server.go
index fad9136f0..252ef1632 100644
--- a/etcdserver/server.go
+++ b/etcdserver/server.go
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ type Response struct {
 type Storage interface {
 	// Save function saves ents and state to the underlying stable storage.
 	// Save MUST block until st and ents are on stable storage.
-	Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry)
+	Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry) error
 	// SaveSnap function saves snapshot to the underlying stable storage.
-	SaveSnap(snap raftpb.Snapshot)
+	SaveSnap(snap raftpb.Snapshot) error
 
 	// TODO: WAL should be able to control cut itself. After implement self-controled cut,
 	// remove it in this interface.
@@ -314,8 +314,12 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) run() {
 				}
 			}
 
-			s.storage.Save(rd.HardState, rd.Entries)
-			s.storage.SaveSnap(rd.Snapshot)
+			if err := s.storage.Save(rd.HardState, rd.Entries); err != nil {
+				log.Panicf("etcdserver: save state and entries error: %v", err)
+			}
+			if err := s.storage.SaveSnap(rd.Snapshot); err != nil {
+				log.Panicf("etcdserver: create snapshot error: %v", err)
+			}
 			s.send(rd.Messages)
 
 			// TODO(bmizerany): do this in the background, but take
@@ -671,7 +675,9 @@ func (s *EtcdServer) snapshot(snapi uint64, snapnodes []uint64) {
 		panic("TODO: this is bad, what do we do about it?")
 	}
 	s.node.Compact(snapi, snapnodes, d)
-	s.storage.Cut()
+	if err := s.storage.Cut(); err != nil {
+		log.Panicf("etcdserver: rotate wal file error: %v", err)
+	}
 }
 
 func GetClusterFromPeers(urls []string) (*Cluster, error) {
diff --git a/etcdserver/server_test.go b/etcdserver/server_test.go
index 1e7c06a4c..cb1a7cbce 100644
--- a/etcdserver/server_test.go
+++ b/etcdserver/server_test.go
@@ -1222,18 +1222,19 @@ type storageRecorder struct {
 	recorder
 }
 
-func (p *storageRecorder) Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry) {
+func (p *storageRecorder) Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry) error {
 	p.record(action{name: "Save"})
+	return nil
 }
 func (p *storageRecorder) Cut() error {
 	p.record(action{name: "Cut"})
 	return nil
 }
-func (p *storageRecorder) SaveSnap(st raftpb.Snapshot) {
-	if raft.IsEmptySnap(st) {
-		return
+func (p *storageRecorder) SaveSnap(st raftpb.Snapshot) error {
+	if !raft.IsEmptySnap(st) {
+		p.record(action{name: "SaveSnap"})
 	}
-	p.record(action{name: "SaveSnap"})
+	return nil
 }
 
 type readyNode struct {
diff --git a/snap/snapshotter.go b/snap/snapshotter.go
index b3d0466f0..3675b1045 100644
--- a/snap/snapshotter.go
+++ b/snap/snapshotter.go
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ func New(dir string) *Snapshotter {
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *Snapshotter) SaveSnap(snapshot raftpb.Snapshot) {
+func (s *Snapshotter) SaveSnap(snapshot raftpb.Snapshot) error {
 	if raft.IsEmptySnap(snapshot) {
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
-	s.save(&snapshot)
+	return s.save(&snapshot)
 }
 
 func (s *Snapshotter) save(snapshot *raftpb.Snapshot) error {
diff --git a/wal/wal.go b/wal/wal.go
index 2655823ee..0051b8b09 100644
--- a/wal/wal.go
+++ b/wal/wal.go
@@ -273,13 +273,17 @@ func (w *WAL) SaveState(s *raftpb.HardState) error {
 	return w.encoder.encode(rec)
 }
 
-func (w *WAL) Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry) {
+func (w *WAL) Save(st raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.Entry) error {
 	// TODO(xiangli): no more reference operator
-	w.SaveState(&st)
-	for i := range ents {
-		w.SaveEntry(&ents[i])
+	if err := w.SaveState(&st); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
-	w.Sync()
+	for i := range ents {
+		if err := w.SaveEntry(&ents[i]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return w.Sync()
 }
 
 func (w *WAL) saveCrc(prevCrc uint32) error {