diff --git a/src/blockstore_flush.cpp b/src/blockstore_flush.cpp
index 0b70060b..4ad1b1b2 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_flush.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_flush.cpp
@@ -35,24 +35,14 @@ journal_flusher_co::journal_flusher_co()
     {
         bs->live = true;
         if (data->res != data->iov.iov_len)
-        {
-            throw std::runtime_error(
-                "data read operation failed during flush ("+std::to_string(data->res)+" != "+std::to_string(data->iov.iov_len)+
-                "). can't continue, sorry :-("
-            );
-        }
+            bs->disk_error_abort("read operation during flush", data->res, data->iov.iov_len);
         wait_count--;
     };
     simple_callback_w = [this](ring_data_t* data)
     {
         bs->live = true;
         if (data->res != data->iov.iov_len)
-        {
-            throw std::runtime_error(
-                "write operation failed ("+std::to_string(data->res)+" != "+std::to_string(data->iov.iov_len)+
-                "). state "+std::to_string(wait_state)+". in-memory state is corrupted. AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!111"
-            );
-        }
+            bs->disk_error_abort("write operation during flush", data->res, data->iov.iov_len);
         wait_count--;
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/blockstore_impl.cpp b/src/blockstore_impl.cpp
index 7e7748d7..189632e6 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_impl.cpp
@@ -676,3 +676,16 @@ void blockstore_impl_t::dump_diagnostics()
     journal.dump_diagnostics();
     flusher->dump_diagnostics();
 }
+
+void blockstore_impl_t::disk_error_abort(const char *op, int retval, int expected)
+{
+    if (retval == -EAGAIN)
+    {
+        fprintf(stderr, "EAGAIN error received from a disk %s during flush."
+            " It must never happen with io_uring and indicates a kernel bug."
+            " Please upgrade your kernel. Aborting.\n", op);
+        exit(1);
+    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "Disk %s failed: result is %d, expected %d. Can't continue, sorry :-(\n", op, retval, expected);
+    exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/src/blockstore_impl.h b/src/blockstore_impl.h
index 89064179..7227e2db 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_impl.h
+++ b/src/blockstore_impl.h
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ class blockstore_impl_t
     // Journaling
     void prepare_journal_sector_write(int sector, blockstore_op_t *op);
     void handle_journal_write(ring_data_t *data, uint64_t flush_id);
+    void disk_error_abort(const char *op, int retval, int expected);
 
     // Asynchronous init
     int initialized;
diff --git a/src/blockstore_journal.cpp b/src/blockstore_journal.cpp
index 3c8699d9..37974308 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_journal.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_journal.cpp
@@ -198,10 +198,7 @@ void blockstore_impl_t::handle_journal_write(ring_data_t *data, uint64_t flush_i
     if (data->res != data->iov.iov_len)
     {
         // FIXME: our state becomes corrupted after a write error. maybe do something better than just die
-        throw std::runtime_error(
-            "journal write failed ("+std::to_string(data->res)+" != "+std::to_string(data->iov.iov_len)+
-            "). in-memory state is corrupted. AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!111"
-        );
+        disk_error_abort("journal write", data->res, data->iov.iov_len);
     }
     auto fl_it = journal.flushing_ops.upper_bound((pending_journaling_t){ .flush_id = flush_id });
     if (fl_it != journal.flushing_ops.end() && fl_it->flush_id == flush_id)
diff --git a/src/blockstore_write.cpp b/src/blockstore_write.cpp
index 607d4563..2274cbbc 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_write.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_write.cpp
@@ -586,10 +586,7 @@ void blockstore_impl_t::handle_write_event(ring_data_t *data, blockstore_op_t *o
     if (data->res != data->iov.iov_len)
     {
         // FIXME: our state becomes corrupted after a write error. maybe do something better than just die
-        throw std::runtime_error(
-            "write operation failed ("+std::to_string(data->res)+" != "+std::to_string(data->iov.iov_len)+
-            "). in-memory state is corrupted. AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!111"
-        );
+        disk_error_abort("data write", data->res, data->iov.iov_len);
     }
     PRIV(op)->pending_ops--;
     assert(PRIV(op)->pending_ops >= 0);