diff --git a/packages/core/core/src/engine.ts b/packages/core/core/src/engine.ts
index 6d66591e7..888933e4a 100644
--- a/packages/core/core/src/engine.ts
+++ b/packages/core/core/src/engine.ts
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ export class Engine {
     if (this.plugins) {
       this.plugins.emitAndRunActionsForEvent("embark:engine:started", {}, (err) => {
         if (err) {
-          console.error("error starting engine");
-          console.error(err);
-          process.exit(1);
+          return cb(err);
         }
         cb();
       });
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
index ac3f3ac2e..93aa39ac7 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
@@ -196,7 +196,10 @@ class EmbarkController {
           engine.events.emit("status", __("Ready").green);
         });
 
-        engine.startEngine(async () => {
+        engine.startEngine(async (err) => {
+          if (err) {
+            return callback(err);
+          }
           callback();
 
           engine.events.request("webserver:start");
@@ -229,8 +232,12 @@ class EmbarkController {
       }
     ], function (err, _result) {
       if (err) {
-        engine.logger.error(err.message);
-        engine.logger.info(err.stack);
+        if (err.message && err.stack) {
+          engine.logger.error(err.message);
+          engine.logger.info(err.stack);
+        } else {
+          engine.logger.error(err);
+        }
       } else {
         // engine.events.emit('firstDeploymentDone');
       }