diff --git a/include/storage/shared_monitor.hpp b/include/storage/shared_monitor.hpp
index 2084112d4..9847b1690 100644
--- a/include/storage/shared_monitor.hpp
+++ b/include/storage/shared_monitor.hpp
@@ -42,7 +42,16 @@ template <typename Data> struct SharedMonitor
 
     SharedMonitor(const Data &initial_data)
     {
-        shmem = bi::shared_memory_object(bi::open_or_create, Data::name, bi::read_write);
+        try
+        {
+            shmem = bi::shared_memory_object(bi::open_or_create, Data::name, bi::read_write);
+        }
+        catch (const bi::interprocess_exception &exception)
+        {
+            auto message = boost::format("could not create directory or file '%1%' \n") %
+                           exception.what();
+            throw util::exception(message.str() + SOURCE_REF);
+        }
 
         bi::offset_t size = 0;
         if (shmem.get_size(size) && size == 0)
@@ -126,7 +135,9 @@ template <typename Data> struct SharedMonitor
         }
         catch (const bi::interprocess_exception &exception)
         {
-            return false;
+            auto message = boost::format("could not create directory or file '%1%' \n") %
+                           exception.what();
+            throw util::exception(message.str() + SOURCE_REF);
         }
         return true;
     }