diff --git a/server/compactor/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/compactor/Compactor.java b/server/compactor/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/compactor/Compactor.java
index f93440ef521..b44b6a88e85 100644
--- a/server/compactor/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/compactor/Compactor.java
+++ b/server/compactor/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/compactor/Compactor.java
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ protected void announceExistence(HostAndPort clientAddress)
     } catch (KeeperException.NoAuthException e) {
       LOG.error("Failed to write to ZooKeeper. Ensure that"
           + " accumulo.properties, specifically instance.secret, is consistent.");
+      throw e;
     }
 
     compactorLock =