diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 6d8f4058..243cd247 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -75,7 +75,10 @@ func main() {
 
 	switch cfg.Source {
 	case "", config.SourceDynamo:
-		ddb := dynamodb.Load(*cfg, statsD, _kafka)
+		ddb, err := dynamodb.Load(*cfg, statsD, _kafka)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal("Failed to load dynamodb", slog.Any("err", err))
+		}
 		if err = ddb.Validate(); err != nil {
 			logger.Fatal("Failed to validate dynamodb", slog.Any("err", err))
 		}
diff --git a/sources/dynamodb/dynamodb.go b/sources/dynamodb/dynamodb.go
index f5b162a8..e318dd9d 100644
--- a/sources/dynamodb/dynamodb.go
+++ b/sources/dynamodb/dynamodb.go
@@ -42,14 +42,13 @@ type Store struct {
 const jitterSleepBaseMs = 50
 const shardScannerInterval = 5 * time.Minute
 
-func Load(cfg config.Settings, statsD *mtr.Client, writer *kafka.Writer) *Store {
+func Load(cfg config.Settings, statsD *mtr.Client, writer *kafka.Writer) (*Store, error) {
 	sess, err := session.NewSession(&aws.Config{
 		Region:      ptr.ToString(cfg.DynamoDB.AwsRegion),
 		Credentials: credentials.NewStaticCredentials(cfg.DynamoDB.AwsAccessKeyID, cfg.DynamoDB.AwsSecretAccessKey, ""),
 	})
-
 	if err != nil {
-		logger.Fatal("Failed to create session", slog.Any("err", err))
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create session, err: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	store := &Store{
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ func Load(cfg config.Settings, statsD *mtr.Client, writer *kafka.Writer) *Store
 		store.shardChan = make(chan *dynamodbstreams.Shard)
 	}
 
-	return store
+	return store, nil
 }
 
 func (s *Store) Validate() error {