diff --git a/pkg/cortex/serve/start/batch.py b/pkg/cortex/serve/start/batch.py
index 958dbcda51..d0bcc11450 100644
--- a/pkg/cortex/serve/start/batch.py
+++ b/pkg/cortex/serve/start/batch.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import inspect
 import json
 import os
+import sys
 import pathlib
 import threading
 import time
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
 from cortex_internal.lib.concurrency import LockedFile
 from cortex_internal.lib.storage import S3
 from cortex_internal.lib.log import configure_logger
+from cortex_internal.lib.exceptions import CortexException
 
 logger = configure_logger("cortex", os.environ["CORTEX_LOG_CONFIG_FILE"])
 
@@ -268,9 +270,8 @@ def handle_on_job_complete(message):
                     break
                 should_run_on_job_complete = True
             time.sleep(10)  # verify that the queue is empty one more time
-    except:
-        logger.exception("failed to handle on_job_complete")
-        raise
+    except Exception as err:
+        raise CortexException("failed to handle on_job_complete") from err
     finally:
         with receipt_handle_mutex:
             stop_renewal.add(receipt_handle)
@@ -310,11 +311,19 @@ def start():
     storage, api_spec = get_spec(provider, api_spec_path, cache_dir, region)
     job_spec = get_job_spec(storage, cache_dir, job_spec_path)
 
-    client = api.predictor.initialize_client(
-        tf_serving_host=tf_serving_host, tf_serving_port=tf_serving_port
-    )
-    logger.info("loading the predictor from {}".format(api.predictor.path))
-    predictor_impl = api.predictor.initialize_impl(project_dir, client, job_spec)
+    try:
+        client = api.predictor.initialize_client(
+            tf_serving_host=tf_serving_host, tf_serving_port=tf_serving_port
+        )
+        logger.info("loading the predictor from {}".format(api.predictor.path))
+        predictor_impl = api.predictor.initialize_impl(project_dir, client, job_spec)
+    except CortexException as err:
+        err.wrap(f"failed to start job {job_spec['job_id']}")
+        logger.error(str(err), exc_info=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except:
+        logger.error(f"failed to start job {job_spec['job_id']}", exc_info=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
 
     local_cache["api_spec"] = api
     local_cache["provider"] = provider
@@ -326,7 +335,15 @@ def start():
     open("/mnt/workspace/api_readiness.txt", "a").close()
 
     logger.info("polling for batches...")
-    sqs_loop()
+    try:
+        sqs_loop()
+    except CortexException as err:
+        err.wrap(f"failed to run job {job_spec['job_id']}")
+        logger.error(str(err), exc_info=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except:
+        logger.error(f"failed to run job {job_spec['job_id']}", exc_info=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/pkg/cortex/serve/start/task.py b/pkg/cortex/serve/start/task.py
index 7eab8b4dcb..ed4c935643 100644
--- a/pkg/cortex/serve/start/task.py
+++ b/pkg/cortex/serve/start/task.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import sys
 from copy import deepcopy
 
 from cortex_internal.lib import util
@@ -45,7 +46,11 @@ def start():
     if task_spec is not None and task_spec.get("config") is not None:
         util.merge_dicts_in_place_overwrite(config, task_spec["config"])
 
-    callable_fn(config)
+    try:
+        callable_fn(config)
+    except:
+        logger.error(f"failed to run task {task_spec['job_id']}", exc_info=True)
+        sys.exit(1)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":