diff --git a/lib/server-impl.js b/lib/server-impl.js
index 9b1a1d80ca..bb15b81d2b 100644
--- a/lib/server-impl.js
+++ b/lib/server-impl.js
@@ -28,14 +28,13 @@ function createApp(options) {
     const app = getApp(config);
     startMonitoring(options.serverMetrics, eventBus);
 
-    return new Promise(resolve => {
-        const server = app.listen(
-            { port: options.port, host: options.host },
-            () => {
-                logger.info(`Unleash started on port ${server.address().port}`);
-                resolve({ app, server, eventBus });
-            }
-        );
+    const server = app.listen({ port: options.port, host: options.host }, () =>
+        logger.info(`Unleash started on port ${server.address().port}`)
+    );
+
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        server.on('listening', () => resolve({ app, server, eventBus }));
+        server.on('error', reject);
     });
 }
 
@@ -44,8 +43,7 @@ function start(opts) {
 
     return migrator({ databaseUrl: options.databaseUrl })
         .catch(err => logger.error('failed to migrate db', err))
-        .then(() => createApp(options))
-        .catch(err => logger.error('failed creating app', err));
+        .then(() => createApp(options));
 }
 
 module.exports = {