diff --git a/dozer-cache/src/cache/lmdb/indexing.rs b/dozer-cache/src/cache/lmdb/indexing.rs
index ee49fae7e3..efce5fad10 100644
--- a/dozer-cache/src/cache/lmdb/indexing.rs
+++ b/dozer-cache/src/cache/lmdb/indexing.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,7 @@ use std::sync::{
 
 use dozer_storage::LmdbEnvironment;
 use dozer_tracing::Labels;
-use dozer_types::{
-    log::{debug, error},
-    parking_lot::Mutex,
-    types::IndexDefinition,
-};
+use dozer_types::{log::debug, parking_lot::Mutex, types::IndexDefinition};
 use metrics::describe_counter;
 
 use crate::{cache::lmdb::cache::SecondaryEnvironment, errors::CacheError};
@@ -221,11 +217,13 @@ fn index_and_log_error(
             Err(e) => {
                 debug!("Error while indexing {}: {e}", main_env.labels());
                 if e.is_map_full() {
-                    error!(
+                    panic!(
                         "Cache {} has reached its maximum size. Try to increase `cache_max_map_size` in the config.",
                         main_env.labels()
                     );
-                    break;
+                }
+                if e.is_key_size() {
+                    panic!("Secondary index key is too long. This usually happens with `String` fields. Try to [skip](https://getdozer.io/docs/configuration/api-endpoints#indexes) creating secondary index {:?}.", secondary_env.index_definition());
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/dozer-cache/src/errors.rs b/dozer-cache/src/errors.rs
index b02234eaaf..de31bdf9af 100644
--- a/dozer-cache/src/errors.rs
+++ b/dozer-cache/src/errors.rs
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ impl CacheError {
             CacheError::Storage(StorageError::Lmdb(dozer_storage::lmdb::Error::MapFull))
         )
     }
+
+    pub fn is_key_size(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(
+            self,
+            CacheError::Storage(StorageError::Lmdb(dozer_storage::lmdb::Error::BadValSize))
+        )
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Error, Debug)]