diff --git a/common/docker/client.go b/common/docker/client.go
index 6774c213d6..1f2ee0df56 100644
--- a/common/docker/client.go
+++ b/common/docker/client.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 // An observer for container events
 type ContainerObserver interface {
-	ContainerDied(ident string) error
+	ContainerDied(ident string)
 }
 
 type Client struct {
diff --git a/ipam/allocator.go b/ipam/allocator.go
index 3b6fdf7d19..362d3d64d1 100644
--- a/ipam/allocator.go
+++ b/ipam/allocator.go
@@ -223,12 +223,11 @@ func (alloc *Allocator) Claim(ident string, addr address.Address) error {
 }
 
 // ContainerDied is provided to satisfy the updater interface; does a 'Delete' underneath.  Sync.
-func (alloc *Allocator) ContainerDied(ident string) error {
-	err := alloc.Delete(ident)
-	if err == nil {
-		alloc.debugln("Container", ident, "died; released addresses")
+func (alloc *Allocator) ContainerDied(ident string) {
+	alloc.debugln("Container", ident, "died; released addresses")
+	if err := alloc.Delete(ident); err != nil {
+		alloc.errorf("Container %s died; failed to released addresses: %v", ident, err)
 	}
-	return err
 }
 
 // Delete (Sync) - release all IP addresses for container with given name
@@ -760,6 +759,9 @@ func (alloc *Allocator) findOwner(addr address.Address) string {
 
 // Logging
 
+func (alloc *Allocator) errorf(fmt string, args ...interface{}) {
+	common.Log.Errorf("[allocator %s] "+fmt, append([]interface{}{alloc.ourName}, args...)...)
+}
 func (alloc *Allocator) infof(fmt string, args ...interface{}) {
 	common.Log.Infof("[allocator %s] "+fmt, append([]interface{}{alloc.ourName}, args...)...)
 }
diff --git a/nameserver/nameserver.go b/nameserver/nameserver.go
index c6822bec79..d8a2cf1294 100644
--- a/nameserver/nameserver.go
+++ b/nameserver/nameserver.go
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (n *Nameserver) ReverseLookup(ip address.Address) (string, error) {
 	return match.Hostname, nil
 }
 
-func (n *Nameserver) ContainerDied(ident string) error {
+func (n *Nameserver) ContainerDied(ident string) {
 	n.Lock()
 	entries := n.entries.tombstone(n.ourName, func(e *Entry) bool {
 		if e.ContainerID == ident {
@@ -131,9 +131,11 @@ func (n *Nameserver) ContainerDied(ident string) error {
 	})
 	n.Unlock()
 	if n.gossip != nil {
-		return n.gossip.GossipBroadcast(entries)
+		err := n.gossip.GossipBroadcast(entries)
+		if err != nil {
+			n.errorf("Failed to broadcase container death: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
-	return nil
 }
 
 func (n *Nameserver) PeerGone(peer *router.Peer) {
@@ -253,3 +255,6 @@ func (n *Nameserver) infof(fmt string, args ...interface{}) {
 func (n *Nameserver) debugf(fmt string, args ...interface{}) {
 	Log.Debugf("[nameserver %s] "+fmt, append([]interface{}{n.ourName}, args...)...)
 }
+func (n *Nameserver) errorf(fmt string, args ...interface{}) {
+	Log.Errorf("[nameserver %s] "+fmt, append([]interface{}{n.ourName}, args...)...)
+}
diff --git a/nameserver/nameserver_test.go b/nameserver/nameserver_test.go
index f1b091fe63..442f91a60c 100644
--- a/nameserver/nameserver_test.go
+++ b/nameserver/nameserver_test.go
@@ -205,8 +205,7 @@ func TestContainerAndPeerDeath(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, []address.Address{0}, nameserver.Lookup("hostname"))
 
-	err = nameserver.ContainerDied("containerid")
-	require.Nil(t, err)
+	nameserver.ContainerDied("containerid")
 	require.Equal(t, []address.Address{}, nameserver.Lookup("hostname"))
 
 	err = nameserver.AddEntry("hostname", "containerid", peername, address.Address(0))