diff --git a/src/internal/operations/backup.go b/src/internal/operations/backup.go
index 8e40d820f..c4f547f47 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/backup.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/backup.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package operations
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/alcionai/clues"
@@ -106,7 +107,13 @@ type detailsWriter interface {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // Run begins a synchronous backup operation.
-func (op *BackupOperation) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (op *BackupOperation) Run(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			err = clues.Wrap(r.(error), "panic recovery").WithClues(ctx).With("stacktrace", debug.Stack())
+		}
+	}()
+
 	ctx, end := D.Span(ctx, "operations:backup:run")
 	defer func() {
 		end()
@@ -589,6 +596,11 @@ func (op *BackupOperation) persistResults(
 			opStats.writeErr)
 	}
 
+	if opStats.gc == nil {
+		op.Status = Failed
+		return errors.New("data population never completed")
+	}
+
 	if opStats.readErr == nil && opStats.writeErr == nil && opStats.gc.Successful == 0 {
 		op.Status = NoData
 	}
diff --git a/src/internal/operations/restore.go b/src/internal/operations/restore.go
index 30bc303a9..c94c69a4c 100644
--- a/src/internal/operations/restore.go
+++ b/src/internal/operations/restore.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package operations
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/alcionai/clues"
@@ -106,6 +107,12 @@ type restorer interface {
 
 // Run begins a synchronous restore operation.
 func (op *RestoreOperation) Run(ctx context.Context) (restoreDetails *details.Details, err error) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			err = clues.Wrap(r.(error), "panic recovery").WithClues(ctx).With("stacktrace", debug.Stack())
+		}
+	}()
+
 	ctx, end := D.Span(ctx, "operations:restore:run")
 	defer func() {
 		end()
@@ -250,6 +257,11 @@ func (op *RestoreOperation) persistResults(
 			opStats.writeErr)
 	}
 
+	if opStats.gc == nil {
+		op.Status = Failed
+		return errors.New("data restoration never completed")
+	}
+
 	if opStats.readErr == nil && opStats.writeErr == nil && opStats.gc.Successful == 0 {
 		op.Status = NoData
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/fault/fault.go b/src/pkg/fault/fault.go
index 69017029c..b8f57108b 100644
--- a/src/pkg/fault/fault.go
+++ b/src/pkg/fault/fault.go
@@ -87,11 +87,12 @@ func (e *Errors) Fail(err error) *Errors {
 // setErr handles setting errors.err.  Sync locking gets
 // handled upstream of this call.
 func (e *Errors) setErr(err error) *Errors {
-	if e.err != nil {
-		return e.addErr(err)
+	if e.err == nil {
+		e.err = err
+		return e
 	}
 
-	e.err = err
+	e.errs = append(e.errs, err)
 
 	return e
 }
diff --git a/src/pkg/fault/fault_test.go b/src/pkg/fault/fault_test.go
index 3f5ad127c..8fb2981d7 100644
--- a/src/pkg/fault/fault_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/fault/fault_test.go
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ func (suite *FaultErrorsUnitSuite) TestErr() {
 		suite.T().Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			n := fault.New(test.failFast)
 			require.NotNil(t, n)
+			require.NoError(t, n.Err())
+			require.Empty(t, n.Errs())
 
 			e := n.Fail(test.fail)
 			require.NotNil(t, e)
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ func (suite *FaultErrorsUnitSuite) TestFail() {
 
 	n := fault.New(false)
 	require.NotNil(t, n)
+	require.NoError(t, n.Err())
+	require.Empty(t, n.Errs())
 
 	n.Fail(assert.AnError)
 	assert.Error(t, n.Err())