diff --git a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/main.cc b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/main.cc
index 76de05c239..5880796704 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/server/nic_router/main.cc
@@ -60,5 +60,10 @@ void Component::construct(Env &env)
 	/* XXX execute constructors of global statics */
 	env.exec_static_constructors();
 
-	static Main main(env);
+	try { static Main main(env); }
+
+	catch (Net::Domain_tree::No_match) {
+		error("failed to find configuration for domain 'uplink'");
+		env.parent().exit(-1);
+	}
 }