diff --git a/common/device-scan.c b/common/device-scan.c
index c04c2388..39669ae1 100644
--- a/common/device-scan.c
+++ b/common/device-scan.c
@@ -208,7 +208,11 @@ int btrfs_add_to_fsid(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 
 	ret = sbwrite(fd, buf, BTRFS_SUPER_INFO_OFFSET);
 	/* Ensure super block was written to the device */
-	BUG_ON(ret != BTRFS_SUPER_INFO_SIZE);
+	if (ret != BTRFS_SUPER_INFO_SIZE) {
+		error_msg(ERROR_MSG_WRITE, "superblock when adding device: %m");
+		ret = -EIO;
+		goto out;
+	}
 	free(buf);
 	list_add(&device->dev_list, &fs_info->fs_devices->devices);
 	device->fs_devices = fs_info->fs_devices;
diff --git a/common/messages.c b/common/messages.c
index 2970122a..a349965b 100644
--- a/common/messages.c
+++ b/common/messages.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ static const char *common_error_string[] = {
 	[ERROR_MSG_START_TRANS] = "failed to start transaction",
 	[ERROR_MSG_COMMIT_TRANS] = "failed to commit transaction",
 	[ERROR_MSG_UNEXPECTED]	= "unexpected condition, probably corruption",
+	[ERROR_MSG_READ]	= "write() failed",
+	[ERROR_MSG_WRITE]	= "read() failed",
 };
 
 __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)))
diff --git a/common/messages.h b/common/messages.h
index 511b949c..d6d4044d 100644
--- a/common/messages.h
+++ b/common/messages.h
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ enum common_error {
 	ERROR_MSG_START_TRANS,
 	ERROR_MSG_COMMIT_TRANS,
 	ERROR_MSG_UNEXPECTED,
+	ERROR_MSG_READ,
+	ERROR_MSG_WRITE,
 };
 
 __attribute__ ((format (printf, 2, 3)))