diff --git a/storage/local/storage.go b/storage/local/storage.go
index aa0745e98..63eb94698 100644
--- a/storage/local/storage.go
+++ b/storage/local/storage.go
@@ -1433,6 +1433,11 @@ func (s *MemorySeriesStorage) maintainMemorySeries(
 // contains no chunks after dropping old chunks, it is purged entirely. In that
 // case, the method returns true.
 //
+// If a persist error is encountered, the series is queued for quarantine. In
+// that case, the method returns true, too, because the series should not be
+// processed anymore (even if it will only be gone for real once quarantining
+// has been completed).
+//
 // The caller must have locked the fp.
 func (s *MemorySeriesStorage) writeMemorySeries(
 	fp model.Fingerprint, series *memorySeries, beforeTime model.Time,
@@ -1474,7 +1479,7 @@ func (s *MemorySeriesStorage) writeMemorySeries(
 		var offset int
 		offset, persistErr = s.persistence.persistChunks(fp, chunks)
 		if persistErr != nil {
-			return false
+			return true
 		}
 		if series.chunkDescsOffset == -1 {
 			// This is the first chunk persisted for a newly created
@@ -1488,10 +1493,10 @@ func (s *MemorySeriesStorage) writeMemorySeries(
 	newFirstTime, offset, numDroppedFromPersistence, allDroppedFromPersistence, persistErr :=
 		s.persistence.dropAndPersistChunks(fp, beforeTime, chunks)
 	if persistErr != nil {
-		return false
+		return true
 	}
 	if persistErr = series.dropChunks(beforeTime); persistErr != nil {
-		return false
+		return true
 	}
 	if len(series.chunkDescs) == 0 && allDroppedFromPersistence {
 		// All chunks dropped from both memory and persistence. Delete the series for good.