diff --git a/cmd/notary-server/bootstrap.go b/cmd/notary-server/bootstrap.go
index 95aeee451f..c6b681cef0 100644
--- a/cmd/notary-server/bootstrap.go
+++ b/cmd/notary-server/bootstrap.go
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ import (
 
 func bootstrap(ctx context.Context) error {
 	s := ctx.Value("metaStore")
+	if s == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no store set during bootstrapping")
+	}
 	store, ok := s.(storage.Bootstrapper)
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Store does not support bootstrapping.")
diff --git a/cmd/notary-server/main.go b/cmd/notary-server/main.go
index f85f640e90..62042e4df9 100644
--- a/cmd/notary-server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/notary-server/main.go
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ func main() {
 		err = server.Run(ctx, serverConfig)
 	}
 
-	logrus.Error(err.Error())
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Fatal(err.Error())
+	}
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/migrations/rethink_migrate.sh b/migrations/rethink_migrate.sh
index 93043798e7..b46b702813 100755
--- a/migrations/rethink_migrate.sh
+++ b/migrations/rethink_migrate.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ echo "trying to contact RethinkDB for 30 seconds before failing"
 case $SERVICE_NAME in
 	notary_server)
 		# have to poll for DB to come up
-		until notary-server -config=fixtures/server-config.rethink.json -bootstrap > /dev/null
+		until notary-server -config=fixtures/server-config.rethink.json -bootstrap 
 		do
 			((iter++))
 			if (( iter > 30 )); then
diff --git a/server/storage/tuf_store.go b/server/storage/tuf_store.go
index 5826352c01..5ec2429ed1 100644
--- a/server/storage/tuf_store.go
+++ b/server/storage/tuf_store.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/docker/go/canonical/json"
 	"github.com/docker/notary"
+	"github.com/docker/notary/storage"
 	"github.com/docker/notary/tuf/data"
 )
 
@@ -104,3 +105,10 @@ func (tms TufMetaStorage) GetCurrent(gun, tufRole string) (*time.Time, []byte, e
 	tms.cachedMeta[roleSha256Hex] = &storedMeta{data: roleJSON, createupdate: roleTime}
 	return roleTime, roleJSON, nil
 }
+
+func (tms TufMetaStorage) Bootstrap() error {
+	if s, ok := tms.MetaStore.(storage.Bootstrapper); ok {
+		return s.Bootstrap()
+	}
+	return fmt.Errorf("store does not support bootstrapping")
+}