diff --git a/tools/runners/run-app.js b/tools/runners/run-app.js
index 84415e81d9..dbd248af2c 100644
--- a/tools/runners/run-app.js
+++ b/tools/runners/run-app.js
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ Object.assign(AppRunner.prototype, {
     self.startPromise = self._makePromise("start");
 
     self.isRunning = true;
-    self._runApp();
+    self._runApp().catch((e) => console.error("Error thrown on _runApp", e));
     await self.startPromise;
     self.startPromise = null;
   },
diff --git a/tools/utils/buildmessage.js b/tools/utils/buildmessage.js
index 18b7f1459a..d28a958b05 100644
--- a/tools/utils/buildmessage.js
+++ b/tools/utils/buildmessage.js
@@ -280,6 +280,8 @@ async function capture(options, f) {
 
   try {
     await f();
+  } catch (e) {
+    // don't remove this catch, otherwise any errors thrown will propagate. We don't want that.
   } finally {
     progress.reportProgressDone();