diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
index 92a89fca3..a5bc35d02 100755
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ done
 # let nginx showing gradido
 log_step 'Configuring nginx to serve gradido again'
 ln -sf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-available/gradido.conf $SCRIPT_DIR/nginx/sites-enabled/default
-sudo /etc/init.d/nginx restart
+sudo /etc/init.d/nginx restart || log_error "Failed to restart nginx $(sudo nginx -t)"
 
 # keep the update log
 cat $UPDATE_HTML >> $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/update.$TODAY.log