diff --git a/src/backend/local.rs b/src/backend/local.rs
index 1675db7..620a022 100644
--- a/src/backend/local.rs
+++ b/src/backend/local.rs
@@ -194,17 +194,18 @@ impl LocalBackend {
         fs::create_dir(&dirname).unwrap();
     }
 
-    pub fn set_times(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) {
+    pub fn set_times(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) -> Result<()> {
         let filename = self.path.join(item);
         if let Some(mtime) = meta.mtime.map(|t| FileTime::from_system_time(t.into())) {
-            set_file_mtime(&filename, mtime).unwrap();
+            set_file_mtime(&filename, mtime)?;
         }
         if let Some(atime) = meta.atime.map(|t| FileTime::from_system_time(t.into())) {
-            set_file_atime(&filename, atime).unwrap();
+            set_file_atime(&filename, atime)?;
         }
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn set_user_group(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) {
+    pub fn set_user_group(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) -> Result<()> {
         let filename = self.path.join(item);
 
         let user = meta
@@ -222,24 +223,26 @@ impl LocalBackend {
         // use gid from group if valid, else from saved gid (if saved)
         let gid = group.map(|g| g.gid).or_else(|| meta.gid.map(Gid::from_raw));
 
-        chown(&filename, uid, gid).unwrap();
+        chown(&filename, uid, gid)?;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn set_uid_gid(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) {
+    pub fn set_uid_gid(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) -> Result<()> {
         let filename = self.path.join(item);
 
         let uid = meta.uid.map(Uid::from_raw);
         let gid = meta.gid.map(Gid::from_raw);
 
-        chown(&filename, uid, gid).unwrap();
+        chown(&filename, uid, gid)?;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn set_permission(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) {
+    pub fn set_permission(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, meta: &Metadata) -> Result<()> {
         let filename = self.path.join(item);
 
         let mode = map_mode_from_go(*meta.mode());
-        std::fs::set_permissions(&filename, fs::Permissions::from_mode(mode))
-            .unwrap_or_else(|_| panic!("error chmod {:?}", filename));
+        std::fs::set_permissions(&filename, fs::Permissions::from_mode(mode))?;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     pub fn create_file(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, size: u64) {
@@ -248,35 +251,36 @@ impl LocalBackend {
         f.set_len(size).unwrap();
     }
 
-    pub fn create_special(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, node: &Node) {
+    pub fn create_special(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, node: &Node) -> Result<()> {
         let filename = self.path.join(item);
 
         match node.node_type() {
             NodeType::Symlink { linktarget } => {
-                symlink(linktarget, filename).unwrap();
+                symlink(linktarget, filename)?;
             }
             NodeType::Dev { device } => {
                 #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
                 let device = *device;
                 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
                 let device = *device as i32;
-                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFBLK, Mode::empty(), device).unwrap();
+                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFBLK, Mode::empty(), device)?;
             }
             NodeType::Chardev { device } => {
                 #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
                 let device = *device;
                 #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
                 let device = *device as i32;
-                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFCHR, Mode::empty(), device).unwrap();
+                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFCHR, Mode::empty(), device)?;
             }
             NodeType::Fifo => {
-                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFIFO, Mode::empty(), 0).unwrap();
+                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFIFO, Mode::empty(), 0)?;
             }
             NodeType::Socket => {
-                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFSOCK, Mode::empty(), 0).unwrap();
+                mknod(&filename, SFlag::S_IFSOCK, Mode::empty(), 0)?;
             }
             _ => {}
         }
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     pub fn write_at(&self, item: impl AsRef<Path>, offset: u64, data: &[u8]) {
diff --git a/src/commands/restore.rs b/src/commands/restore.rs
index 2b20f3a..c41ce99 100644
--- a/src/commands/restore.rs
+++ b/src/commands/restore.rs
@@ -154,14 +154,20 @@ async fn restore_metadata(
     let mut node_streamer = NodeStreamer::new(index, tree).await?;
     while let Some((path, node)) = node_streamer.try_next().await? {
         if !opts.dry_run {
-            dest.create_special(&path, &node);
+            dest.create_special(&path, &node)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| eprintln!("restore {:?}: creating special file failed.", path));
             if opts.numeric_id {
-                dest.set_uid_gid(&path, node.meta());
+                dest.set_uid_gid(&path, node.meta())
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|_| eprintln!("restore {:?}: setting UID/GID failed.", path));
             } else {
-                dest.set_user_group(&path, node.meta());
+                dest.set_user_group(&path, node.meta()).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+                    eprintln!("restore {:?}: setting User/Group failed.", path)
+                });
             }
-            dest.set_permission(&path, node.meta());
+            dest.set_permission(&path, node.meta())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| eprintln!("restore {:?}: chmod failed.", path));
             dest.set_times(&path, node.meta())
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| eprintln!("restore {:?}: setting file times failed.", path));
         }
     }