diff --git a/pkg/api/controller.go b/pkg/api/controller.go
index de54a74d0b..9492624cf1 100644
--- a/pkg/api/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/api/controller.go
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func (c *Controller) Run(reloadCtx context.Context) error {
 
 			caCert, err := os.ReadFile(c.Config.HTTP.TLS.CACert)
 			if err != nil {
-				c.Log.Fatal().Err(err).Str("caCert", c.Config.HTTP.TLS.CACert).Msg("failed to read file")
+				c.Log.Panic().Err(err).Str("caCert", c.Config.HTTP.TLS.CACert).Msg("failed to read file")
 			}
 
 			caCertPool := x509.NewCertPool()