diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 0843b86..4b73ea5 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -416,8 +416,9 @@ func worker(parentCtx context.Context, logger *slog.Logger, loadedConfig config.
 					logging.DevContext(pluginCtx, "plugin is not a receiver; loading the anka CLI")
 					ankaCLI, err := anka.NewCLI(pluginCtx)
 					if err != nil {
-						pluginCancel()
 						logger.ErrorContext(pluginCtx, "unable to create anka cli", "error", err)
+						pluginCancel()
+						workerCancel()
 						return
 					}
 					pluginCtx = context.WithValue(pluginCtx, config.ContextKey("ankacli"), ankaCLI)
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@ func worker(parentCtx context.Context, logger *slog.Logger, loadedConfig config.
 					if err != nil {
 						logger.ErrorContext(pluginCtx, "unable to access database", "error", err)
 						pluginCancel()
+						workerCancel()
 						return
 					}
 					pluginCtx = context.WithValue(pluginCtx, config.ContextKey("database"), databaseClient)
diff --git a/plugins/handlers/github/github.go b/plugins/handlers/github/github.go
index 2c225e7..b7d88b5 100644
--- a/plugins/handlers/github/github.go
+++ b/plugins/handlers/github/github.go
@@ -505,8 +505,8 @@ func Run(
 
 	hostHasVmCapacity := anka.HostHasVmCapacity(pluginCtx)
 	if !hostHasVmCapacity {
-		// logger.DebugContext(pluginCtx, "host does not have vm capacity")
-		return pluginCtx, fmt.Errorf("host does not have vm capacity")
+		logger.WarnContext(pluginCtx, "host does not have vm capacity")
+		return pluginCtx, nil
 	}
 
 	var githubClient *github.Client
@@ -767,9 +767,9 @@ func Run(
 		if err != nil {
 			// this is thrown, for example, when there is no capacity on the host
 			// we must be sure to create the DB entry so cleanup happens properly
-			// logger.ErrorContext(pluginCtx, "error obtaining anka vm", "err", err)
+			logger.ErrorContext(pluginCtx, "error obtaining anka vm", "err", err)
 			failureChannel <- true
-			return pluginCtx, fmt.Errorf("error obtaining anka vm: %s", err.Error())
+			return pluginCtx, nil
 		}
 
 		if pluginCtx.Err() != nil {