diff --git a/crates/collab/src/lib.rs b/crates/collab/src/lib.rs
index 3184067d45..0be28c1358 100644
--- a/crates/collab/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/collab/src/lib.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,10 @@ impl AppState {
             db: Arc::new(db),
             live_kit_client,
             blob_store_client: build_blob_store_client(&config).await.log_err(),
-            clickhouse_client: build_clickhouse_client(&config),
+            clickhouse_client: config
+                .clickhouse_url
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|_| build_clickhouse_client(&config).log_err()),
             config,
         };
         Ok(Arc::new(this))
@@ -218,30 +221,30 @@ async fn build_blob_store_client(config: &Config) -> anyhow::Result<aws_sdk_s3::
     Ok(aws_sdk_s3::Client::new(&s3_config))
 }
 
-fn build_clickhouse_client(config: &Config) -> Option<clickhouse::Client> {
-    let Some(url) = config.clickhouse_url.as_ref() else {
-        return None;
-    };
-    Some(
-        clickhouse::Client::default()
-            .with_url(url)
-            .with_user(
-                config
-                    .clickhouse_user
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .expect("missing clickhouse_user"),
-            )
-            .with_password(
-                config
-                    .clickhouse_password
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .expect("missing clickhouse_password"),
-            )
-            .with_database(
-                config
-                    .clickhouse_database
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .expect("missing clickhouse_database"),
-            ),
-    )
+fn build_clickhouse_client(config: &Config) -> anyhow::Result<clickhouse::Client> {
+    Ok(clickhouse::Client::default()
+        .with_url(
+            config
+                .clickhouse_url
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing clickhouse_url"))?,
+        )
+        .with_user(
+            config
+                .clickhouse_user
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing clickhouse_user"))?,
+        )
+        .with_password(
+            config
+                .clickhouse_password
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing clickhouse_password"))?,
+        )
+        .with_database(
+            config
+                .clickhouse_database
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing clickhouse_database"))?,
+        ))
 }