diff --git a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/mod.rs b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/mod.rs
index fe70f468b5b5d..8d35a8889085e 100644
--- a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/mod.rs
+++ b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/mod.rs
@@ -220,9 +220,13 @@ impl<B: BackingStorage> TurboTasksBackendInner<B> {
         Self {
             options,
             start_time: Instant::now(),
-            session_id: backing_storage.next_session_id(),
+            session_id: backing_storage
+                .next_session_id()
+                .expect("Failed get session id"),
             persisted_task_id_factory: IdFactoryWithReuse::new(
-                backing_storage.next_free_task_id(),
+                backing_storage
+                    .next_free_task_id()
+                    .expect("Failed to get task id"),
                 TaskId::try_from(TRANSIENT_TASK_BIT - 1).unwrap(),
             ),
             transient_task_id_factory: IdFactoryWithReuse::new(
@@ -780,6 +784,7 @@ impl<B: BackingStorage> TurboTasksBackendInner<B> {
             if let Some(task_type) = unsafe {
                 self.backing_storage
                     .reverse_lookup_task_cache(None, task_id)
+                    .expect("Failed to lookup task type")
             } {
                 let _ = self.task_cache.try_insert(task_type.clone(), task_id);
                 return Some(task_type);
@@ -969,7 +974,10 @@ impl<B: BackingStorage> TurboTasksBackendInner<B> {
             // Continue all uncompleted operations
             // They can't be interrupted by a snapshot since the snapshotting job has not been
             // scheduled yet.
-            let uncompleted_operations = self.backing_storage.uncompleted_operations();
+            let uncompleted_operations = self
+                .backing_storage
+                .uncompleted_operations()
+                .expect("Failed to get uncompleted operations");
             if !uncompleted_operations.is_empty() {
                 let mut ctx = self.execute_context(turbo_tasks);
                 for op in uncompleted_operations {
@@ -1057,6 +1065,7 @@ impl<B: BackingStorage> TurboTasksBackendInner<B> {
             if let Some(task_id) = unsafe {
                 self.backing_storage
                     .forward_lookup_task_cache(tx.as_ref(), &task_type)
+                    .expect("Failed to lookup task id")
             } {
                 let _ = self.task_cache.try_insert(Arc::new(task_type), task_id);
                 task_id
diff --git a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/operation/mod.rs b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/operation/mod.rs
index 0160c50bc9b77..4fdfcc98c843f 100644
--- a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/operation/mod.rs
+++ b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backend/operation/mod.rs
@@ -165,10 +165,20 @@ where
         category: TaskDataCategory,
     ) -> Vec<CachedDataItem> {
         // Safety: `transaction` is a valid transaction from `self.backend.backing_storage`.
-        unsafe {
+        let result = unsafe {
             self.backend
                 .backing_storage
                 .lookup_data(self.transaction(), task_id, category)
+        };
+        match result {
+            Ok(data) => data,
+            Err(e) => {
+                let task_name = self.backend.get_task_description(task_id);
+                panic!(
+                    "Failed to restore task data (corrupted database or bug): {:?}",
+                    e.context(format!("{category:?} for {task_name} ({task_id}))"))
+                )
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backing_storage.rs b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backing_storage.rs
index 7603c02201951..8708e028fbf44 100644
--- a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backing_storage.rs
+++ b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/backing_storage.rs
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ pub trait BackingStorage: 'static + Send + Sync {
     fn lower_read_transaction<'l: 'i + 'r, 'i: 'r, 'r>(
         tx: &'r Self::ReadTransaction<'l>,
     ) -> &'r Self::ReadTransaction<'i>;
-    fn next_free_task_id(&self) -> TaskId;
-    fn next_session_id(&self) -> SessionId;
-    fn uncompleted_operations(&self) -> Vec<AnyOperation>;
+    fn next_free_task_id(&self) -> Result<TaskId>;
+    fn next_session_id(&self) -> Result<SessionId>;
+    fn uncompleted_operations(&self) -> Result<Vec<AnyOperation>>;
     #[allow(clippy::ptr_arg)]
     fn serialize(task: TaskId, data: &Vec<CachedDataItem>) -> Result<SmallVec<[u8; 16]>>;
     fn save_snapshot<I>(
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pub trait BackingStorage: 'static + Send + Sync {
         &self,
         tx: Option<&Self::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         key: &CachedTaskType,
-    ) -> Option<TaskId>;
+    ) -> Result<Option<TaskId>>;
     /// # Safety
     ///
     /// `tx` must be a transaction from this BackingStorage instance.
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ pub trait BackingStorage: 'static + Send + Sync {
         &self,
         tx: Option<&Self::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         task_id: TaskId,
-    ) -> Option<Arc<CachedTaskType>>;
+    ) -> Result<Option<Arc<CachedTaskType>>>;
     /// # Safety
     ///
     /// `tx` must be a transaction from this BackingStorage instance.
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub trait BackingStorage: 'static + Send + Sync {
         tx: Option<&Self::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         task_id: TaskId,
         category: TaskDataCategory,
-    ) -> Vec<CachedDataItem>;
+    ) -> Result<Vec<CachedDataItem>>;
 
     fn shutdown(&self) -> Result<()> {
         Ok(())
diff --git a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/kv_backing_storage.rs b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/kv_backing_storage.rs
index 43b0304f9afaf..5705e67aba956 100644
--- a/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/kv_backing_storage.rs
+++ b/turbopack/crates/turbo-tasks-backend/src/kv_backing_storage.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::{borrow::Borrow, cmp::max, sync::Arc};
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, anyhow};
 use rayon::iter::{IndexedParallelIterator, IntoParallelIterator, ParallelIterator};
-use serde::Serialize;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use smallvec::SmallVec;
 use tracing::Span;
 use turbo_tasks::{SessionId, TaskId, backend::CachedTaskType, turbo_tasks_scope};
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ fn pot_ser_symbol_map() -> pot::ser::SymbolMap {
     pot::ser::SymbolMap::new().with_compatibility(pot::Compatibility::V4)
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "verify_serialization")]
 fn pot_de_symbol_list<'l>() -> pot::de::SymbolList<'l> {
     pot::de::SymbolList::new()
 }
@@ -106,14 +105,12 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase> KeyValueDatabaseBackingStorage<T> {
     }
 }
 
-fn get_infra_u32(database: &impl KeyValueDatabase, key: u32) -> Option<u32> {
-    let tx = database.begin_read_transaction().ok()?;
-    let value = database
-        .get(&tx, KeySpace::Infra, IntKey::new(key).as_ref())
-        .ok()?
-        .map(as_u32)?
-        .ok()?;
-    Some(value)
+fn get_infra_u32(database: &impl KeyValueDatabase, key: u32) -> Result<Option<u32>> {
+    let tx = database.begin_read_transaction()?;
+    database
+        .get(&tx, KeySpace::Infra, IntKey::new(key).as_ref())?
+        .map(as_u32)
+        .transpose()
 }
 
 impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
@@ -127,17 +124,24 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
         T::lower_read_transaction(tx)
     }
 
-    fn next_free_task_id(&self) -> TaskId {
-        TaskId::try_from(get_infra_u32(&self.database, META_KEY_NEXT_FREE_TASK_ID).unwrap_or(1))
-            .unwrap()
+    fn next_free_task_id(&self) -> Result<TaskId> {
+        Ok(TaskId::try_from(
+            get_infra_u32(&self.database, META_KEY_NEXT_FREE_TASK_ID)
+                .context("Unable to read next free task id from database")?
+                .unwrap_or(1),
+        )?)
     }
 
-    fn next_session_id(&self) -> SessionId {
-        SessionId::try_from(get_infra_u32(&self.database, META_KEY_SESSION_ID).unwrap_or(0) + 1)
-            .unwrap()
+    fn next_session_id(&self) -> Result<SessionId> {
+        Ok(SessionId::try_from(
+            get_infra_u32(&self.database, META_KEY_SESSION_ID)
+                .context("Unable to read session id from database")?
+                .unwrap_or(0)
+                + 1,
+        )?)
     }
 
-    fn uncompleted_operations(&self) -> Vec<AnyOperation> {
+    fn uncompleted_operations(&self) -> Result<Vec<AnyOperation>> {
         fn get(database: &impl KeyValueDatabase) -> Result<Vec<AnyOperation>> {
             let tx = database.begin_read_transaction()?;
             let Some(operations) = database.get(
@@ -148,10 +152,10 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
             else {
                 return Ok(Vec::new());
             };
-            let operations = POT_CONFIG.deserialize(operations.borrow())?;
+            let operations = deserialize_with_good_error(operations.borrow())?;
             Ok(operations)
         }
-        get(&self.database).unwrap_or_default()
+        get(&self.database).context("Unable to read uncompleted operations from database")
     }
 
     fn serialize(task: TaskId, data: &Vec<CachedDataItem>) -> Result<SmallVec<[u8; 16]>> {
@@ -360,7 +364,7 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
         &self,
         tx: Option<&T::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         task_type: &CachedTaskType,
-    ) -> Option<TaskId> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<TaskId>> {
         fn lookup<D: KeyValueDatabase>(
             database: &D,
             tx: &D::ReadTransaction<'_>,
@@ -377,20 +381,17 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
         if self.database.is_empty() {
             // Checking if the database is empty is a performance optimization
             // to avoid serializing the task type.
-            return None;
+            return Ok(None);
         }
-        let id = self
-            .with_tx(tx, |tx| lookup(&self.database, tx, task_type))
-            .inspect_err(|err| println!("Looking up task id for {task_type:?} failed: {err:?}"))
-            .ok()??;
-        Some(id)
+        self.with_tx(tx, |tx| lookup(&self.database, tx, task_type))
+            .with_context(|| format!("Looking up task id for {task_type:?} from database failed"))
     }
 
     unsafe fn reverse_lookup_task_cache(
         &self,
         tx: Option<&T::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         task_id: TaskId,
-    ) -> Option<Arc<CachedTaskType>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<Arc<CachedTaskType>>> {
         fn lookup<D: KeyValueDatabase>(
             database: &D,
             tx: &D::ReadTransaction<'_>,
@@ -404,13 +405,10 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
             else {
                 return Ok(None);
             };
-            Ok(Some(POT_CONFIG.deserialize(bytes.borrow())?))
+            Ok(Some(deserialize_with_good_error(bytes.borrow())?))
         }
-        let result = self
-            .with_tx(tx, |tx| lookup(&self.database, tx, task_id))
-            .inspect_err(|err| println!("Looking up task type for {task_id} failed: {err:?}"))
-            .ok()??;
-        Some(result)
+        self.with_tx(tx, |tx| lookup(&self.database, tx, task_id))
+            .with_context(|| format!("Looking up task type for {task_id} from database failed"))
     }
 
     unsafe fn lookup_data(
@@ -418,7 +416,7 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
         tx: Option<&T::ReadTransaction<'_>>,
         task_id: TaskId,
         category: TaskDataCategory,
-    ) -> Vec<CachedDataItem> {
+    ) -> Result<Vec<CachedDataItem>> {
         fn lookup<D: KeyValueDatabase>(
             database: &D,
             tx: &D::ReadTransaction<'_>,
@@ -437,12 +435,11 @@ impl<T: KeyValueDatabase + Send + Sync + 'static> BackingStorage
             else {
                 return Ok(Vec::new());
             };
-            let result: Vec<CachedDataItem> = POT_CONFIG.deserialize(bytes.borrow())?;
+            let result: Vec<CachedDataItem> = deserialize_with_good_error(bytes.borrow())?;
             Ok(result)
         }
         self.with_tx(tx, |tx| lookup(&self.database, tx, task_id, category))
-            .inspect_err(|err| println!("Looking up data for {task_id} failed: {err:?}"))
-            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .with_context(|| format!("Looking up data for {task_id} from database failed"))
     }
 
     fn shutdown(&self) -> Result<()> {
@@ -647,3 +644,15 @@ fn serialize(task: TaskId, data: &Vec<CachedDataItem>) -> Result<SmallVec<[u8; 1
         }
     })
 }
+
+fn deserialize_with_good_error<'de, T: Deserialize<'de>>(data: &'de [u8]) -> Result<T> {
+    match POT_CONFIG.deserialize(data) {
+        Ok(value) => Ok(value),
+        Err(error) => serde_path_to_error::deserialize::<'_, _, T>(
+            &mut pot_de_symbol_list().deserializer_for_slice(data)?,
+        )
+        .map_err(anyhow::Error::from)
+        .and(Err(error.into()))
+        .context("Deserialization failed"),
+    }
+}