diff --git a/go/base/context.go b/go/base/context.go
index f12cd43..d523274 100644
--- a/go/base/context.go
+++ b/go/base/context.go
@@ -736,3 +736,20 @@ func (this *MigrationContext) ReadConfigFile() error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (this *MigrationContext) PanicAbortIfTableError(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), mysql.Error1146TableDoesntExist) || strings.Contains(err.Error(), mysql.Error1017CantFindFile) {
+		this.PanicAbortOnError(err)
+	}
+	// otherwise irrelevant error and we do not panic
+}
+
+func (this *MigrationContext) PanicAbortOnError(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	this.PanicAbort <- err
+}
diff --git a/go/logic/applier.go b/go/logic/applier.go
index 5fb795b..bc48242 100644
--- a/go/logic/applier.go
+++ b/go/logic/applier.go
@@ -916,6 +916,8 @@ func (this *Applier) AtomicCutoverRename(sessionIdChan chan int64, tablesRenamed
 	)
 	log.Infof("Issuing and expecting this to block: %s", query)
 	if _, err := tx.Exec(query); err != nil {
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(err)
+
 		tablesRenamed <- err
 		return log.Errore(err)
 	}
diff --git a/go/logic/migrator.go b/go/logic/migrator.go
index 86de5ac..533ecf1 100644
--- a/go/logic/migrator.go
+++ b/go/logic/migrator.go
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (this *Migrator) retryOperation(operation func() error, notFatalHint ...boo
 		// there's an error. Let's try again.
 	}
 	if len(notFatalHint) == 0 {
-		this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 	}
 	return err
 }
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func (this *Migrator) retryOperationWithExponentialBackoff(operation func() erro
 		}
 	}
 	if len(notFatalHint) == 0 {
-		this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 	}
 	return err
 }
@@ -191,14 +191,14 @@ func (this *Migrator) executeAndThrottleOnError(operation func() error) (err err
 // consumes and drops any further incoming events that may be left hanging.
 func (this *Migrator) consumeRowCopyComplete() {
 	if err := <-this.rowCopyComplete; err != nil {
-		this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 	}
 	atomic.StoreInt64(&this.rowCopyCompleteFlag, 1)
 	this.migrationContext.MarkRowCopyEndTime()
 	go func() {
 		for err := range this.rowCopyComplete {
 			if err != nil {
-				this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+				this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 			}
 		}
 	}()
@@ -620,10 +620,12 @@ func (this *Migrator) atomicCutOver() (err error) {
 	tableUnlocked := make(chan error, 2)
 	go func() {
 		if err := this.applier.AtomicCutOverMagicLock(lockOriginalSessionIdChan, tableLocked, okToUnlockTable, tableUnlocked); err != nil {
+			this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(err)
 			log.Errore(err)
 		}
 	}()
 	if err := <-tableLocked; err != nil {
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(err)
 		return log.Errore(err)
 	}
 	lockOriginalSessionId := <-lockOriginalSessionIdChan
@@ -631,6 +633,7 @@ func (this *Migrator) atomicCutOver() (err error) {
 	// At this point we know the original table is locked.
 	// We know any newly incoming DML on original table is blocked.
 	if err := this.waitForEventsUpToLock(); err != nil {
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(err)
 		return log.Errore(err)
 	}
 
@@ -644,6 +647,7 @@ func (this *Migrator) atomicCutOver() (err error) {
 	go func() {
 		if err := this.applier.AtomicCutoverRename(renameSessionIdChan, tablesRenamed); err != nil {
 			// Abort! Release the lock
+			this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(err)
 			atomic.StoreInt64(&tableRenameKnownToHaveFailed, 1)
 			okToUnlockTable <- true
 		}
@@ -996,9 +1000,8 @@ func (this *Migrator) initiateStreaming() error {
 
 	go func() {
 		log.Debugf("Beginning streaming")
-		err := this.eventsStreamer.StreamEvents(this.canStopStreaming)
-		if err != nil {
-			this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+		if err := this.eventsStreamer.StreamEvents(this.canStopStreaming); err != nil {
+			this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 		}
 		log.Debugf("Done streaming")
 	}()
diff --git a/go/logic/server.go b/go/logic/server.go
index 774c4ab..7c50d80 100644
--- a/go/logic/server.go
+++ b/go/logic/server.go
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ help                                 # This message
 				return NoPrintStatusRule, err
 			}
 			err := fmt.Errorf("User commanded 'panic'. I will now panic, without cleanup. PANIC!")
-			this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- err
+			this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(err)
 			return NoPrintStatusRule, err
 		}
 	default:
diff --git a/go/logic/throttler.go b/go/logic/throttler.go
index 6f9f4bb..7e0df4f 100644
--- a/go/logic/throttler.go
+++ b/go/logic/throttler.go
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ func (this *Throttler) collectControlReplicasLag() {
 			lagResult := &mysql.ReplicationLagResult{Key: connectionConfig.Key}
 			go func() {
 				lagResult.Lag, lagResult.Err = readReplicaLag(connectionConfig)
+				this.migrationContext.PanicAbortIfTableError(lagResult.Err)
 				lagResults <- lagResult
 			}()
 		}
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ func (this *Throttler) collectGeneralThrottleMetrics() error {
 	// Regardless of throttle, we take opportunity to check for panic-abort
 	if this.migrationContext.PanicFlagFile != "" {
 		if base.FileExists(this.migrationContext.PanicFlagFile) {
-			this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- fmt.Errorf("Found panic-file %s. Aborting without cleanup", this.migrationContext.PanicFlagFile)
+			this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(fmt.Errorf("Found panic-file %s. Aborting without cleanup", this.migrationContext.PanicFlagFile))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ func (this *Throttler) collectGeneralThrottleMetrics() error {
 	}
 
 	if criticalLoadMet && this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds == 0 {
-		this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- fmt.Errorf("critical-load met: %s=%d, >=%d", variableName, value, threshold)
+		this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(fmt.Errorf("critical-load met: %s=%d, >=%d", variableName, value, threshold))
 	}
 	if criticalLoadMet && this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds > 0 {
 		log.Errorf("critical-load met once: %s=%d, >=%d. Will check again in %d millis", variableName, value, threshold, this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds)
@@ -348,7 +349,7 @@ func (this *Throttler) collectGeneralThrottleMetrics() error {
 			timer := time.NewTimer(time.Millisecond * time.Duration(this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds))
 			<-timer.C
 			if criticalLoadMetAgain, variableName, value, threshold, _ := this.criticalLoadIsMet(); criticalLoadMetAgain {
-				this.migrationContext.PanicAbort <- fmt.Errorf("critical-load met again after %d millis: %s=%d, >=%d", this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds, variableName, value, threshold)
+				this.migrationContext.PanicAbortOnError(fmt.Errorf("critical-load met again after %d millis: %s=%d, >=%d", this.migrationContext.CriticalLoadIntervalMilliseconds, variableName, value, threshold))
 			}
 		}()
 	}
diff --git a/go/mysql/utils.go b/go/mysql/utils.go
index 17bb5fc..a14eb94 100644
--- a/go/mysql/utils.go
+++ b/go/mysql/utils.go
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/outbrain/golib/sqlutils"
 )
 
+const (
+	Error1017CantFindFile     = "Error 1017:"
+	Error1146TableDoesntExist = "Error 1146:"
+)
+
 const MaxTableNameLength = 64
 const MaxReplicationPasswordLength = 32