diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index b99ae7655b..6cdd55e68c 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -242,7 +242,10 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	}
 
 	eth.miner = miner.New(eth, &config.Miner, eth.blockchain.Config(), eth.EventMux(), eth.engine, eth.isLocalBlock)
-	eth.miner.SetExtra(makeExtraData(config.Miner.ExtraData))
+	err = eth.miner.SetExtra(makeExtraData(config.Miner.ExtraData))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	eth.APIBackend = &EthAPIBackend{stack.Config().ExtRPCEnabled(), stack.Config().AllowUnprotectedTxs, eth, nil}
 	if eth.APIBackend.allowUnprotectedTxs {