diff --git a/swh/journal/writer/kafka.py b/swh/journal/writer/kafka.py
--- a/swh/journal/writer/kafka.py
+++ b/swh/journal/writer/kafka.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import logging
 
-from confluent_kafka import Producer
+from confluent_kafka import Producer, KafkaException
 
 from swh.model.hashutil import DEFAULT_ALGORITHMS
 from swh.model.model import BaseModel
@@ -28,9 +28,21 @@
         self.producer = Producer({
             'bootstrap.servers': ','.join(brokers),
             'client.id': client_id,
+            'on_delivery': self._on_delivery,
+            'error_cb': self._error_cb,
+            'logger': logger,
             'enable.idempotence': 'true',
         })
 
+    def _error_cb(self, error):
+        if error.fatal():
+            raise KafkaException(error)
+        logger.info('Received non-fatal kafka error: %s', error)
+
+    def _on_delivery(self, error, message):
+        if error is not None:
+            self._error_cb(error)
+
     def send(self, topic, key, value):
         self.producer.produce(
             topic=topic,