diff --git a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
index 68f6bf3844..4953e5f331 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
@@ -223,9 +223,8 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     drop(state);
 
     // Launch remaining service threads
-    let _monitor_handle = launch_monitor(&compute).expect("cannot launch compute monitor thread");
-    let _configurator_handle =
-        launch_configurator(&compute).expect("cannot launch configurator thread");
+    let _monitor_handle = launch_monitor(&compute);
+    let _configurator_handle = launch_configurator(&compute);
 
     // Start Postgres
     let mut delay_exit = false;
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs b/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
index 13550e0176..274a221ac7 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::thread;
 
-use anyhow::Result;
 use tracing::{error, info, instrument};
 
 use compute_api::responses::ComputeStatus;
@@ -42,13 +41,14 @@ fn configurator_main_loop(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn launch_configurator(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> Result<thread::JoinHandle<()>> {
+pub fn launch_configurator(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> thread::JoinHandle<()> {
     let compute = Arc::clone(compute);
 
-    Ok(thread::Builder::new()
+    thread::Builder::new()
         .name("compute-configurator".into())
         .spawn(move || {
             configurator_main_loop(&compute);
             info!("configurator thread is exited");
-        })?)
+        })
+        .expect("cannot launch configurator thread")
 }
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/monitor.rs b/compute_tools/src/monitor.rs
index d2e7b698dd..1085a27902 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/monitor.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::{thread, time};
 
-use anyhow::Result;
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use postgres::{Client, NoTls};
 use tracing::{debug, info};
@@ -105,10 +104,11 @@ fn watch_compute_activity(compute: &ComputeNode) {
 }
 
 /// Launch a separate compute monitor thread and return its `JoinHandle`.
-pub fn launch_monitor(state: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> Result<thread::JoinHandle<()>> {
+pub fn launch_monitor(state: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> thread::JoinHandle<()> {
     let state = Arc::clone(state);
 
-    Ok(thread::Builder::new()
+    thread::Builder::new()
         .name("compute-monitor".into())
-        .spawn(move || watch_compute_activity(&state))?)
+        .spawn(move || watch_compute_activity(&state))
+        .expect("cannot launch compute monitor thread")
 }