diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index e7a8c1b06..9acf2a29d 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -813,12 +813,8 @@ func (cs *State) receiveRoutine(maxSteps int) {
 			cs.handleMsg(mi)
 
 		case mi = <-cs.internalMsgQueue:
-			err := cs.wal.WriteSync(mi) // NOTE: fsync
-			if err != nil {
-				panic(fmt.Sprintf(
-					"failed to write %v msg to consensus WAL due to %v; check your file system and restart the node",
-					mi, err,
-				))
+			if err := cs.wal.Write(mi); err != nil {
+				cs.Logger.Error("failed writing to WAL", "err", err)
 			}
 
 			if _, ok := mi.Msg.(*VoteMessage); ok {