diff --git a/cmd/cc-backend/main.go b/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
index c3e3387..f9b198d 100644
--- a/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ func initSubsystems() error {
 	// Initialize nats client
 	natsConfig := ccconf.GetPackageConfig("nats")
 	if err := nats.Init(natsConfig); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("initializing nats client: %w", err)
+		cclog.Warnf("initializing (optional) nats client: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 	nats.Connect()
 
diff --git a/internal/memorystore/lineprotocol.go b/internal/memorystore/lineprotocol.go
index 87d3b9e..aebdbdc 100644
--- a/internal/memorystore/lineprotocol.go
+++ b/internal/memorystore/lineprotocol.go
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ func ReceiveNats(ms *MemoryStore,
 ) error {
 	nc := nats.GetClient()
 
+	if nc == nil {
+		cclog.Warn("NATS client not initialized")
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 
 	msgs := make(chan []byte, workers*2)