diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrail.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrail.java
index 0189f79c57f..ffb934b77a2 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrail.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrail.java
@@ -310,7 +310,10 @@ public class IndexAuditTrail extends AbstractComponent implements AuditTrail, Cl
                 });
             } else if (master) {
                 putTemplate(customAuditIndexSettings(settings), ActionListener.wrap((v) -> innerStart(),
-                        (e) -> state.set(State.FAILED)));
+                        (e) -> {
+                            logger.error("failed to put audit trail template", e);
+                            state.set(State.FAILED);
+                        }));
             } else {
                 innerStart();
             }
diff --git a/plugin/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailMutedTests.java b/plugin/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailMutedTests.java
index 6dad48239a2..fd685b33db0 100644
--- a/plugin/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailMutedTests.java
+++ b/plugin/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/security/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailMutedTests.java
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ public class IndexAuditTrailMutedTests extends ESTestCase {
         transportClient = new MockTransportClient(Settings.EMPTY);
         clientCalled = new AtomicBoolean(false);
         class IClient extends InternalClient {
-           IClient(Client transportClient){
-                super(Settings.EMPTY, null, transportClient);
-           }
+            IClient(Client transportClient){
+                super(Settings.EMPTY, threadPool, transportClient);
+            }
+
             @Override
             protected <Request extends ActionRequest, Response extends ActionResponse, RequestBuilder extends
                     ActionRequestBuilder<Request, Response, RequestBuilder>> void doExecute(