diff --git a/libnetwork/sandbox_test.go b/libnetwork/sandbox_test.go
index 2c8bcf86a5..6ce245d767 100644
--- a/libnetwork/sandbox_test.go
+++ b/libnetwork/sandbox_test.go
@@ -10,11 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/libnetwork/testutils"
 )
 
-func createEmptyCtrlr() *controller {
-	return &controller{sandboxes: sandboxTable{}}
-}
-
-func getTestEnv(t *testing.T) (NetworkController, Network, Network) {
+func getTestEnv(t *testing.T, empty bool) (NetworkController, Network, Network) {
 	netType := "bridge"
 
 	option := options.Generic{
@@ -32,6 +28,10 @@ func getTestEnv(t *testing.T) (NetworkController, Network, Network) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if empty {
+		return c, nil, nil
+	}
+
 	name1 := "test_nw_1"
 	netOption1 := options.Generic{
 		netlabel.GenericData: options.Generic{
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ func getTestEnv(t *testing.T) (NetworkController, Network, Network) {
 }
 
 func TestSandboxAddEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	ctrlr := createEmptyCtrlr()
+	c, _, _ := getTestEnv(t, true)
+	ctrlr := c.(*controller)
 
 	sbx, err := ctrlr.NewSandbox("sandbox0")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ func TestSandboxAddMultiPrio(t *testing.T) {
 		defer testutils.SetupTestOSContext(t)()
 	}
 
-	c, nw, _ := getTestEnv(t)
+	c, nw, _ := getTestEnv(t, false)
 	ctrlr := c.(*controller)
 
 	sbx, err := ctrlr.NewSandbox("sandbox1")
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ func TestSandboxAddSamePrio(t *testing.T) {
 		defer testutils.SetupTestOSContext(t)()
 	}
 
-	c, nw1, nw2 := getTestEnv(t)
+	c, nw1, nw2 := getTestEnv(t, false)
 
 	ctrlr := c.(*controller)
 
diff --git a/libnetwork/store.go b/libnetwork/store.go
index 4a40272a3e..714d56bd5a 100644
--- a/libnetwork/store.go
+++ b/libnetwork/store.go
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ func (n *network) getEndpointsFromStore() ([]*endpoint, error) {
 func (c *controller) updateToStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
 	cs := c.getStore(kvObject.DataScope())
 	if cs == nil {
-		log.Warnf("datastore for scope %s not initialized. kv object %s is not added to the store", kvObject.DataScope(), datastore.Key(kvObject.Key()...))
-		return nil
+		return fmt.Errorf("datastore for scope %q is not initialized ", kvObject.DataScope())
 	}
 
 	if err := cs.PutObjectAtomic(kvObject); err != nil {
@@ -238,8 +237,7 @@ func (c *controller) updateToStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
 func (c *controller) deleteFromStore(kvObject datastore.KVObject) error {
 	cs := c.getStore(kvObject.DataScope())
 	if cs == nil {
-		log.Debugf("datastore for scope %s not initialized. kv object %s is not deleted from datastore", kvObject.DataScope(), datastore.Key(kvObject.Key()...))
-		return nil
+		return fmt.Errorf("datastore for scope %q is not initialized ", kvObject.DataScope())
 	}
 
 retry: