diff --git a/tests/test_async_simple_storage_manager.py b/tests/test_async_simple_storage_manager.py
index 609be511..b4dbfbf5 100644
--- a/tests/test_async_simple_storage_manager.py
+++ b/tests/test_async_simple_storage_manager.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+import logging
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, Mock, patch
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ def parser(data, args):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_clear_data_routes_from_hash():
+async def test_clear_data_routes_from_hash(caplog):
     """clear_data should route using global_idx % num_su (hash routing)."""
     storage_unit_infos = {
         "storage_0": ZMQServerInfo(
@@ -361,6 +362,23 @@ async def fake_clear(global_indexes, target_storage_unit=None, **kwargs):
     assert set(called_with.get("storage_0", [])) == {0, 2}
     assert set(called_with.get("storage_1", [])) == {1, 3}
 
+    # A failed unit is logged, not raised, and the other units are still cleared.
+    called_with.clear()
+
+    async def fail_on_storage_1(global_indexes, target_storage_unit=None, **kwargs):
+        called_with[target_storage_unit] = list(global_indexes)
+        if target_storage_unit == "storage_1":
+            raise RuntimeError("unit timeout")
+
+    manager._clear_single_storage_unit = fail_on_storage_1
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.ERROR):
+        await manager.clear_data(batch_meta)
+
+    assert set(called_with) == {"storage_0", "storage_1"}
+    failures = [record.message for record in caplog.records if "Failed to clear" in record.message]
+    assert len(failures) == 1
+    assert "2 samples" in failures[0] and "storage_1" in failures[0] and "unit timeout" in failures[0]
+
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_hash_routing_stable_across_batch_sizes():
diff --git a/transfer_queue/storage/managers/simple_storage_manager.py b/transfer_queue/storage/managers/simple_storage_manager.py
index b17fa087..8d29cfa2 100644
--- a/transfer_queue/storage/managers/simple_storage_manager.py
+++ b/transfer_queue/storage/managers/simple_storage_manager.py
@@ -937,33 +937,33 @@ async def clear_data(self, metadata: BatchMeta, fields: list[str] | None = None)
 
         results = await asyncio.gather(*tasks, return_exceptions=True)
 
-        for i, result in enumerate(results):
+        # Logged rather than raised: the caller no longer wants this data, and failing its cleanup
+        # would stop the job. The unit keeps the payloads until their indexes are reused and cleared.
+        for (su_id, group), result in zip(routing.items(), results, strict=True):
             if isinstance(result, Exception):
-                logger.error(f"[{self.storage_manager_id}]: Error in clear operation task {i}: {result}")
+                logger.error(
+                    f"[{self.storage_manager_id}]: Failed to clear {len(group.global_indexes)} samples "
+                    f"(fields={fields or 'all'}) on storage unit {su_id}; they stay in its memory: "
+                    f"{type(result).__name__}: {result}"
+                )
 
     @with_storage_unit_socket
     async def _clear_single_storage_unit(self, global_indexes, fields=None, target_storage_unit=None, socket=None):
-        try:
-            request_msg = ZMQMessage.create(
-                request_type=ZMQRequestType.CLEAR_DATA,
-                sender_id=self.storage_manager_id,
-                receiver_id=target_storage_unit,
-                body={"global_indexes": global_indexes, "fields": fields},
-            )
-
-            await socket.send_multipart(request_msg.serialize())
-            messages = await socket.recv_multipart(copy=False)
-            response_msg = ZMQMessage.deserialize(messages)
+        request_msg = ZMQMessage.create(
+            request_type=ZMQRequestType.CLEAR_DATA,
+            sender_id=self.storage_manager_id,
+            receiver_id=target_storage_unit,
+            body={"global_indexes": global_indexes, "fields": fields},
+        )
 
-            if response_msg.request_type != ZMQRequestType.CLEAR_DATA_RESPONSE:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    f"Failed to clear storage {target_storage_unit}: "
-                    f"{response_msg.body.get('message', 'Unknown error')}"
-                )
+        await socket.send_multipart(request_msg.serialize())
+        messages = await socket.recv_multipart(copy=False)
+        response_msg = ZMQMessage.deserialize(messages)
 
-        except Exception as e:
-            logger.error(f"[{self.storage_manager_id}]: Error clearing storage unit {target_storage_unit}: {str(e)}")
-            raise
+        if response_msg.request_type != ZMQRequestType.CLEAR_DATA_RESPONSE:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"Failed to clear storage {target_storage_unit}: {response_msg.body.get('message', 'Unknown error')}"
+            )
 
     def get_zmq_server_info(self) -> dict[str, ZMQServerInfo]:
         """Get ZMQ server information for all storage units.