diff --git a/pkg/store/filesystem/store.go b/pkg/store/filesystem/store.go
index 7da8846ad2..40428e1705 100644
--- a/pkg/store/filesystem/store.go
+++ b/pkg/store/filesystem/store.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package store
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path"
@@ -17,8 +18,9 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	// StoreName is the default name for the accounts store
-	StoreName   string = "ocis-store"
-	managerName        = "filesystem"
+	StoreName     string = "ocis-store"
+	managerName          = "filesystem"
+	emptyKeyError        = "key cannot be empty"
 )
 
 // StoreName is the default name for the store container
@@ -49,12 +51,12 @@ func New(cfg *config.Config) account.Manager {
 }
 
 // List returns all the identities in the mountPath folder
-func (s Store) List() []*proto.Record {
+func (s Store) List() ([]*proto.Record, error) {
 	records := []*proto.Record{}
 	identities, err := ioutil.ReadDir(s.mountPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.Logger.Err(err).Msgf("error reading %v", s.mountPath)
-		return records
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	s.Logger.Info().Msg("listing identities")
@@ -64,47 +66,47 @@ func (s Store) List() []*proto.Record {
 		})
 	}
 
-	return records
+	return records, nil
 }
 
 // Read implements the store interface. This implementation only reads by id.
-func (s Store) Read(key string) *proto.Record {
+func (s Store) Read(key string) (*proto.Record, error) {
 	contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path.Join(s.mountPath, key))
 	if err != nil {
 		s.Logger.Err(err).Msgf("error reading contents of key %v: file not found", key)
-		return &proto.Record{}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	record := proto.Record{}
 	if err = json.Unmarshal(contents, &record); err != nil {
 		s.Logger.Err(err).Msg("error unmarshaling record")
-		return &proto.Record{}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return &record
+	return &record, nil
 }
 
 // Write implements the store interface
-func (s Store) Write(rec *proto.Record) *proto.Record {
+func (s Store) Write(rec *proto.Record) (*proto.Record, error) {
 	path := filepath.Join(s.mountPath, rec.Key)
 
 	if len(rec.Key) < 1 {
 		s.Logger.Error().Msg("key cannot be empty")
-		return &proto.Record{}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(emptyKeyError)
 	}
 
 	contents, err := json.Marshal(rec)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.Logger.Err(err).Msg("record could not be marshaled")
-		return &proto.Record{}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(path, contents, 0644); err != nil {
-		return &proto.Record{}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	s.Logger.Info().Msgf("%v bytes written to %v", len(contents), path)
-	return rec
+	return rec, nil
 }
 
 func init() {