diff --git a/source/extensions/filters/network/http_connection_manager/config.cc b/source/extensions/filters/network/http_connection_manager/config.cc
index 2f1512e896f1..4d27c99c252f 100644
--- a/source/extensions/filters/network/http_connection_manager/config.cc
+++ b/source/extensions/filters/network/http_connection_manager/config.cc
@@ -542,7 +542,8 @@ HttpConnectionManagerConfig::HttpConnectionManagerConfig(
   case envoy::extensions::filters::network::http_connection_manager::v3::HttpConnectionManager::
       RouteSpecifierCase::kScopedRoutes:
     if (!srds_factory || !scoped_routes_config_provider_manager_) {
-      throwEnvoyExceptionOrPanic("SRDS configured but not compiled in");
+      creation_status = absl::InvalidArgumentError("SRDS configured but not compiled in");
+      return;
     }
     scoped_routes_config_provider_ =
         srds_factory->createConfigProvider(config, context_.serverFactoryContext(), stats_prefix_,