diff --git a/lib/leopard/nats_jetstream_consumer.rb b/lib/leopard/nats_jetstream_consumer.rb
index 9695e38..e94b854 100644
--- a/lib/leopard/nats_jetstream_consumer.rb
+++ b/lib/leopard/nats_jetstream_consumer.rb
@@ -69,33 +69,27 @@ def start_endpoint(endpoint)
         subscription = build_subscription(endpoint)
         subscriptions << subscription
         threads << @thread_factory.new { consume_endpoint(subscription, endpoint) }
+      rescue StandardError => e
+        @logger.error "JetStream endpoint #{endpoint.name} failed to start: ", e
+        raise
       end
 
-      # Ensures the durable consumer exists and creates a pull subscription for it.
+      # Creates a pull subscription for the endpoint's durable consumer.
+      #
+      # No stream is passed, so nats-pure resolves the stream from the subject and adds the durable consumer
+      # (using {#consumer_config}) when it does not already exist.
       #
       # @param endpoint [NatsJetstreamEndpoint] The endpoint configuration to subscribe to.
       #
       # @return [Object] The JetStream pull subscription.
       def build_subscription(endpoint)
-        ensure_consumer(endpoint)
         @jetstream.pull_subscribe(
           endpoint.subject,
-          endpoint.durable,
-          stream: endpoint.stream,
+          endpoint.durable || endpoint.name,
+          config: consumer_config(endpoint),
         )
       end
 
-      # Verifies that the durable consumer exists, creating it when missing.
-      #
-      # @param endpoint [NatsJetstreamEndpoint] The endpoint configuration to ensure.
-      #
-      # @return [Object] Consumer metadata from `consumer_info` or `add_consumer`.
-      def ensure_consumer(endpoint)
-        @jetstream.consumer_info(endpoint.stream, endpoint.durable)
-      rescue NATS::JetStream::Error::NotFound
-        @jetstream.add_consumer(endpoint.stream, consumer_config(endpoint))
-      end
-
       # Builds the JetStream consumer configuration for an endpoint.
       #
       # @param endpoint [NatsJetstreamEndpoint] The endpoint configuration to translate.
diff --git a/test/integration/nats_jetstream_integration_test.rb b/test/integration/nats_jetstream_integration_test.rb
index 4e20be5..a3f97df 100644
--- a/test/integration/nats_jetstream_integration_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/nats_jetstream_integration_test.rb
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def build_names
     token = SecureRandom.hex(4)
     {
       stream: "EVENTS_#{token}",
-      subject: "events.#{token}",
+      subject: "leopard_it.events.#{token}",
       durable: "events_consumer_#{token}",
       service: "JetstreamService#{token}",
     }
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ def build_worker(names, middleware: nil, &handler)
     worker
   end
 
+  # Only the stream is created here. Leopard calls pull_subscribe without a stream, so nats-pure resolves the
+  # stream from the subject and adds the durable consumer when it does not exist.
   def create_stream(names)
     @jetstream.add_stream(name: names[:stream], subjects: [names[:subject]])
     @streams << names[:stream]
@@ -121,7 +123,6 @@ def build_service_class(names, middleware: nil, &handler)
 
   def endpoint_options(names)
     {
-      stream: names[:stream],
       subject: names[:subject],
       durable: names[:durable],
       consumer: { ack_wait: 1, max_deliver: 5 },
diff --git a/test/lib/nats_jetstream_consumer_test.rb b/test/lib/nats_jetstream_consumer_test.rb
index f31d693..a991edf 100644
--- a/test/lib/nats_jetstream_consumer_test.rb
+++ b/test/lib/nats_jetstream_consumer_test.rb
@@ -41,8 +41,25 @@ def test_consumer_config_keeps_safe_string_key_overrides
     assert_equal 100, string_key_config['max_ack_pending']
   end
 
+  def test_start_endpoint_logs_and_reraises_when_the_endpoint_fails_to_start
+    logged = []
+    logger = Object.new
+    logger.define_singleton_method(:error) { |*args| logged << args }
+
+    assert_raises(NoMethodError) do
+      consumer_with(jetstream: Object.new, logger:).send(:start_endpoint,
+        endpoint_with_consumer(nil))
+    end
+    assert_match(/failed to start/, logged.first.first)
+  end
+
   private
 
+  def consumer_with(jetstream:, logger: Object.new)
+    Rubyists::Leopard::NatsJetstreamConsumer.new(jetstream:, endpoints: [],
+      logger:, process_message: ->(*_) {})
+  end
+
   def symbol_key_config
     @symbol_key_config ||= @consumer.send(:consumer_config, endpoint_with_consumer(symbol_key_overrides))
   end