diff --git a/src/posix/platform/settings.cpp b/src/posix/platform/settings.cpp
index 73925fe21500..499a68024e8b 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/platform/settings.cpp
@@ -474,18 +474,16 @@ otError PlatformSettingsDelete(otInstance *aInstance, uint16_t aKey, int aIndex,
         }
 
         rval = write(swapFd, &key, sizeof(key));
-        assert(rval == sizeof(key));
-        VerifyOrDie(rval == sizeof(key), OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
+        VerifyOrExit(rval == sizeof(key), error = OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
 
         rval = write(swapFd, &length, sizeof(length));
-        assert(rval == sizeof(length));
-        VerifyOrDie(rval == sizeof(length), OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
+        VerifyOrExit(rval == sizeof(length), error = OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
 
         swapWrite(aInstance, swapFd, length);
     }
 
 exit:
-    VerifyOrDie(error != OT_ERROR_PARSE, OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
+    VerifyOrExit(error != OT_ERROR_PARSE, error = OT_EXIT_FAILURE);
 
     if (aSwapFd != nullptr)
     {
@@ -495,9 +493,10 @@ otError PlatformSettingsDelete(otInstance *aInstance, uint16_t aKey, int aIndex,
     {
         swapPersist(aInstance, swapFd);
     }
-    else if (error == OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND)
+    else if ((error == OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND) || (error == OT_EXIT_FAILURE))
     {
         swapDiscard(aInstance, swapFd);
+        DieNow(error);
     }
 
     return error;