diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 22d85bd2d..429d2ae44 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -104,7 +104,12 @@ public void example(){
 
     // configure a provider
     OpenFeatureAPI api = OpenFeatureAPI.getInstance();
-    api.setProviderAndWait(new InMemoryProvider(myFlags));
+    try {
+        api.setProviderAndWait(new InMemoryProvider(myFlags));
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+        // handle initialization failure
+        e.printStackTrace();
+    }
 
     // create a client
     Client client = api.getClient();
@@ -149,7 +154,12 @@ To register a provider in a blocking manner to ensure it is ready before further
   
 ```java
     OpenFeatureAPI api = OpenFeatureAPI.getInstance();
-    api.setProviderAndWait(new MyProvider());
+    try {
+        api.setProviderAndWait(new MyProvider());
+    }  catch (Exception e) {
+        // handle initialization failure
+        e.printStackTrace();
+    }
 ```  
   
 #### Asynchronous    
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
index bd60cc78a..66d40736f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/openfeature/sdk/OpenFeatureAPI.java
@@ -207,7 +207,13 @@ public void setProvider(String domain, FeatureProvider provider) {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Set the default provider and wait for initialization to finish.
+     * Sets the default provider and waits for its initialization to complete.
+     *
+     * <p>Note: If the provider fails during initialization, an {@link OpenFeatureError} will be thrown.
+     * It is recommended to wrap this call in a try-catch block to handle potential initialization failures gracefully.
+     *
+     * @param provider the {@link FeatureProvider} to set as the default.
+     * @throws OpenFeatureError if the provider fails during initialization.
      */
     public void setProviderAndWait(FeatureProvider provider) throws OpenFeatureError {
         try (AutoCloseableLock __ = lock.writeLockAutoCloseable()) {
@@ -224,8 +230,12 @@ public void setProviderAndWait(FeatureProvider provider) throws OpenFeatureError
     /**
      * Add a provider for a domain and wait for initialization to finish.
      *
+     * <p>Note: If the provider fails during initialization, an {@link OpenFeatureError} will be thrown.
+     * It is recommended to wrap this call in a try-catch block to handle potential initialization failures gracefully.
+     *
      * @param domain   The domain to bind the provider to.
      * @param provider The provider to set.
+     * @throws OpenFeatureError if the provider fails during initialization.
      */
     public void setProviderAndWait(String domain, FeatureProvider provider) throws OpenFeatureError {
         try (AutoCloseableLock __ = lock.writeLockAutoCloseable()) {