diff --git a/src/dataclay/runtime.py b/src/dataclay/runtime.py
index 8b8faf9..a0e2f08 100644
--- a/src/dataclay/runtime.py
+++ b/src/dataclay/runtime.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-""" Class description goes here. """
-
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
@@ -123,52 +121,58 @@ async def make_persistent(
                 alias, instance._dc_meta.dataset_name, instance._dc_meta.id
             )
 
-        # If called inside backend runtime, default is to register in the current backend
-        # unles another backend is explicitly specified
-        if self.is_backend and (backend_id is None or backend_id == self.backend.id):
-            logger.debug("(%s) Registering the object in this backend", instance._dc_meta.id)
-            instance._dc_meta.master_backend_id = self.backend_id
-            await self.metadata_service.upsert_object(instance._dc_meta)
-            instance._dc_is_registered = True
-            self.inmemory_objects[instance._dc_meta.id] = instance
-            self.data_manager.add_hard_reference(instance)
-            return self.backend_id
-
-        # Called from client runtime, default is to choose a random backend
-        elif backend_id is None:
-            logger.debug(
-                "(%s) Choosing a random backend to register the object", instance._dc_meta.id
-            )
-            # If there is no backend client, update the list of backend clients
-            if not self.backend_clients:
-                await self.backend_clients.update()
+        try:
+            # If called inside backend runtime, default is to register in the current backend
+            # unles another backend is explicitly specified
+            if self.is_backend and (backend_id is None or backend_id == self.backend.id):
+                logger.debug("(%s) Registering the object in this backend", instance._dc_meta.id)
+                instance._dc_meta.master_backend_id = self.backend_id
+                await self.metadata_service.upsert_object(instance._dc_meta)
+                instance._dc_is_registered = True
+                self.inmemory_objects[instance._dc_meta.id] = instance
+                self.data_manager.add_hard_reference(instance)
+                return self.backend_id
+
+            # Called from client runtime, default is to choose a random backend
+            elif backend_id is None:
+                logger.debug(
+                    "(%s) Choosing a random backend to register the object", instance._dc_meta.id
+                )
+                # If there is no backend client, update the list of backend clients
                 if not self.backend_clients:
-                    raise RuntimeError(
-                        f"({instance._dc_meta.id}) No backends available to register the object"
-                    )
-            # Choose a random backend
-            backend_id, backend_client = random.choice(tuple(self.backend_clients.items()))
-        else:
-            backend_client = await self.backend_clients.get(backend_id)
+                    await self.backend_clients.update()
+                    if not self.backend_clients:
+                        raise RuntimeError(
+                            f"({instance._dc_meta.id}) No backends available to register the object"
+                        )
+                # Choose a random backend
+                backend_id, backend_client = random.choice(tuple(self.backend_clients.items()))
+            else:
+                backend_client = await self.backend_clients.get(backend_id)
 
-        # Serialize instance with a recursive Pickle
-        visited_objects: dict[UUID, DataClayObject] = {}
-        serialized_objects = await recursive_dcdumps(
-            instance, local_objects=visited_objects, make_persistent=True
-        )
-        # Register the object in the backend
-        await backend_client.make_persistent(serialized_objects)
-
-        # Update the object metadata
-        for dc_object in visited_objects.values():
-            dc_object._clean_dc_properties()
-            dc_object._dc_is_registered = True
-            dc_object._dc_is_local = False
-            dc_object._dc_is_loaded = False
-            dc_object._dc_meta.master_backend_id = backend_id
-            self.inmemory_objects[dc_object._dc_meta.id] = dc_object
-
-        return instance._dc_meta.master_backend_id
+            # Serialize instance with a recursive Pickle
+            visited_objects: dict[UUID, DataClayObject] = {}
+            serialized_objects = await recursive_dcdumps(
+                instance, local_objects=visited_objects, make_persistent=True
+            )
+            # Register the object in the backend
+            await backend_client.make_persistent(serialized_objects)
+
+            # Update the object metadata
+            for dc_object in visited_objects.values():
+                dc_object._clean_dc_properties()
+                dc_object._dc_is_registered = True
+                dc_object._dc_is_local = False
+                dc_object._dc_is_loaded = False
+                dc_object._dc_meta.master_backend_id = backend_id
+                self.inmemory_objects[dc_object._dc_meta.id] = dc_object
+
+            return instance._dc_meta.master_backend_id
+        except Exception as e:
+            # If there is an error, delete the alias
+            if alias:
+                await self.metadata_service.delete_alias(alias, instance._dc_meta.dataset_name)
+            raise e
 
     ##################
     # Object methods #
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_alias.py b/tests/functional/test_alias.py
index 64f2d88..1bbfba1 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_alias.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_alias.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import uuid
+
 import pytest
 
 from dataclay.contrib.modeltest.family import Person
@@ -105,3 +107,17 @@ async def test_get_aliases_async(client):
     await Person.a_delete_alias("test_get_aliases_async")
     await Person.a_delete_alias("test_get_aliases_1_async")
     await Person.a_delete_alias("test_get_aliases_2_async")
+
+
+def test_error_alias_creation(client):
+    """
+    If the make_persistent method fails, the alias should not be created
+    """
+    person = Person("Marc", 24)
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        # Force an error by using an invalid backend_id
+        invalid_backend_id = uuid.uuid4()
+        person.make_persistent(alias="test_error_alias_creation", backend_id=invalid_backend_id)
+    with pytest.raises(DataClayException) as excinfo:
+        Person.get_by_alias("test_error_alias_creation")
+    assert "does not exist" in str(excinfo.value)