The clinical course of Bacillus cereus bacteraemia can be severe in the subset of patients that are immunocompromised, such as patients after chemotherapy for haematological malignancy. Haematogenous spread with central nervous system complications such as cerebral abscesses can occur. We report two patients who developed B. cereus bacteraemia after induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia. Both developed cerebral lesions with neurological symptoms. While the first recovered swiftly after treatment with the appropriate antibiotics, the second was admitted to the ICU because of neurological impairment and respiratory insufficiency. His course was furthermore complicated by persistent fever and a fluctuating level of consciousness. Clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for intracerebral lesions when patients develop neurological symptoms during neutropenic fever after chemotherapy. Early imaging, appropriate antibiotic therapy and early removal of the central venous catheter are pivotal in the management of these patients. © 2018, Netherlands Society of Intensive Care. All rights reserved.