diff --git a/src/constants/app.ts b/src/constants/app.ts
index 89276dbc..d60da0e9 100644
--- a/src/constants/app.ts
+++ b/src/constants/app.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ export const DEFAULT_PUSH_SERVER =
 
 export const IMAGE_TYPE_PROFILE = "profile";
 
+export const SUPPORT_EMAIL = "info@TimeSafari.app";
+
 export const PASSKEYS_ENABLED =
   !!import.meta.env.VITE_PASSKEYS_ENABLED || false;
 
diff --git a/src/router/index.ts b/src/router/index.ts
index 6fcca363..0f00ceb4 100644
--- a/src/router/index.ts
+++ b/src/router/index.ts
@@ -412,6 +412,18 @@ router.beforeEach(async (to, _from, next) => {
       timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
     });
 
+    // Store error details so StartView can display them
+    const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+    const errorStack = error instanceof Error ? error.stack || "" : "";
+    try {
+      sessionStorage.setItem(
+        "startupError",
+        JSON.stringify({ message: errorMessage, stack: errorStack }),
+      );
+    } catch {
+      // sessionStorage may be unavailable
+    }
+
     // Redirect to start page if identity creation fails
     // This allows users to manually create an identity or troubleshoot
     logger.info(
diff --git a/src/views/DeepLinkErrorView.vue b/src/views/DeepLinkErrorView.vue
index 57bbd00c..e0385cd8 100644
--- a/src/views/DeepLinkErrorView.vue
+++ b/src/views/DeepLinkErrorView.vue
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ import {
 } from "../interfaces/deepLinks";
 import { logConsoleAndDb } from "../db/databaseUtil";
 import { logger } from "../utils/logger";
+import { SUPPORT_EMAIL } from "../constants/app";
 
 const route = useRoute();
 const router = useRouter();
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ const goHome = () => router.replace({ name: "home" });
 const reportIssue = () => {
   // Open a support form or email
   window.open(
-    "mailto:support@timesafari.app?subject=Invalid Deep Link&body=" +
+    `mailto:${SUPPORT_EMAIL}?subject=Invalid Deep Link&body=` +
       encodeURIComponent(
         `I encountered an error with a deep link: timesafari://${originalPath.value}\nError: ${errorMessage.value}`,
       ),
diff --git a/src/views/HelpView.vue b/src/views/HelpView.vue
index d48b6272..ac2aa9d6 100644
--- a/src/views/HelpView.vue
+++ b/src/views/HelpView.vue
@@ -552,8 +552,8 @@
       </h2>
       <p>
         Contact us at
-        <a href="mailto:info@TimeSafari.app" class="text-blue-500"
-          >info@TimeSafari.app</a
+        <a :href="`mailto:${SUPPORT_EMAIL}`" class="text-blue-500"
+          >{{ SUPPORT_EMAIL }}</a
         >
       </p>
 
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ import { copyToClipboard } from "../services/ClipboardService";
 
 import * as Package from "../../package.json";
 import QuickNav from "../components/QuickNav.vue";
-import { APP_SERVER, NotificationIface } from "../constants/app";
+import { APP_SERVER, NotificationIface, SUPPORT_EMAIL } from "../constants/app";
 import { PlatformServiceMixin } from "@/utils/PlatformServiceMixin";
 import { QRNavigationService } from "@/services/QRNavigationService";
 import { UNNAMED_ENTITY_NAME } from "@/constants/entities";
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ export default class HelpView extends Vue {
   showVerifiable = false;
 
   APP_SERVER = APP_SERVER;
-  // Capacitor reference removed - using QRNavigationService instead
+  SUPPORT_EMAIL = SUPPORT_EMAIL;
 
   /**
    * Initialize notification helpers
diff --git a/src/views/StartView.vue b/src/views/StartView.vue
index e6871cae..613fdee0 100644
--- a/src/views/StartView.vue
+++ b/src/views/StartView.vue
@@ -26,6 +26,31 @@
       </router-link>
     </div>
 
+    <!-- Startup error banner -->
+    <div
+      v-if="startupError"
+      class="max-w-3xl mx-auto mb-6 p-4 bg-red-50 border border-red-300 rounded-lg"
+    >
+      <h2 class="text-red-800 font-semibold text-lg mb-2">Startup Error</h2>
+      <p class="text-red-700 mb-3">
+        The app encountered a critical error during startup. This is often
+        caused by a database problem. Please send the details below to
+        <a :href="`mailto:${SUPPORT_EMAIL}`" class="underline font-semibold">{{
+          SUPPORT_EMAIL
+        }}</a>
+        so we can help resolve it.
+      </p>
+      <details class="bg-white border border-red-200 rounded p-3">
+        <summary class="cursor-pointer text-red-700 font-medium">
+          Error details
+        </summary>
+        <pre
+          class="mt-2 text-xs text-red-900 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words"
+          >{{ startupError }}</pre
+        >
+      </details>
+    </div>
+
     <!-- id used by puppeteer test script -->
     <div id="start-question">
       <div class="max-w-3xl mx-auto">
@@ -139,7 +164,7 @@
 import { Component, Vue } from "vue-facing-decorator";
 import { Router } from "vue-router";
 
-import { AppString, PASSKEYS_ENABLED } from "../constants/app";
+import { AppString, PASSKEYS_ENABLED, SUPPORT_EMAIL } from "../constants/app";
 import { PlatformServiceMixin } from "../utils/PlatformServiceMixin";
 import { logger } from "../utils/logger";
 
@@ -157,10 +182,12 @@ export default class StartView extends Vue {
 
   // Feature flags and application constants
   PASSKEYS_ENABLED = PASSKEYS_ENABLED;
+  SUPPORT_EMAIL = SUPPORT_EMAIL;
 
   // Component state for identity generation
   givenName = "";
   numAccounts = 0;
+  startupError = "";
 
   /**
    * Computed property for primary action button styling
@@ -201,11 +228,26 @@ export default class StartView extends Vue {
    */
   async mounted() {
     try {
-      // Load user settings using platform service
+      const raw = sessionStorage.getItem("startupError");
+      if (raw) {
+        sessionStorage.removeItem("startupError");
+        try {
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+          const parts = [parsed.message, parsed.stack].filter(Boolean);
+          this.startupError = parts.length > 0 ? parts.join("\n\n") : raw;
+          logger.error("[StartView] Displaying startup error to user", parsed);
+        } catch {
+          this.startupError = raw;
+        }
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // sessionStorage or JSON parse may fail; non-critical
+    }
+
+    try {
       const settings = await this.$accountSettings();
       this.givenName = settings.firstName || "";
 
-      // Load account count for display logic
       this.numAccounts = await retrieveAccountCount();
 
       logger.debug("[StartView] Component mounted", {
@@ -215,7 +257,6 @@ export default class StartView extends Vue {
       });
     } catch (error) {
       logger.error("[StartView] Failed to load initialization data", error);
-      // Continue with default behavior if settings load fails
       this.givenName = "";
       this.numAccounts = 0;
     }