diff --git a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.html b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.html
index fbc5216..02d37c5 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.html
+++ b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.html
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@
     </button>
   </nav>
 
+  <section *ngIf="!authTokenPresent" class="auth-warning">
+    <strong>Auth token required.</strong>
+    Open this app with the token once, for example
+    <code>?token=your_token_here</code>, and it will be stored in your browser.
+  </section>
+
   <section class="workspace-controls">
     <div class="panel-picker">
       <div class="select">
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.scss b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.scss
index 96e55c0..13ef857 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.scss
+++ b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.scss
@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@ h1 {
   background: rgba(8, 15, 15, 0.9);
 }
 
+.auth-warning {
+  margin: 12px 24px 0;
+  padding: 12px 14px;
+  border: 1px solid rgba(255, 214, 102, 0.35);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  background: rgba(255, 214, 102, 0.12);
+  color: #ffe3a3;
+}
+
+.auth-warning code {
+  color: #f3fff7;
+}
+
 .panel-picker {
   display: flex;
   gap: 10px;
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.ts b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.ts
index e743b48..2eae499 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/app/app.component.ts
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy {
   selectedTrack$ = this.trackService.selectedTrack$;
   version = this.versionService.getVersion();
   spotifyConnected = false;
+  authTokenPresent = Boolean(localStorage.getItem('spooty_auth_token'));
   archiveDestination = localStorage.getItem(ARCHIVE_DESTINATION_KEY) || '';
   archiveListing?: ArchiveListing;
   archiveLoading = false;
@@ -370,6 +371,7 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy {
     }
 
     localStorage.setItem('spooty_auth_token', token);
+    this.authTokenPresent = true;
     url.searchParams.delete('token');
     window.history.replaceState({}, document.title, url.toString());
   }
@@ -377,7 +379,13 @@ export class AppComponent implements OnDestroy {
   checkSpotifyStatus(): void {
     this.http
       .get<{ connected: boolean }>('/api/spotify/status')
-      .subscribe((status) => (this.spotifyConnected = status.connected));
+      .subscribe({
+        next: (status) => (this.spotifyConnected = status.connected),
+        error: (error) => {
+          console.error('Failed to check Spotify status', error);
+          this.spotifyConnected = false;
+        },
+      });
   }
 
   connectSpotify(): void {
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/app/services/playlist.service.ts b/src/frontend/src/app/services/playlist.service.ts
index 90863da..703783b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/app/services/playlist.service.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/app/services/playlist.service.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import {
   withUIEntities
 } from "@ngneat/elf-entities";
 import {joinRequestResult, trackRequestResult} from "@ngneat/elf-requests";
-import {combineLatest, filter, first, map, Observable, of, switchMap, tap} from "rxjs";
+import {catchError, combineLatest, filter, first, map, Observable, of, switchMap, tap} from "rxjs";
 import {TrackService} from "./track.service";
 import {Socket} from "ngx-socket-io";
 import {Playlist} from "../models/playlist";
@@ -115,6 +115,14 @@ export class PlaylistService {
 
   fetch(): void {
     this.http.get<Playlist[]>(ENDPOINT).pipe(
+      catchError((error) => {
+        console.error('Failed to fetch playlists', error);
+        this.store.update(
+          setEntities([]),
+          setEntities([], { ref: UIEntitiesRef }),
+        );
+        return of([]);
+      }),
       tap((data: Playlist[]) => this.store.update(
         setEntities(data),
         setEntities(data.map(item => ({id: item.id, collapsed: false})), {ref: UIEntitiesRef})