diff --git a/pocket/startup.lua b/pocket/startup.lua
index 03eefec..f597779 100644
--- a/pocket/startup.lua
+++ b/pocket/startup.lua
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ local function main()
         ---@class pkt_state
         pkt_state = {
             ui_ok = false,
+            ui_error = nil,
             shutdown = false
         },
 
@@ -179,6 +180,10 @@ local function main()
         parallel.waitForAll(main_thread.p_exec, render_thread.p_exec)
 
         renderer.close_ui()
+
+        if not pkt_state.ui_ok then
+            println(util.c("App crashed with error: ", pkt_state.ui_error))
+        end
     else
         println_ts("UI creation failed")
     end
diff --git a/pocket/threads.lua b/pocket/threads.lua
index 8cdb7ff..32120b2 100644
--- a/pocket/threads.lua
+++ b/pocket/threads.lua
@@ -148,8 +148,6 @@ function threads.thread__render(smem)
 
         local last_update = util.time()
 
-        local ui_message
-
         -- thread loop
         while true do
             -- check for messages in the message queue
@@ -171,9 +169,9 @@ function threads.thread__render(smem)
 
                             local draw_start = util.time_ms()
 
-                            pkt_state.ui_ok, ui_message = pcall(function () nav.load_app(cmd.val) end)
+                            pkt_state.ui_ok, pkt_state.ui_error = pcall(function () nav.load_app(cmd.val) end)
                             if not pkt_state.ui_ok then
-                                log.fatal(util.c("RENDER: app load failed with error ", ui_message))
+                                log.fatal(util.c("RENDER: app load failed with error ", pkt_state.ui_error))
                             else
                                 log.debug("RENDER: app loaded in " .. (util.time_ms() - draw_start) .. "ms")
                             end