diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index bb23b0c74..97d3eefbc 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -104,8 +104,15 @@ impl AppState {
 
         let settings = db.get_settings().expect("expected to get settings");
 
-        let mainnet_app_context =
-            AppContext::new(Network::Dash, db.clone()).expect("expected Dash config for mainnet");
+        let mainnet_app_context = match AppContext::new(Network::Dash, db.clone()) {
+            Some(context) => context,
+            None => {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "Error: Failed to create the AppContext. Expected Dash config for mainnet."
+                );
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            }
+        };
         let testnet_app_context = AppContext::new(Network::Testnet, db.clone());
 
         let mut identities_screen = IdentitiesScreen::new(&mainnet_app_context);
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 237839004..849818d73 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ impl Config {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum ConfigError {
+    #[error("{0}")]
+    LoadError(String),
+    #[error("No valid network configurations found in .env file or environment variables")]
+    NoValidConfigs,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Clone)]
 pub struct NetworkConfig {
     /// Hostname of the Dash Platform node to connect to
@@ -49,7 +57,7 @@ pub struct NetworkConfig {
 
 impl Config {
     /// Loads the configuration for all networks from environment variables and `.env` file.
-    pub fn load() -> Self {
+    pub fn load() -> Result<Self, ConfigError> {
         // Load the .env file if available
         if let Err(err) = dotenvy::from_path(".env") {
             tracing::warn!(
@@ -83,10 +91,22 @@ impl Config {
             }
         };
 
-        Config {
+        if mainnet_config.is_none() && testnet_config.is_none() {
+            return Err(ConfigError::NoValidConfigs);
+        } else if mainnet_config.is_none() {
+            return Err(ConfigError::LoadError(
+                "Failed to load mainnet configuration".into(),
+            ));
+        } else if testnet_config.is_none() {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                "Failed to load testnet configuration, but successfully loaded mainnet config"
+            );
+        }
+
+        Ok(Config {
             mainnet_config,
             testnet_config,
-        }
+        })
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 39db279b5..22c0f83c8 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@ pub struct AppContext {
 
 impl AppContext {
     pub fn new(network: Network, db: Arc<Database>) -> Option<Arc<Self>> {
-        let config = Config::load();
+        let config = match Config::load() {
+            Ok(config) => config,
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Failed to load config: {e}");
+                return None;
+            }
+        };
 
         let network_config = config.config_for_network(network).clone()?;
 
diff --git a/src/ui/network_chooser_screen.rs b/src/ui/network_chooser_screen.rs
index df34659c4..7f063a790 100644
--- a/src/ui/network_chooser_screen.rs
+++ b/src/ui/network_chooser_screen.rs
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ impl NetworkChooserScreen {
         // Display status indicator
         ui.colored_label(status_color, if is_working { "Online" } else { "Offline" });
 
+        if network == Network::Testnet && self.testnet_app_context.is_none() {
+            ui.label("(No configs for testnet loaded)");
+            return AppAction::None;
+        }
+
         // Display wallet count
         let wallet_count = format!(
             "{}",