diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 440db0d9..0d02744a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "theseus-navigator",
-  "version": "0.3.64",
+  "version": "0.3.65",
   "license": "MPL-2.0",
   "description": "Theseus Navigator — a browser that follows the thread. By Silent Mode, a Deviant project.",
   "author": "Silent Mode",
diff --git a/settings.html b/settings.html
index 921a7591..ce7870dd 100644
--- a/settings.html
+++ b/settings.html
@@ -1786,27 +1786,44 @@
     // Fires an IPC that un-dismisses any lingering session chip and hits the
     // release manifest. Renders either "you're on the latest (vN.M.O)" or
     // "vX.Y.Z is available — the update chip in the toolbar will offer it".
-    const updStatus = document.getElementById("updStatus");
-    // Show the current version by default so the user doesn't have to
-    // click "Check for updates" just to find out which Theseus they're on.
-    if (C && C.appVersion) C.appVersion().then((v) => {
-      if (v) updStatus.textContent = `You're on v${v}.`;
-    }).catch(() => {});
-    const updCheck  = document.getElementById("updCheck");
-    updCheck.onclick = async () => {
-      const orig = updCheck.textContent;
-      updCheck.disabled = true; updCheck.textContent = "Checking…";
-      updStatus.textContent = "Checking…";
-      try {
-        const r = await C.recheckUpdate();
-        if (r && r.updateAvailable && r.updateAvailable.version) {
-          updStatus.innerHTML = `<b style="color:var(--acid-text)">v${r.updateAvailable.version}</b> is available — the update chip in the toolbar will offer it.`;
-        } else {
-          updStatus.textContent = `You're on the latest (v${(r && r.currentVersion) || "?"}).`;
-        }
-      } catch (e) { updStatus.textContent = "Check failed: " + (e?.message || e); }
-      finally { updCheck.disabled = false; updCheck.textContent = orig; }
-    };
+    // Wrap the Updates panel init in its own try — any earlier failure in
+    // this big C.get().then((s)=>…) block would otherwise leave the panel
+    // stuck on "Loading…" forever (silent `.catch(()=>{})` on the version
+    // fetch). We also always react to the fetch's reject, instead of
+    // swallowing it, so the user has a status line they can act on.
+    try {
+      const updStatus = document.getElementById("updStatus");
+      // Show the current version by default so the user doesn't have to
+      // click "Check for updates" just to find out which Theseus they're on.
+      if (C && C.appVersion) {
+        C.appVersion().then((v) => {
+          updStatus.textContent = v ? `You're on v${v}.` : "Version unavailable — try Check for updates.";
+        }).catch((e) => {
+          updStatus.textContent = "Could not read version: " + (e?.message || e) + " — try Check for updates.";
+        });
+      } else {
+        updStatus.textContent = "This build is missing the version IPC — restart Theseus to refresh the panel.";
+      }
+      const updCheck  = document.getElementById("updCheck");
+      if (updCheck) updCheck.onclick = async () => {
+        const orig = updCheck.textContent;
+        updCheck.disabled = true; updCheck.textContent = "Checking…";
+        updStatus.textContent = "Checking…";
+        try {
+          if (!C.recheckUpdate) throw new Error("recheck-update IPC not exposed");
+          const r = await C.recheckUpdate();
+          if (r && r.updateAvailable && r.updateAvailable.version) {
+            updStatus.innerHTML = `<b style="color:var(--acid-text)">v${r.updateAvailable.version}</b> is available — the update chip in the toolbar will offer it.`;
+          } else {
+            updStatus.textContent = `You're on the latest (v${(r && r.currentVersion) || "?"}).`;
+          }
+        } catch (e) { updStatus.textContent = "Check failed: " + (e?.message || e); }
+        finally { updCheck.disabled = false; updCheck.textContent = orig; }
+      };
+    } catch (e) {
+      try { document.getElementById("updStatus").textContent = "Updates panel init failed: " + (e?.message || e); } catch {}
+      console.error("Updates panel init failed:", e);
+    }
 
     // ---- Passwords section: three states (setup / locked / unlocked) ---------
     // The vault lives in main.js — this UI just calls IPC. No plaintext ever