diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 61e87d1..e633c4f 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ pub fn run() {
                 let log_file = data_directory().join("wraith.log");
                 let _ = write_log(&log_file, "Setup: starting MCP and error watcher");
 
-                if let Ok(state) = std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
+                match std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
                     app.state::<AppState>().inner().clone_services()
                 })) {
+                Ok(state) => {
                     let (ssh, rdp, sftp, scrollback, watcher) = state;
                     let _ = write_log(&log_file, "Setup: cloned services OK");
 
@@ -151,8 +152,17 @@ pub fn run() {
                             Err(e) => { let _ = write_log(&log_file2, &format!("MCP server FAILED: {}", e)); }
                         }
                     });
-                } else {
-                    let _ = write_log(&log_file, "MCP startup panicked — continuing without MCP");
+                }
+                Err(panic) => {
+                    let msg = if let Some(s) = panic.downcast_ref::<String>() {
+                        s.clone()
+                    } else if let Some(s) = panic.downcast_ref::<&str>() {
+                        s.to_string()
+                    } else {
+                        format!("{:?}", panic.type_id())
+                    };
+                    let _ = write_log(&log_file, &format!("MCP startup panicked: {}", msg));
+                }
                 }
             }