diff --git a/backend/src/terminal/terminal.gateway.ts b/backend/src/terminal/terminal.gateway.ts
index 35b7612..8f6d11e 100644
--- a/backend/src/terminal/terminal.gateway.ts
+++ b/backend/src/terminal/terminal.gateway.ts
@@ -45,16 +45,22 @@ export class TerminalGateway {
   private async handleMessage(client: any, msg: any) {
     switch (msg.type) {
       case 'connect': {
-        const sessionId = await this.ssh.connect(
-          msg.hostId,
-          (data) => this.send(client, { type: 'data', sessionId, data }),
-          (reason) => this.send(client, { type: 'disconnected', sessionId, reason }),
-          async (fingerprint, isNew) => {
-            // Send verification request to client
-            this.send(client, { type: 'host-key-verify', fingerprint, isNew });
-            return true; // auto-accept for now, full flow in Task 12
-          },
-        );
+        let sessionId = '';
+        try {
+          sessionId = await this.ssh.connect(
+            msg.hostId,
+            (data) => this.send(client, { type: 'data', sessionId, data }),
+            (reason) => this.send(client, { type: 'disconnected', sessionId, reason }),
+            async (fingerprint, isNew) => {
+              this.send(client, { type: 'host-key-verify', fingerprint, isNew });
+              return true; // auto-accept for now, full flow in Task 12
+            },
+          );
+        } catch (err: any) {
+          this.logger.error(`[WS] SSH connect failed: ${err.message}`);
+          this.send(client, { type: 'error', message: `Connection failed: ${err.message}` });
+          break;
+        }
         const sessions = this.clientSessions.get(client) || [];
         sessions.push(sessionId);
         this.clientSessions.set(client, sessions);