diff --git a/src/lib/atproto/repo.svelte.ts b/src/lib/atproto/repo.svelte.ts
index cdc5048..39a948c 100644
--- a/src/lib/atproto/repo.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/atproto/repo.svelte.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Client, ok, simpleFetchHandler } from '@atcute/client';
 import type { ActorIdentifier, Nsid } from '@atcute/lexicons/syntax';
 import type {} from '@atcute/atproto';
+import { errorMessage } from '$lib/utils/errors';
 import type { AccountIdentity } from './identity';
 
 export type CollectionSummary = { name: string; icon: string; loadedCount: number | null };
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class RepoBrowserState {
 				await this.selectCollection(identity, this.selectedCollection);
 			}
 		} catch (unknownError) {
-			this.error = messageFromError(unknownError, 'Could not load repository collections.');
+			this.error = errorMessage(unknownError, 'Could not load repository collections.');
 		} finally {
 			this.isLoadingCollections = false;
 		}
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ class RepoBrowserState {
 			);
 		} catch (unknownError) {
 			this.records = [];
-			this.error = messageFromError(unknownError, `Could not load records for ${collectionName}.`);
+			this.error = errorMessage(unknownError, `Could not load records for ${collectionName}.`);
 		} finally {
 			this.isLoadingRecords = false;
 		}
@@ -178,7 +179,3 @@ function formatRecordTime(value: string | null) {
 		minute: '2-digit'
 	}).format(date);
 }
-
-function messageFromError(error: unknown, fallback: string) {
-	return error instanceof Error ? error.message : fallback;
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/SetupDialog.svelte b/src/lib/components/SetupDialog.svelte
index c2bf5a9..58d06f1 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/SetupDialog.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/SetupDialog.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	import { resolveAccount, type AccountIdentity } from '$lib/atproto/identity';
 	import { accountSetup, setupDefaults } from '$lib/atproto/setup.svelte';
+	import { errorMessage } from '$lib/utils/errors';
 
 	let handle = $state(setupDefaults.handle);
 	let resolvedIdentity = $state<AccountIdentity | null>(null);
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@
 		try {
 			resolvedIdentity = await resolveAccount(handle);
 		} catch (unknownError) {
-			error = unknownError instanceof Error ? unknownError.message : 'Could not resolve that handle.';
+			error = errorMessage(unknownError, 'Could not resolve that handle.');
 		} finally {
 			isResolving = false;
 		}
diff --git a/src/lib/db/client.ts b/src/lib/db/client.ts
index aea2ddf..db128c6 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/client.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db/client.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { PGlite } from '@electric-sql/pglite';
+import { errorMessage } from '$lib/utils/errors';
 import { resetLocalCacheDatabase } from './migrations';
 import { DB_DATA_DIR, SQL } from './schema';
 
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ async function initializeDatabase(): Promise<DbClient> {
 			status: 'error',
 			finishedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
 			wasm: 'error',
-			error: messageFromError(error)
+			error: errorMessage(error)
 		};
 		databasePromise = null;
 		throw error;
@@ -115,7 +116,3 @@ function createIdleReport(): DatabaseStartupReport {
 		error: null
 	};
 }
-
-function messageFromError(error: unknown) {
-	return error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/errors.ts b/src/lib/utils/errors.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c801bc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils/errors.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/**
+ *
+ * Extracts the error message from an error object, or returns a fallback string
+ *  if the error is not an instance of Error.
+ *
+ * @param err
+ * @param fallback
+ * @returns an error message, object as string, or fallback
+ */
+export function errorMessage(err: unknown, fallback?: string): string {
+	const message = fallback ?? String(err);
+	return err instanceof Error ? err.message : message;
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index 7fe5613..b1bce6f 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 	import { accountSetup } from '$lib/atproto/setup.svelte';
 	import favicon from '$lib/assets/favicon.svg';
 	import { getDatabase, resetLocalDatabase, runMigrations } from '$lib/db';
+	import { errorMessage } from '$lib/utils/errors';
 	import { windowManager } from '$lib/window-manager.svelte';
 	import AboutComputer from '$lib/components/AboutComputer.svelte';
 	import AppWindow from '$lib/components/AppWindow.svelte';
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@
 			accountSetup.load();
 			bootStatus = 'ready';
 		} catch (error) {
-			bootError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Could not start the local cache.';
+			bootError = errorMessage(error, 'Could not start the local cache.');
 			bootStatus = 'error';
 		}
 	}
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@
 			await resetLocalDatabase();
 			await bootDesktop();
 		} catch (error) {
-			bootError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Could not reset the local cache.';
+			bootError = errorMessage(error, 'Could not reset the local cache.');
 			bootStatus = 'error';
 		}
 	}