diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/__init__.py b/vasl_templates/webapp/__init__.py
index 5a713c6..f4ede85 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/__init__.py
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/__init__.py
@@ -36,8 +36,15 @@ def _on_request():
     with _init_lock:
         global _init_done
         if not _init_done or (request.path == "/" and request.args.get("force-reinit")):
-            _init_webapp()
-            _init_done = True
+            try:
+                _init_webapp()
+            except Exception as ex: #pylint: disable=broad-except
+                from vasl_templates.webapp.main import startup_msg_store #pylint: disable=cyclic-import
+                startup_msg_store.error( str(ex) )
+            finally:
+                # NOTE: It's important to set this, even if initialization failed, so we don't
+                # try to initialize again.
+                _init_done = True
 
 def _init_webapp():
     """Do startup initialization."""
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/main.js b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/main.js
index 1119f34..0c7140a 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/main.js
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/main.js
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ $(document).ready( function () {
         }
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the application config:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "app-config" ) ;
     } ) ;
 
     // get the vehicle/ordnance listings
@@ -282,24 +283,28 @@ $(document).ready( function () {
         update_page_load_status( "vehicle-listings" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the vehicle listings:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "vehicle-listings" ) ;
     } ) ;
     $.getJSON( gOrdnanceListingsUrl, function(data) {
         gVehicleOrdnanceListings.ordnance = data ;
         update_page_load_status( "ordnance-listings" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the ordnance listings:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "ordnance-listings" ) ;
     } ) ;
     $.getJSON( gVehicleNotesUrl, function(data) {
         gVehicleOrdnanceNotes.vehicles = data ;
         update_page_load_status( "vehicle-notes" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the vehicle notes:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "vehicle-notes" ) ;
     } ) ;
     $.getJSON( gOrdnanceNotesUrl, function(data) {
         gVehicleOrdnanceNotes.ordnance = data ;
         update_page_load_status( "ordnance-notes" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the ordnance notes:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "ordnance-notes" ) ;
     } ) ;
 
     // get the VASL piece info
@@ -308,6 +313,7 @@ $(document).ready( function () {
         update_page_load_status( "vasl-piece-info" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the VASL piece info:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "vasl-piece-info" ) ;
     } ) ;
 
     // get the template pack
@@ -328,6 +334,7 @@ $(document).ready( function () {
         update_page_load_status( "template-pack" ) ;
     } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
         showErrorMsg( "Can't get the template pack:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+        update_page_load_status( "template-pack" ) ;
     } ) ;
 
     // fixup the layout
@@ -727,6 +734,8 @@ function on_player_change( player_no )
 
     // show/hide the vehicle/ordnance multi-applicable notes controls
     function update_ma_notes_controls( vo_type ) {
+        if ( ! gTemplatePack.nationalities )
+            return ;
         var show = ( gVehicleOrdnanceNotes[vo_type] && gVehicleOrdnanceNotes[vo_type][player_nat] ) ||
                    ["allied-minor","axis-minor"].indexOf( gTemplatePack.nationalities[ player_nat ].type ) !== -1 ||
                    player_nat === "free-french" ;
@@ -749,6 +758,8 @@ function on_player_change( player_no )
 
     // enable/disable the "add vehicle/ordnance" buttons
     function update_add_vo_button( vo_type ) {
+        if ( ! gVehicleOrdnanceListings[ vo_type ] )
+            return ;
         $( "#ob_"+vo_type+"-add_"+player_no ).button(
             gVehicleOrdnanceListings[vo_type][player_nat] ? "enable": "disable"
         ) ;
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/snippets.js b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/snippets.js
index 2064b60..a519eab 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/snippets.js
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/snippets.js
@@ -1931,6 +1931,7 @@ function do_on_new_scenario( user_requested ) {
             update_page_load_status( "default-scenario" ) ;
         } ).fail( function( xhr, status, errorMsg ) {
             showErrorMsg( "Can't get the default scenario:<div class='pre'>" + escapeHTML(errorMsg) + "</div>" ) ;
+            update_page_load_status( "default-scenario" ) ;
             return ;
         } ) ;
     }
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/utils.js b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/utils.js
index 93a6c3a..84c0dd0 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/utils.js
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/utils.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function make_app_url( url, for_snippet )
 function get_nationality_display_name( nat_id )
 {
     // get the nationality's display name
-    if ( ! gTemplatePack.nationalities[ nat_id ] )
+    if ( ! gTemplatePack.nationalities || ! gTemplatePack.nationalities[nat_id] )
         return null ;
     return gTemplatePack.nationalities[ nat_id ].display_name ;
 }
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ function get_player_colors_for_element( $elem )
 }
 
 function make_player_flag_url( nat, for_snippet ) {
+    if ( ! gTemplatePack.nationalities )
+        return null ;
     var flag = gTemplatePack.nationalities[nat].flag ;
     if ( flag )
         return flag ; // nb:  custom flag, just use that
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/vo.js b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/vo.js
index c7f9883..8b19c86 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/static/vo.js
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/static/vo.js
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ function find_vo( vo_type, nat, vo_id )
 {
     // find the specificed vehicle/ordnance
     var entries = gVehicleOrdnanceListings[vo_type][nat] ;
+    if ( ! entries )
+        return null ;
     for ( var i=0 ; i < entries.length ; ++i ) {
         if ( entries[i].id === vo_id )
             return entries[i] ;
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/vo.py b/vasl_templates/webapp/vo.py
index 26e2287..91654ce 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/vo.py
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/vo.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ def _do_get_listings( vo_type ):
     """Return the vehicle/ordnance listings."""
     if request.args.get("merge_common") == "1" and request.args.get("report") != "1":
         # nb: this is the normal case
+        if not globvars.vo_listings:
+            abort( 404 )
         return globvars.vo_listings[ vo_type ]
     else:
         # nb: we should only get here during tests
diff --git a/vasl_templates/webapp/vo_notes.py b/vasl_templates/webapp/vo_notes.py
index 7011e9f..c591b64 100644
--- a/vasl_templates/webapp/vo_notes.py
+++ b/vasl_templates/webapp/vo_notes.py
@@ -20,11 +20,15 @@ from vasl_templates.webapp.utils import resize_image_response, is_image_file, is
 @app.route( "/vehicles/notes" )
 def get_vehicle_notes():
     """Return the Chapter H vehicle notes."""
+    if not globvars.vo_notes:
+        abort( 404 )
     return jsonify( globvars.vo_notes[ "vehicles" ] )
 
 @app.route( "/ordnance/notes" )
 def get_ordnance_notes():
     """Return the Chapter H ordnance notes."""
+    if not globvars.vo_notes:
+        abort( 404 )
     return jsonify( globvars.vo_notes[ "ordnance" ] )
 
 # - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -