diff --git a/frontend/js/atlus.js b/frontend/js/atlus.js
index 0eef45d..1804782 100644
--- a/frontend/js/atlus.js
+++ b/frontend/js/atlus.js
@@ -338,36 +338,54 @@
         const container = $('#panelApps');
         if (!container) return;
 
+        let guiApps = [];
+        let runningApps = [];
+
         try {
             const cfgRes = await Atlus.apiFetch('/api/settings');
-            if (!cfgRes.ok) return;
-            const cfg = await cfgRes.json();
-            const guiApps = cfg.gui_apps || [];
+            if (cfgRes && cfgRes.ok) {
+                const cfg = await cfgRes.json();
+                guiApps = cfg.gui_apps || [];
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.warn('Panel apps: failed to load config', e);
+        }
 
-            // Get running apps (may 503 if display deps unavailable)
-            let runningApps = [];
+        try {
+            const runRes = await Atlus.apiFetch('/api/display/apps');
+            if (runRes && runRes.ok) runningApps = await runRes.json();
+        } catch (e) { /* display may be unavailable */ }
+
+        // Ensure all GUI apps are registered as Atlus app modules
+        for (const app of guiApps) {
             try {
-                const runRes = await Atlus.apiFetch('/api/display/apps');
-                if (runRes.ok) runningApps = await runRes.json();
-            } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
-
-            // Ensure all GUI apps are registered as Atlus app modules
-            for (const app of guiApps) {
                 const appId = 'gui-' + app.id;
                 if (!Atlus.apps[appId] && window._atlusRegisterGuiApp) {
                     window._atlusRegisterGuiApp(app);
                 }
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.warn('Panel apps: failed to register', app.id, e);
             }
+        }
 
-            container.innerHTML = '';
+        // Clear and rebuild — always append Add button at the end
+        container.innerHTML = '';
 
-            if (guiApps.length === 0) {
-                container.innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--text-muted);font-size:12px;font-family:var(--font-mono);padding:4px 0;">No apps configured</div>';
-            } else {
-                for (const app of guiApps) {
-                    const running = runningApps.find(r => r.command === app.command && r.alive);
+        if (guiApps.length === 0) {
+            const empty = document.createElement('div');
+            empty.style.cssText = 'color:var(--text-muted);font-size:12px;font-family:var(--font-mono);padding:4px 0;';
+            empty.textContent = 'No apps configured';
+            container.appendChild(empty);
+        } else {
+            for (const app of guiApps) {
+                try {
+                    const running = Array.isArray(runningApps)
+                        ? runningApps.find(r => r.command === app.command && r.alive)
+                        : null;
                     const row = document.createElement('div');
                     row.className = 'panel-app-row';
+
+                    const args = Array.isArray(app.args) ? app.args.join(' ') : '';
                     row.innerHTML = `
                         <div class="panel-app-dot ${running ? 'active' : ''}"></div>
                         <span class="panel-app-icon">${app.icon || '🖥'}</span>
@@ -375,13 +393,13 @@
                         <button class="panel-app-action ${running ? 'stop' : 'start'}"
                                 data-command="${app.command}" data-app-id="${running ? running.app_id : ''}"
                                 data-gui-id="${app.id}" data-title="${app.name || app.command}"
-                                data-args="${(app.args || []).join(' ')}" data-fps="${app.target_fps || 10}"
+                                data-args="${args}" data-fps="${app.target_fps || 10}"
                                 title="${running ? 'Stop' : 'Launch'}">
                             ${running ? '■' : '▶'}
                         </button>
                     `;
 
-                    // Click name to open in tab
+                    // Click name/icon to open in tab
                     row.querySelector('.panel-app-name').addEventListener('click', () => {
                         openApp('gui-' + app.id);
                     });
@@ -389,54 +407,54 @@
                         openApp('gui-' + app.id);
                     });
 
+                    // Action button (launch/stop)
+                    const actionBtn = row.querySelector('.panel-app-action');
+                    actionBtn.addEventListener('click', async (e) => {
+                        e.stopPropagation();
+                        const isRunning = actionBtn.classList.contains('stop');
+                        actionBtn.disabled = true;
+
+                        try {
+                            if (isRunning) {
+                                const id = actionBtn.dataset.appId;
+                                if (id) await Atlus.apiFetch(`/api/display/apps/${id}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
+                            } else {
+                                const a = actionBtn.dataset.args ? actionBtn.dataset.args.split(' ').filter(Boolean) : [];
+                                await Atlus.apiFetch('/api/display/apps', {
+                                    method: 'POST',
+                                    body: {
+                                        command: actionBtn.dataset.command,
+                                        title: actionBtn.dataset.title,
+                                        args: a,
+                                        target_fps: parseInt(actionBtn.dataset.fps) || 10,
+                                    },
+                                });
+                            }
+                        } catch (err) {
+                            console.warn('Panel app action failed', err);
+                        }
+                        setTimeout(loadPanelApps, 1500);
+                    });
+
                     container.appendChild(row);
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.warn('Panel apps: failed to render', app.id, e);
                 }
             }
+        }
 
-            // Add App button
-            const addBtn = document.createElement('button');
-            addBtn.className = 'panel-app-add';
-            addBtn.textContent = '+ Add';
-            addBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
-                openApp('settings');
-                // Navigate to Applications section after a brief delay
-                setTimeout(() => {
-                    const navItem = document.querySelector('.settings-nav-item[data-section="applications"]');
-                    if (navItem) navItem.click();
-                }, 200);
-            });
-            container.appendChild(addBtn);
-
-            // Action button handlers (launch/stop)
-            container.querySelectorAll('.panel-app-action').forEach(btn => {
-                btn.addEventListener('click', async (e) => {
-                    e.stopPropagation();
-                    const isRunning = btn.classList.contains('stop');
-                    btn.disabled = true;
-
-                    if (isRunning) {
-                        // Stop the app
-                        const appId = btn.dataset.appId;
-                        if (appId) {
-                            await Atlus.apiFetch(`/api/display/apps/${appId}`, { method: 'DELETE' });
-                        }
-                    } else {
-                        // Launch the app
-                        const args = btn.dataset.args ? btn.dataset.args.split(' ').filter(Boolean) : [];
-                        await Atlus.apiFetch('/api/display/apps', {
-                            method: 'POST',
-                            body: {
-                                command: btn.dataset.command,
-                                title: btn.dataset.title,
-                                args: args,
-                                target_fps: parseInt(btn.dataset.fps) || 10,
-                            },
-                        });
-                    }
-                    setTimeout(loadPanelApps, 1500);
-                });
-            });
-        } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+        // Add App button — ALWAYS appended, regardless of errors above
+        const addBtn = document.createElement('button');
+        addBtn.className = 'panel-app-add';
+        addBtn.textContent = '+ Add';
+        addBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+            openApp('settings');
+            setTimeout(() => {
+                const navItem = document.querySelector('.settings-nav-item[data-section="applications"]');
+                if (navItem) navItem.click();
+            }, 200);
+        });
+        container.appendChild(addBtn);
     }
 
     // =====================================================================