diff --git a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
index ab7b52df0..2c50065b2 100644
--- a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
@@ -1446,6 +1446,75 @@ def test_session_create_no_race_keeps_worker_alive(monkeypatch):
     server._sessions.pop(sid, None)
 
 
+def test_get_db_degrades_cleanly_when_sessiondb_init_fails(monkeypatch):
+    fake_mod = types.ModuleType("hermes_state")
+
+    class _BrokenSessionDB:
+        def __init__(self):
+            raise RuntimeError("locking protocol")
+
+    fake_mod.SessionDB = _BrokenSessionDB
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "hermes_state", fake_mod)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_db", None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_db_error", None)
+
+    assert server._get_db() is None
+    assert server._db_error == "locking protocol"
+
+
+def test_session_create_continues_when_state_db_is_unavailable(monkeypatch):
+    class _FakeWorker:
+        def __init__(self, key, model):
+            self.key = key
+
+        def close(self):
+            return None
+
+    class _FakeAgent:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.model = "x"
+            self.provider = "openrouter"
+            self.base_url = ""
+            self.api_key = ""
+
+    emits = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_make_agent", lambda sid, key: _FakeAgent())
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_SlashWorker", _FakeWorker)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_session_info", lambda _a: {"model": "x"})
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_probe_credentials", lambda _a: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_wire_callbacks", lambda _sid: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_emit", lambda *a, **kw: emits.append(a))
+
+    import tools.approval as _approval
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_approval, "register_gateway_notify", lambda key, cb: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_approval, "load_permanent_allowlist", lambda: None)
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "session.create", "params": {"cols": 80}}
+    )
+    sid = resp["result"]["session_id"]
+    session = server._sessions[sid]
+    session["agent_ready"].wait(timeout=2.0)
+
+    assert session["agent_error"] is None
+    assert session["agent"] is not None
+    assert not any(args and args[0] == "error" for args in emits)
+
+    server._sessions.pop(sid, None)
+
+
+def test_session_list_returns_clean_error_when_state_db_is_unavailable(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_db_error", "locking protocol")
+
+    resp = server.handle_request({"id": "1", "method": "session.list", "params": {}})
+
+    assert "error" in resp
+    assert "state.db unavailable: locking protocol" in resp["error"]["message"]
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # model.options — curated-list parity with `hermes model` and classic /model
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index 3aac77192..982536d24 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import atexit
 import concurrent.futures
 import copy
 import json
+import logging
 import os
 import queue
 import subprocess
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
 from hermes_cli.env_loader import load_hermes_dotenv
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 _hermes_home = get_hermes_home()
 load_hermes_dotenv(
     hermes_home=_hermes_home, project_env=Path(__file__).parent.parent / ".env"
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ _methods: dict[str, callable] = {}
 _pending: dict[str, tuple[str, threading.Event]] = {}
 _answers: dict[str, str] = {}
 _db = None
+_db_error: str | None = None
 _stdout_lock = threading.Lock()
 _cfg_lock = threading.Lock()
 _cfg_cache: dict | None = None
@@ -170,14 +174,28 @@ atexit.register(
 
 
 def _get_db():
-    global _db
+    global _db, _db_error
     if _db is None:
         from hermes_state import SessionDB
 
-        _db = SessionDB()
+        try:
+            _db = SessionDB()
+            _db_error = None
+        except Exception as exc:
+            _db_error = str(exc)
+            logger.warning(
+                "TUI session store unavailable — continuing without state.db features: %s",
+                exc,
+            )
+            return None
     return _db
 
 
+def _db_unavailable_error(rid, *, code: int):
+    detail = _db_error or "state.db unavailable"
+    return _err(rid, code, f"state.db unavailable: {detail}")
+
+
 def write_json(obj: dict) -> bool:
     line = json.dumps(obj, ensure_ascii=False) + "\n"
     try:
@@ -1329,7 +1347,9 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
             finally:
                 _clear_session_context(tokens)
 
-            _get_db().create_session(key, source="tui", model=_resolve_model())
+            db = _get_db()
+            if db is not None:
+                db.create_session(key, source="tui", model=_resolve_model())
             session["agent"] = agent
 
             try:
@@ -1401,6 +1421,9 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
 
 @method("session.list")
 def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
+    db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _db_unavailable_error(rid, code=5006)
     try:
         # Resume picker should include human conversation surfaces beyond
         # tui/cli (notably telegram from blitz row #7), but avoid internal
@@ -1427,7 +1450,7 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         fetch_limit = max(limit * 5, 100)
         rows = [
             s
-            for s in _get_db().list_sessions_rich(source=None, limit=fetch_limit)
+            for s in db.list_sessions_rich(source=None, limit=fetch_limit)
             if (s.get("source") or "").strip().lower() in allow
         ][:limit]
         return _ok(
@@ -1456,6 +1479,8 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     if not target:
         return _err(rid, 4006, "session_id required")
     db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _db_unavailable_error(rid, code=5000)
     found = db.get_session(target)
     if not found:
         found = db.get_session_by_title(target)
@@ -1494,13 +1519,16 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     session, err = _sess(params, rid)
     if err:
         return err
+    db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _db_unavailable_error(rid, code=5007)
     title, key = params.get("title", ""), session["session_key"]
     if not title:
         return _ok(
-            rid, {"title": _get_db().get_session_title(key) or "", "session_key": key}
+            rid, {"title": db.get_session_title(key) or "", "session_key": key}
         )
     try:
-        _get_db().set_session_title(key, title)
+        db.set_session_title(key, title)
         return _ok(rid, {"title": title})
     except Exception as e:
         return _err(rid, 5007, str(e))
@@ -1636,6 +1664,8 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     if err:
         return err
     db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _db_unavailable_error(rid, code=5008)
     old_key = session["session_key"]
     with session["history_lock"]:
         history = [dict(msg) for msg in session.get("history", [])]
@@ -3483,11 +3513,14 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
 @method("insights.get")
 def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     days = params.get("days", 30)
+    db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _db_unavailable_error(rid, code=5017)
     try:
         cutoff = time.time() - days * 86400
         rows = [
             s
-            for s in _get_db().list_sessions_rich(limit=500)
+            for s in db.list_sessions_rich(limit=500)
             if (s.get("started_at") or 0) >= cutoff
         ]
         return _ok(