diff --git a/src/c/main.c b/src/c/main.c
index 1472a7e..e46e16b 100644
--- a/src/c/main.c
+++ b/src/c/main.c
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+// #define DEBUG_MODE 1
+
 // declare settings-derived statics
 static uint8_t s_is_jellyfin;
 static GColor s_color_primary = GColorWhite;
@@ -81,13 +83,9 @@ static void pin_icon_update_proc(Layer *layer, GContext *ctx) {
 }
 
 static void main_window_load(Window *window) {
-	// sleep bar and icon
-	s_sleep_bar_layer = layer_create(s_sleep_bar_start);
-	s_sleep_icon_layer = layer_create(s_sleep_icon_start);
-
-	if (s_is_jellyfin > 0) { // display help instead of sleep icon if app is unconfigured
-		layer_set_update_proc(s_sleep_icon_layer, sleep_icon_update_proc);
-	} else {
+	Layer *window_layer = window_get_root_layer(window);
+	if (s_is_jellyfin == 0) {
+		window_set_background_color(window, GColorWhite);
 #if PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH >= 200
 		s_config_app_layer = text_layer_create(GRect(4, (PBL_DISPLAY_HEIGHT / 2) - PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(33, 49), PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH - 8, PBL_DISPLAY_HEIGHT));
 		text_layer_set_font(s_config_app_layer, fonts_get_system_font(FONT_KEY_GOTHIC_28_BOLD));
@@ -95,10 +93,18 @@ static void main_window_load(Window *window) {
 		s_config_app_layer = text_layer_create(GRect(4, (PBL_DISPLAY_HEIGHT / 2) - PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(43, 32), PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH - 8, PBL_DISPLAY_HEIGHT));
 		text_layer_set_font(s_config_app_layer, fonts_get_system_font(PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(FONT_KEY_GOTHIC_24_BOLD, FONT_KEY_GOTHIC_18_BOLD)));
 #endif
+		text_layer_set_background_color(s_config_app_layer, GColorClear);
 		text_layer_set_text(s_config_app_layer, "Please configure the app's settings from your phone");
 		text_layer_set_text_alignment(s_config_app_layer, GTextAlignmentCenter);
+		layer_add_child(window_layer, text_layer_get_layer(s_config_app_layer));
+		return;
 	}
 
+	// sleep bar and icon
+	s_sleep_bar_layer = layer_create(s_sleep_bar_start);
+	s_sleep_icon_layer = layer_create(s_sleep_icon_start);
+	layer_set_update_proc(s_sleep_icon_layer, sleep_icon_update_proc);
+
 	// pin icon
 	s_pin_icon_layer = layer_create(GRect(PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH - PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(27, 25), (PBL_DISPLAY_HEIGHT / 2) - 13, 25, 25));
 	layer_set_update_proc(s_pin_icon_layer, pin_icon_update_proc);
@@ -143,7 +149,6 @@ static void main_window_load(Window *window) {
 	}
 
 	// add layers as children to windows
-	Layer *window_layer = window_get_root_layer(window);
 #if PBL_ROUND
 	text_layer_set_text_alignment(s_last_watched_layer, GTextAlignmentCenter);
 #else
@@ -157,22 +162,26 @@ static void main_window_load(Window *window) {
 	layer_add_child(window_layer, s_sleep_bar_layer);
 	layer_add_child(window_layer, s_sleep_icon_layer);
 	layer_add_child(window_layer, text_layer_get_layer(s_sleep_time_layer));
-	if (s_is_jellyfin == 0) {
-		layer_add_child(window_layer, text_layer_get_layer(s_config_app_layer));
-	}
 }
 
 static void main_window_unload(Window *window) {
-	pin_animation_deinit();
-	text_layer_destroy(s_last_watched_layer);
-	text_layer_destroy(s_sleep_time_layer);
-	layer_destroy(s_sleep_icon_layer);
-	layer_destroy(s_sleep_bar_layer);
-	layer_destroy(s_pin_icon_layer);
-	layer_destroy(s_button_bar_layer);
+	if (s_is_jellyfin == 0) {
+		text_layer_destroy(s_config_app_layer);
+	} else {
+		pin_animation_deinit();
+		text_layer_destroy(s_last_watched_layer);
+		text_layer_destroy(s_sleep_time_layer);
+		layer_destroy(s_sleep_icon_layer);
+		layer_destroy(s_sleep_bar_layer);
+		layer_destroy(s_pin_icon_layer);
+		layer_destroy(s_button_bar_layer);
+	}
 }
 
 static void send_sleep_time_to_pkjs() {
+	if (s_is_jellyfin == 0) {
+		return;
+	}
 	DictionaryIterator *out;
 	AppMessageResult result = app_message_outbox_begin(&out);
 	if (result != APP_MSG_OK) {
@@ -293,10 +302,14 @@ static void inbox_received_handler(DictionaryIterator *iter, void *context) {
 }
 
 static void init() {
-	// set colors if is_jellyfin is locally set;
-	// if it has not yet been set, it will be once
-	// the user saves their settings
+// set colors if is_jellyfin is locally set;
+// if it has not yet been set, it will be once
+// the user saves their settings
+#if DEBUG_MODE
+	s_is_jellyfin = 1; // allow forcing configured state for emu testing
+#else
 	s_is_jellyfin = persist_read_int(0);
+#endif
 	switch (s_is_jellyfin) {
 	case 1:
 		s_color_primary = GColorVividViolet;
diff --git a/src/pkjs/index.js b/src/pkjs/index.js
index 2574e69..3103b5d 100644
--- a/src/pkjs/index.js
+++ b/src/pkjs/index.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Pebble.addEventListener("appmessage", function (dict) {
         const cfg = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('clay-settings'));
 
         // report to user if some configuration is missing
-        if (cfg.CLAY_API_HOST == "" || cfg.CLAY_API_KEY == "" || cfg.CLAY_USER == "") {
+        if (!cfg || cfg.CLAY_API_HOST == "" || cfg.CLAY_API_KEY == "" || cfg.CLAY_USER == "") {
             Pebble.sendAppMessage({ PKJS_LAST_WATCHED: "SOME APP SETTINGS ARE UNSET" });
         }