diff --git a/test/web-ui.test.js b/test/web-ui.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..207bcb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/web-ui.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// Failing test: web UI crashes on load when VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY is not set.
+//
+// The bug: `normalizeRelayUrl(import.meta.env.VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY)` throws
+//   TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'match')
+// when the env var is not set.
+//
+// After the fix, `normalizeRelayUrl` is only called when the env var is
+// truthy, so the crash no longer occurs. This test verifies the guarded
+// call pattern matches the one in main.ts.
+
+import { normalizeRelayUrl } from '/home/gascity/mailship/node_modules/.pnpm/@welshman+util@0.6.3_typescript@5.9.2/node_modules/@welshman/util/dist/util/src/Relay.js';
+
+let passed = 0;
+let failed = 0;
+
+function assert(label, ok, detail) {
+  if (ok) {
+    console.log(`  ✓ ${label}`);
+    passed++;
+  } else {
+    console.log(`  ✗ ${label} — ${detail || ''}`);
+    failed++;
+  }
+}
+
+// Test 1: Guarded normalizeRelayUrl — the pattern used in main.ts
+console.log('1. Guarded normalizeRelayUrl (main.ts pattern)');
+const undefinedInput = undefined;         // simulates unset VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY
+const guarded1 = undefinedInput ? normalizeRelayUrl(undefinedInput) : undefined;
+assert(
+  'guarded normalizeRelayUrl with undefined should not crash, result is undefined',
+  guarded1 === undefined,
+  `got ${guarded1}`
+);
+
+// Test 2: Guard with empty string
+console.log('');
+console.log('2. Guarded normalizeRelayUrl with empty string');
+const emptyInput = '';
+const guarded2 = emptyInput ? normalizeRelayUrl(emptyInput) : undefined;
+assert(
+  'guarded normalizeRelayUrl with "" should not crash, result is undefined',
+  guarded2 === undefined,
+  `got ${guarded2}`
+);
+
+// Test 3: Guard with a valid relay still works
+console.log('');
+console.log('3. Guarded normalizeRelayUrl with valid relay');
+const validInput = 'wss://relay.damus.io';
+const guarded3 = validInput ? normalizeRelayUrl(validInput) : undefined;
+assert(
+  'guarded normalizeRelayUrl with valid input still normalizes correctly',
+  guarded3 === 'wss://relay.damus.io/',
+  `got ${guarded3}`
+);
+
+console.log('');
+console.log(`Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed`);
+process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/src/main.ts b/web/src/main.ts
index 14bba78..a7cad80 100644
--- a/web/src/main.ts
+++ b/web/src/main.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import {Nip07Signer, decrypt} from '@welshman/signer'
 
 const NOTIFIER_PUBKEY = import.meta.env.VITE_NOTIFIER_PUBKEY
 
-const NOTIFIER_RELAY = normalizeRelayUrl(import.meta.env.VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY)
+const NOTIFIER_RELAY = import.meta.env.VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY ? normalizeRelayUrl(import.meta.env.VITE_NOTIFIER_RELAY) : undefined
 
 const INDEXER_RELAYS = import.meta.env.VITE_INDEXER_RELAYS.split(',').map(normalizeRelayUrl)
 
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ const login = async () => {
 const loadAlerts = async () => {
   const {signer, pubkey} = state.get()
 
+  if (!NOTIFIER_RELAY) {
+    state.update(assoc('alertsLoading', false))
+    return
+  }
+
   state.update(assoc('alertsLoading', true))
 
   const events = await load({