diff --git a/ui/component/app/index.js b/ui/component/app/index.js
index e172b50d4..29594fdf3 100644
--- a/ui/component/app/index.js
+++ b/ui/component/app/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { hot } from 'react-hot-loader/root';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import { selectUploadCount } from 'lbryinc';
-import { selectGetSyncErrorMessage } from 'redux/selectors/sync';
+import { selectGetSyncErrorMessage, selectSyncFatalError } from 'redux/selectors/sync';
 import { doFetchAccessToken, doUserSetReferrer } from 'redux/actions/user';
 import { selectUser, selectAccessToken, selectUserVerifiedEmail } from 'redux/selectors/user';
 import { selectUnclaimedRewards } from 'redux/selectors/rewards';
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const select = state => ({
   rewards: selectUnclaimedRewards(state),
   isAuthenticated: selectUserVerifiedEmail(state),
   currentModal: selectModal(state),
+  syncFatalError: selectSyncFatalError(state),
 });
 
 const perform = dispatch => ({
diff --git a/ui/component/app/view.jsx b/ui/component/app/view.jsx
index bc34edbf1..9557b90fe 100644
--- a/ui/component/app/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/app/view.jsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   STATUS_FAILING,
   STATUS_DOWN,
 } from 'web/effects/use-degraded-performance';
+import SyncFatalError from 'component/syncFatalError';
 // @endif
 export const MAIN_WRAPPER_CLASS = 'main-wrapper';
 // @if TARGET='app'
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ type Props = {
   syncSubscribe: () => void,
   syncEnabled: boolean,
   currentModal: any,
+  syncFatalError: boolean,
 };
 
 function App(props: Props) {
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ function App(props: Props) {
     isAuthenticated,
     syncSubscribe,
     currentModal,
+    syncFatalError,
   } = props;
 
   const appRef = useRef();
@@ -303,6 +306,10 @@ function App(props: Props) {
   }
   // @endif
 
+  if (syncFatalError) {
+    return <SyncFatalError />;
+  }
+
   return (
     <div
       className={classnames(MAIN_WRAPPER_CLASS, {
diff --git a/ui/component/syncFatalError/index.js b/ui/component/syncFatalError/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d9bc474b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/component/syncFatalError/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import SyncFatalError from './view';
+export default SyncFatalError;
diff --git a/ui/component/syncFatalError/view.jsx b/ui/component/syncFatalError/view.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3fd7015f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/component/syncFatalError/view.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// @Flow
+import * as ICONS from 'constants/icons';
+import React from 'react';
+import Button from 'component/button';
+import Yrbl from 'component/yrbl';
+
+export default function SyncFatalError() {
+  return (
+    <div className="main--empty">
+      <Yrbl
+        title={__('There was an error starting up')}
+        subtitle={<p>Try refreshing to fix the issue. If that doesn't work, email help@lbry.com for support.</p>}
+        actions={
+          <div className="section__actions">
+            <Button
+              button="primary"
+              icon={ICONS.REFRESH}
+              label={__('Refresh')}
+              onClick={() => window.location.reload()}
+            />
+          </div>
+        }
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/ui/redux/actions/sync.js b/ui/redux/actions/sync.js
index aea529385..5200348f7 100644
--- a/ui/redux/actions/sync.js
+++ b/ui/redux/actions/sync.js
@@ -224,15 +224,22 @@ export function doGetSync(passedPassword, callback) {
 
           handleCallback(error);
         } else {
-          // user doesn't have a synced wallet
+          const noWalletError = syncAttemptError && syncAttemptError.message === NO_WALLET_ERROR;
+
           dispatch({
             type: ACTIONS.GET_SYNC_COMPLETED,
-            data: { hasSyncedWallet: false, syncHash: null },
+            data: {
+              hasSyncedWallet: false,
+              syncHash: null,
+              // If there was some unknown error, bail
+              fatalError: !noWalletError,
+            },
           });
 
-          // call sync_apply to get data to sync
-          // first time sync. use any string for old hash
-          if (syncAttemptError.message === NO_WALLET_ERROR) {
+          // user doesn't have a synced wallet
+          //   call sync_apply to get data to sync
+          //   first time sync. use any string for old hash
+          if (noWalletError) {
             Lbry.sync_apply({ password })
               .then(({ hash: walletHash, data: syncApplyData }) => {
                 dispatch(doSetSync('', walletHash, syncApplyData, password));
diff --git a/ui/redux/reducers/sync.js b/ui/redux/reducers/sync.js
index 97d14cfc7..37a0d2261 100644
--- a/ui/redux/reducers/sync.js
+++ b/ui/redux/reducers/sync.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const defaultState = {
   prefsReady: false,
   syncLocked: false,
   hashChanged: false,
+  fatalError: false,
 };
 
 reducers[LBRY_REDUX_ACTIONS.USER_STATE_POPULATE] = state => {
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ reducers[ACTIONS.GET_SYNC_COMPLETED] = (state, action) =>
     hasSyncedWallet: action.data.hasSyncedWallet,
     getSyncIsPending: false,
     hashChanged: action.data.hashChanged,
+    fatalError: action.data.fatalError,
   });
 
 reducers[ACTIONS.GET_SYNC_FAILED] = (state, action) =>
diff --git a/ui/redux/selectors/sync.js b/ui/redux/selectors/sync.js
index f05f6a8ba..3076ad760 100644
--- a/ui/redux/selectors/sync.js
+++ b/ui/redux/selectors/sync.js
@@ -27,3 +27,5 @@ export const selectSyncApplyPasswordError = createSelector(selectState, state =>
 export const selectSyncIsLocked = createSelector(selectState, state => state.syncLocked);
 
 export const selectPrefsReady = createSelector(selectState, state => state.prefsReady);
+
+export const selectSyncFatalError = createSelector(selectState, state => state.fatalError);