diff --git a/mobile/lib/main.dart b/mobile/lib/main.dart
index 83cb7a9bf..cc3a234e6 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/main.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/main.dart
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ Future<void> _init(bool isBackground, {String via = ''}) async {
   LocalFileUpdateService.instance.init(preferences);
   SearchService.instance.init();
   StorageBonusService.instance.init(preferences);
-  HomeWidgetService.instance.initHomeWidget();
+  unawaited(HomeWidgetService.instance.initHomeWidget());
   if (Platform.isIOS) {
     // ignore: unawaited_futures
     PushService.instance.init().then((_) {
diff --git a/mobile/lib/services/home_widget_service.dart b/mobile/lib/services/home_widget_service.dart
index 04f9a3707..b0af80ab9 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/services/home_widget_service.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/services/home_widget_service.dart
@@ -18,15 +18,6 @@ class HomeWidgetService {
 
   static final HomeWidgetService instance =
       HomeWidgetService._privateConstructor();
-  Future<int> countHomeWidgets() async {
-    return await hw.HomeWidget.getWidgetCount(
-          name: 'SlideshowWidgetProvider',
-          androidName: 'SlideshowWidgetProvider',
-          qualifiedAndroidName: 'io.ente.photos.SlideshowWidgetProvider',
-          iOSName: 'SlideshowWidget',
-        ) ??
-        0;
-  }
 
   Future<void> initHomeWidget() async {
     final isLoggedIn = Configuration.instance.isLoggedIn();
@@ -125,11 +116,21 @@ class HomeWidgetService {
       _logger.info(
         ">>> SlideshowWidget rendered with size ${width}x$height",
       );
-    } catch (_) {
-      throw Exception("Error rendering widget");
+    } catch (e) {
+      _logger.severe("Error rendering widget", e);
     }
   }
 
+  Future<int> countHomeWidgets() async {
+    return await hw.HomeWidget.getWidgetCount(
+          name: 'SlideshowWidgetProvider',
+          androidName: 'SlideshowWidgetProvider',
+          qualifiedAndroidName: 'io.ente.photos.SlideshowWidgetProvider',
+          iOSName: 'SlideshowWidget',
+        ) ??
+        0;
+  }
+
   Future<void> clearHomeWidget() async {
     final previousGeneratedId =
         await hw.HomeWidget.getWidgetData<int>("home_widget_last_img");