diff --git a/extension/background.js b/extension/background.js
index 5a0049d6..b05bf994 100644
--- a/extension/background.js
+++ b/extension/background.js
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ async function loadAuthToken() {
       if (data.token) authToken = data.token;
     }
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack bg] Auth token not available (server may not be running):', err.message);
+    console.error('[gstack bg] Failed to load auth token:', err.message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -126,8 +125,7 @@ async function notifyContentScripts(type) {
       }
     }
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Extension context invalidated')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack bg] Tab notification skipped (extension context invalidated)');
+    console.error('[gstack bg] Failed to query tabs for notification:', err.message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -182,8 +180,7 @@ async function fetchAndRelayRefs() {
       }
     }
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack bg] Refs fetch skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack bg] Failed to fetch/relay refs:', err.message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -206,15 +203,13 @@ async function injectInspector(tabId) {
         files: ['inspector.css'],
       });
     } catch (err) {
-      if (!err?.message?.includes('Extension context invalidated') && !err?.message?.includes('Cannot access')) throw err;
       console.debug('[gstack bg] Inspector CSS injection failed (non-fatal):', err.message);
     }
     // Send startPicker to the injected inspector.js
     try {
       await chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { type: 'startPicker' });
     } catch (err) {
-      if (!err?.message?.includes('Extension context invalidated') && !err?.message?.includes('Receiving end does not exist')) throw err;
-      console.debug('[gstack bg] startPicker skipped (tab not ready):', err.message);
+      console.warn('[gstack bg] Failed to send startPicker:', err.message);
     }
     inspectorMode = 'full';
     return { ok: true, mode: 'full' };
@@ -237,8 +232,7 @@ async function stopInspector(tabId) {
   try {
     await chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { type: 'stopPicker' });
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Extension context invalidated') && !err?.message?.includes('Receiving end does not exist')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack bg] stopPicker skipped (tab not ready):', err.message);
+    console.debug('[gstack bg] Failed to stop picker on tab', tabId, ':', err.message);
   }
   return { ok: true };
 }
@@ -276,8 +270,7 @@ async function sendToContentScript(tabId, message) {
   try {
     const response = await chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, message);
     return response || { ok: true };
-  } catch (e) {
-    if (!e?.message?.includes('Extension context invalidated') && !e?.message?.includes('Receiving end does not exist')) throw e;
+  } catch {
     return { error: 'Content script not available' };
   }
 }
diff --git a/extension/sidepanel.js b/extension/sidepanel.js
index fdc7eef5..089f1ccd 100644
--- a/extension/sidepanel.js
+++ b/extension/sidepanel.js
@@ -451,8 +451,7 @@ async function pollChat() {
     // Show/hide stop button based on agent status
     updateStopButton(data.agentStatus === 'processing');
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch') && !err?.message?.includes('The operation was aborted')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Chat poll skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Chat poll error:', err.message);
   } finally {
     pollInProgress = false;
   }
@@ -530,8 +529,7 @@ async function stopAgent() {
     const resp = await fetch(`${serverUrl}/sidebar-agent/stop`, { method: 'POST', headers: authHeaders() });
     if (!resp.ok) console.warn(`[gstack sidebar] Stop agent failed: ${resp.status}`);
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Stop agent skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Stop agent error:', err.message);
   }
   // Immediately clean up UI
   const thinking = document.getElementById('agent-thinking');
@@ -600,8 +598,7 @@ async function pollTabs() {
 
     renderTabBar(data.tabs);
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch') && !err?.message?.includes('The operation was aborted')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Tab poll skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Tab poll error:', err.message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -649,8 +646,7 @@ async function switchBrowserTab(tabId) {
     switchChatTab(tabId);
     pollTabs();
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Tab switch skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Failed to switch browser tab:', err.message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -662,8 +658,7 @@ document.getElementById('clear-chat').addEventListener('click', async () => {
     const resp = await fetch(`${serverUrl}/sidebar-chat/clear`, { method: 'POST', headers: authHeaders() });
     if (!resp.ok) console.warn(`[gstack sidebar] Clear chat failed: ${resp.status}`);
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Clear chat skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Clear chat error:', err.message);
   }
   // Reset local state
   chatLineCount = 0;
@@ -695,8 +690,7 @@ document.getElementById('chat-cookies-btn').addEventListener('click', async () =
       body: JSON.stringify({ command: 'goto', args: [`${serverUrl}/cookie-picker`] }),
     });
   } catch (err) {
-    if (!err?.message?.includes('Failed to fetch')) throw err;
-    console.debug('[gstack sidebar] Cookie picker skipped (server unreachable)');
+    console.error('[gstack sidebar] Failed to open cookie picker:', err.message);
   }
 });