diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
index 2b26d79a9c..c03a5a2ee5 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
@@ -266,18 +266,30 @@ export class ExtensionDiscovery {
 
     logger.info(`${logModule} loading extensions from ${extensionInstaller.extensionPackagesRoot}`);
 
-    if (fs.existsSync(path.join(extensionInstaller.extensionPackagesRoot, "package-lock.json"))) {
+    if (await fs.pathExists(path.join(extensionInstaller.extensionPackagesRoot, "package-lock.json"))) {
       await fs.remove(path.join(extensionInstaller.extensionPackagesRoot, "package-lock.json"));
     }
 
     try {
+      // Verify write access to static/extensions, which is needed for symlinking
       await fs.access(this.inTreeFolderPath, fs.constants.W_OK);
+
+      // Set bundled folder path to static/extensions
       this.bundledFolderPath = this.inTreeFolderPath;
     } catch {
-      // we need to copy in-tree extensions so that we can symlink them properly on "npm install"
+      // If there is error accessing static/extensions, we need to copy in-tree extensions so that we can symlink them properly on "npm install".
+      // The error can happen if there is read-only rights to static/extensions, which would fail symlinking.
+
+      // Remove e.g. /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/LensDev/extensions
       await fs.remove(this.inTreeTargetPath);
+
+      // Create folder e.g. /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/LensDev/extensions
       await fs.ensureDir(this.inTreeTargetPath);
+
+      // Copy static/extensions to e.g. /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/LensDev/extensions
       await fs.copy(this.inTreeFolderPath, this.inTreeTargetPath);
+
+      // Set bundled folder path to e.g. /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/LensDev/extensions
       this.bundledFolderPath = this.inTreeTargetPath;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-installer.ts b/src/extensions/extension-installer.ts
index 2143c62287..59f416d4e3 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-installer.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-installer.ts
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export class ExtensionInstaller {
       child.on("close", () => {
         resolve();
       });
-      child.on("error", (err) => {
-        reject(err);
+      child.on("error", error => {
+        reject(error);
       });
     });
   }
diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index ea3c53f9b9..1a349f9484 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -94,17 +94,21 @@ app.on("ready", async () => {
   windowManager = WindowManager.getInstance<WindowManager>(proxyPort);
 
   // call after windowManager to see splash earlier
-  const extensions = await extensionDiscovery.load();
+  try {
+    const extensions = await extensionDiscovery.load();
 
-  // Subscribe to extensions that are copied or deleted to/from the extensions folder
-  extensionDiscovery.events.on("add", (extension: InstalledExtension) => {
-    extensionLoader.addExtension(extension);
-  });
-  extensionDiscovery.events.on("remove", (lensExtensionId: LensExtensionId) => {
-    extensionLoader.removeExtension(lensExtensionId);
-  });
+    // Subscribe to extensions that are copied or deleted to/from the extensions folder
+    extensionDiscovery.events.on("add", (extension: InstalledExtension) => {
+      extensionLoader.addExtension(extension);
+    });
+    extensionDiscovery.events.on("remove", (lensExtensionId: LensExtensionId) => {
+      extensionLoader.removeExtension(lensExtensionId);
+    });
 
-  extensionLoader.initExtensions(extensions);
+    extensionLoader.initExtensions(extensions);
+  } catch (error ){
+    dialog.showErrorBox("Lens Error", `Could not load extensions: ${error?.message || ""}`);
+  }
 
   setTimeout(() => {
     appEventBus.emit({ name: "service", action: "start" });