diff --git a/src/common/terminal/channels.ts b/src/common/terminal/channels.ts
index f958c9c696..d8c513deb6 100644
--- a/src/common/terminal/channels.ts
+++ b/src/common/terminal/channels.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export enum TerminalChannels {
   CONNECTED = "connected",
   RESIZE = "resize",
   PING = "ping",
+  ERROR = "error",
 }
 
 export type TerminalMessage = {
@@ -28,4 +29,7 @@ export type TerminalMessage = {
   };
 } | {
   type: TerminalChannels.PING;
+} | {
+  type: TerminalChannels.ERROR;
+  data: string;
 };
diff --git a/src/main/shell-session/local-shell-session/local-shell-session.ts b/src/main/shell-session/local-shell-session/local-shell-session.ts
index 49e6dd059f..cf2ec2d1db 100644
--- a/src/main/shell-session/local-shell-session/local-shell-session.ts
+++ b/src/main/shell-session/local-shell-session/local-shell-session.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type { ModifyTerminalShellEnv } from "../shell-env-modifier/modify-termin
 import type { JoinPaths } from "../../../common/path/join-paths.injectable";
 import type { GetDirnameOfPath } from "../../../common/path/get-dirname.injectable";
 import type { GetBasenameOfPath } from "../../../common/path/get-basename.injectable";
+import { TerminalChannels } from "../../../common/terminal/channels";
 
 export interface LocalShellSessionDependencies extends ShellSessionDependencies {
   readonly directoryForBinaries: string;
@@ -41,7 +42,13 @@ export class LocalShellSession extends ShellSession {
     const shell = env.PTYSHELL;
 
     if (!shell) {
-      throw new Error("PTYSHELL is not defined with the environment");
+      this.send({
+        type: TerminalChannels.ERROR,
+        data: "PTYSHELL is not defined with the environment",
+      });
+      this.dependencies.logger.warn(`[LOCAL-SHELL-SESSION]: PTYSHELL env var is not defined for ${this.terminalId}`);
+
+      return;
     }
 
     const args = await this.getShellArgs(shell);
diff --git a/src/main/shell-session/shell-session.ts b/src/main/shell-session/shell-session.ts
index 196625f42a..8a48ae6ef1 100644
--- a/src/main/shell-session/shell-session.ts
+++ b/src/main/shell-session/shell-session.ts
@@ -156,23 +156,34 @@ export abstract class ShellSession {
 
   protected abstract get cwd(): string | undefined;
 
-  protected ensureShellProcess(shell: string, args: string[], env: Partial<Record<string, string>>, cwd: string): { shellProcess: pty.IPty; resume: boolean } {
-    const resume = ShellSession.processes.has(this.terminalId);
-    const shellProcess = getOrInsertWith(ShellSession.processes, this.terminalId, () => (
-      this.dependencies.spawnPty(shell, args, {
-        rows: 30,
-        cols: 80,
-        cwd,
-        env,
-        name: "xterm-256color",
-        // TODO: Something else is broken here so we need to force the use of winPty on windows
-        useConpty: false,
-      })
-    ));
+  protected ensureShellProcess(shell: string, args: string[], env: Partial<Record<string, string>>, cwd: string): { shellProcess: pty.IPty; resume: boolean } | null {
+    try {
+      const resume = ShellSession.processes.has(this.terminalId);
 
-    this.dependencies.logger.info(`[SHELL-SESSION]: PTY for ${this.terminalId} is ${resume ? "resumed" : "started"} with PID=${shellProcess.pid}`);
+      const shellProcess = getOrInsertWith(ShellSession.processes, this.terminalId, () => (
+        this.dependencies.spawnPty(shell, args, {
+          rows: 30,
+          cols: 80,
+          cwd,
+          env,
+          name: "xterm-256color",
+          // TODO: Something else is broken here so we need to force the use of winPty on windows
+          useConpty: false,
+        })
+      ));
 
-    return { shellProcess, resume };
+      this.dependencies.logger.info(`[SHELL-SESSION]: PTY for ${this.terminalId} is ${resume ? "resumed" : "started"} with PID=${shellProcess.pid}`);
+
+      return { shellProcess, resume };
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.send({
+        type: TerminalChannels.ERROR,
+        data: `Failed to start shell (${shell}): ${error}`,
+      });
+      this.dependencies.logger.warn(`[SHELL-SESSION]: Failed to start PTY for ${this.terminalId}: ${error}`, { shell });
+
+      return null;
+    }
   }
 
   constructor(protected readonly dependencies: ShellSessionDependencies, { kubectl, websocket, cluster, tabId: terminalId }: ShellSessionArgs) {
@@ -231,7 +242,13 @@ export abstract class ShellSession {
 
   protected async openShellProcess(shell: string, args: string[], env: Record<string, string | undefined>) {
     const cwd = await this.getCwd(env);
-    const { shellProcess, resume } = this.ensureShellProcess(shell, args, env, cwd);
+    const ensured = this.ensureShellProcess(shell, args, env, cwd);
+
+    if (!ensured) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const { shellProcess, resume } = ensured;
 
     if (resume) {
       this.send({ type: TerminalChannels.CONNECTED });
diff --git a/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts b/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
index fadd544bb6..864c1e243a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/api/terminal-api.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export interface TerminalApiQuery extends Record<string, string | undefined> {
 export interface TerminalEvents extends WebSocketEvents {
   ready: () => void;
   connected: () => void;
+  error: (error: string) => void;
 }
 
 export interface TerminalApiDependencies extends WebSocketApiDependencies {
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@ export class TerminalApi extends WebSocketApi<TerminalEvents> {
         case TerminalChannels.CONNECTED:
           this.emit("connected");
           break;
+        case TerminalChannels.ERROR:
+          this.emit("error", message.data);
+          break;
         default:
           this.dependencies.logger.warn(`[TERMINAL-API]: unknown or unhandleable message type`, message);
           break;
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/dock/terminal/terminal.ts b/src/renderer/components/dock/terminal/terminal.ts
index 5f49882f1c..6a0ddb89f8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/dock/terminal/terminal.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/components/dock/terminal/terminal.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ export class Terminal {
     this.api.once("ready", clearOnce);
     this.api.once("connected", clearOnce);
     this.api.on("data", this.onApiData);
+    this.api.on("error", this.onApiError);
     window.addEventListener("resize", this.onResize);
 
     const linkProvider = new LinkProvider(
@@ -152,6 +153,10 @@ export class Terminal {
     this.xterm.write(data);
   };
 
+  onApiError = (data: string) => {
+    this.xterm.writeln(data);
+  };
+
   onData = (data: string) => {
     if (!this.api.isReady) return;
     this.api.sendMessage({