diff --git a/static/js/app.js b/static/js/app.js
index 23dbcf1..b3a76ac 100644
--- a/static/js/app.js
+++ b/static/js/app.js
@@ -2611,13 +2611,15 @@ async function loadBookList() {
   listEl.innerHTML = '<p class="muted">Loading…</p>';
 
   try {
-    const res = await fetch('/books/');
+    const res = await fetch('/books/', {cache: 'no-store'});
     if (!res.ok) {
+      console.error('loadBookList: server returned', res.status);
       listEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Server error ${res.status} loading books.</p>`;
       return;
     }
     const books = await res.json();
     if (!Array.isArray(books)) {
+      console.error('loadBookList: unexpected response', books);
       listEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Unexpected response from server.</p>`;
       return;
     }
@@ -2626,22 +2628,32 @@ async function loadBookList() {
       return;
     }
 
-    const key = await getOrCreateEncKey();
+    let key;
+    try {
+      key = await getOrCreateEncKey();
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('loadBookList: getOrCreateEncKey failed', e);
+      listEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Encryption not available: ${e.message}. Make sure you are on HTTPS.</p>`;
+      return;
+    }
+
     const decrypted = [];
     for (const b of books) {
       try {
         const metaBuf = await decryptBytes(key, b.meta_iv, b.meta_ct);
         const meta = JSON.parse(new TextDecoder().decode(metaBuf));
         bookMetaCache[b.id] = {title: meta.title || '?', author: meta.author || '', type: meta.type || 'epub'};
-        decrypted.push({id: b.id, title: meta.title || '?', author: meta.author || '', type: meta.type || 'epub', scroll_fraction: b.scroll_fraction, uploaded_at: b.uploaded_at});
+        decrypted.push({id: b.id, title: meta.title || '?', author: meta.author || '', type: meta.type || 'epub', scroll_fraction: b.scroll_fraction, uploaded_at: b.uploaded_at, keyOk: true});
       } catch (e) {
+        console.warn(`loadBookList: could not decrypt book #${b.id}:`, e.message);
         bookMetaCache[b.id] = {title: `Book #${b.id}`, author: '', type: 'epub'};
-        decrypted.push({id: b.id, title: `Book #${b.id}`, author: '', type: 'epub', scroll_fraction: b.scroll_fraction, uploaded_at: b.uploaded_at});
+        decrypted.push({id: b.id, title: `Book #${b.id}`, author: '', type: 'epub', scroll_fraction: b.scroll_fraction, uploaded_at: b.uploaded_at, keyOk: false});
       }
     }
     renderBookList(decrypted);
   } catch (e) {
-    if (listEl) listEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Error: ${e.message}</p>`;
+    console.error('loadBookList error:', e);
+    if (listEl) listEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Error loading books: ${e.message}</p>`;
   }
 }
 
@@ -2651,14 +2663,15 @@ function renderBookList(books) {
   let html = '';
   for (const b of books) {
     const pct = Math.round((b.scroll_fraction || 0) * 100);
+    const keyWarning = b.keyOk === false ? '<span title="Wrong encryption key — import the correct key to open this book" style="color:var(--accent,#e63946);margin-left:4px;">⚠️ wrong key</span>' : '';
     html += `<div class="book-item">
       <div class="book-item-info">
-        <strong class="book-title">${escapeHtml(b.title)}</strong>
+        <strong class="book-title">${escapeHtml(b.title)}${keyWarning}</strong>
         <span class="muted book-author">${escapeHtml(b.author)}</span>
         ${pct > 0 ? `<span class="muted book-progress">${pct}% read</span>` : ''}
       </div>
       <div class="book-item-actions">
-        <button class="btn btn-sm" onclick="openBook(${b.id})">Open</button>
+        <button class="btn btn-sm" onclick="openBook(${b.id})"${b.keyOk === false ? ' disabled title="Import the correct encryption key first"' : ''}>Open</button>
         <button class="btn btn-sm btn-danger" onclick="deleteBook(${b.id})">Delete</button>
       </div>
     </div>`;
@@ -3076,7 +3089,8 @@ async function openBook(bookId) {
     }
 
   } catch (e) {
-    contentEl.innerHTML = `<p class="muted">Failed to open book: ${escapeHtml(e.message)}</p>`;
+    overlay.style.display = 'none';
+    alert(`Failed to open book: ${e.message}`);
   }
 }