diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index b1fdde668..e5d62f95e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@
         android:localeConfig="@xml/locales_config"
         android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config">
 
+        <uses-library
+            android:name="org.apache.http.legacy"
+            android:required="false" />
+
         <!-- Default crash collection and analytics off until we (possibly) turn it on in application.onCreate -->
         <meta-data
             android:name="firebase_crashlytics_collection_enabled"
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterface.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterface.kt
index 5985fb9bc..997bb9e5c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterface.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterface.kt
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ constructor(
     private var backoffDelay = MIN_BACKOFF_MILLIS
 
     private var socket: Socket? = null
-    private lateinit var outStream: OutputStream
+    private var outStream: OutputStream? = null
 
     private var connectionStartTime: Long = 0
     private var packetsReceived: Int = 0
@@ -69,15 +69,32 @@ constructor(
     }
 
     override fun sendBytes(p: ByteArray) {
+        val stream = outStream
+        if (stream == null) {
+            Logger.w { "[$address] TCP cannot send ${p.size} bytes: outStream is null (connection not established)" }
+            return
+        }
+
         packetsSent++
         bytesSent += p.size
         Logger.d { "[$address] TCP sending packet #$packetsSent - ${p.size} bytes (Total TX: $bytesSent bytes)" }
-        outStream.write(p)
+        try {
+            stream.write(p)
+        } catch (ex: IOException) {
+            Logger.e(ex) { "[$address] TCP write error: ${ex.message}" }
+            onDeviceDisconnect(false)
+        }
     }
 
     override fun flushBytes() {
+        val stream = outStream ?: return
         Logger.d { "[$address] TCP flushing output stream" }
-        outStream.flush()
+        try {
+            stream.flush()
+        } catch (ex: IOException) {
+            Logger.e(ex) { "[$address] TCP flush error: ${ex.message}" }
+            onDeviceDisconnect(false)
+        }
     }
 
     override fun onDeviceDisconnect(waitForStopped: Boolean) {
@@ -98,6 +115,7 @@ constructor(
             }
             s.close()
             socket = null
+            outStream = null
         }
         super.onDeviceDisconnect(waitForStopped)
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/raw/keep.xml b/app/src/main/res/raw/keep.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5714801dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/raw/keep.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<resources xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    tools:keep="@raw/aboutlibraries" />
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterfaceTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterfaceTest.kt
index 57f749fa9..3725ffe36 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterfaceTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/com/geeksville/mesh/repository/radio/TCPInterfaceTest.kt
@@ -55,6 +55,27 @@ class TCPInterfaceTest {
         assertArrayEquals("Heartbeat bytes should match", expectedHeartbeat, tcpInterface.capturedBytes)
     }
 
-    // Since startConnect is private, we'd normally need reflection or to make a internal method.
-    // For now, testing keepAlive is a good first step for stability.
+    @Test
+    fun `sendBytes does not crash when outStream is null`() = runTest {
+        val address = "192.168.1.1:4403"
+        val tcpInterface =
+            object : TCPInterface(service, dispatchers, address) {
+                override fun connect() {}
+            }
+
+        // This should not throw UninitializedPropertyAccessException
+        tcpInterface.sendBytes(byteArrayOf(1, 2, 3))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `flushBytes does not crash when outStream is null`() = runTest {
+        val address = "192.168.1.1:4403"
+        val tcpInterface =
+            object : TCPInterface(service, dispatchers, address) {
+                override fun connect() {}
+            }
+
+        // This should not throw UninitializedPropertyAccessException
+        tcpInterface.flushBytes()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/AboutScreen.kt b/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/AboutScreen.kt
index 326486c34..2b790c00d 100644
--- a/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/AboutScreen.kt
+++ b/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/AboutScreen.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2025 Meshtastic LLC
+ * Copyright (c) 2025-2026 Meshtastic LLC
  *
  * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
  * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
-
 package org.meshtastic.feature.settings
 
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
@@ -22,9 +21,11 @@ import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.compose.ui.tooling.preview.Preview
+import co.touchlab.kermit.Logger
 import com.mikepenz.aboutlibraries.Libs
 import com.mikepenz.aboutlibraries.ui.compose.m3.LibrariesContainer
 import com.mikepenz.aboutlibraries.util.withContext
@@ -49,16 +50,26 @@ fun AboutScreen(onNavigateUp: () -> Unit) {
         },
     ) { paddingValues ->
         val context = LocalContext.current
-        val libraries = Libs.Builder().withContext(context).build()
-        LibrariesContainer(
-            showAuthor = true,
-            showVersion = true,
-            showDescription = true,
-            showLicenseBadges = true,
-            showFundingBadges = true,
-            modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(paddingValues),
-            libraries = libraries,
-        )
+        val libraries = remember {
+            try {
+                Libs.Builder().withContext(context).build()
+            } catch (e: IllegalStateException) {
+                Logger.w("${e.message}")
+                null
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (libraries != null) {
+            LibrariesContainer(
+                showAuthor = true,
+                showVersion = true,
+                showDescription = true,
+                showLicenseBadges = true,
+                showFundingBadges = true,
+                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(paddingValues),
+                libraries = libraries,
+            )
+        }
     }
 }