diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BaseViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BaseViewModel.java
index 34a04123b..03c02af29 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BaseViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BaseViewModel.java
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ abstract class BaseViewModel extends DbViewModel implements EventListener {
 		runOnDbThread(true, txn -> {
 			BlogPostItem item = getItem(txn, header);
 			txn.attach(() -> onBlogPostItemAdded(item, local));
-		}, e -> logException(LOG, WARNING, e));
+		}, this::handleException);
 	}
 
 	@UiThread
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ abstract class BaseViewModel extends DbViewModel implements EventListener {
 				BlogPostHeader h = item.getHeader();
 				blogManager.addLocalComment(a, b.getId(), comment, h);
 			} catch (DbException e) {
-				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+				handleException(e);
 			}
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BlogViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BlogViewModel.java
index 68c38d2d9..0ba0d185a 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BlogViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/BlogViewModel.java
@@ -39,10 +39,8 @@ import androidx.annotation.UiThread;
 import androidx.lifecycle.LiveData;
 import androidx.lifecycle.MutableLiveData;
 
-import static java.util.logging.Level.WARNING;
 import static java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger;
 import static org.briarproject.bramble.util.LogUtils.logDuration;
-import static org.briarproject.bramble.util.LogUtils.logException;
 import static org.briarproject.bramble.util.LogUtils.now;
 
 @MethodsNotNullByDefault
@@ -132,7 +130,7 @@ class BlogViewModel extends BaseViewModel {
 				blog.postValue(new BlogItem(b, ours, removable));
 				logDuration(LOG, "Loading blog", start);
 			} catch (DbException e) {
-				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+				handleException(e);
 			}
 		});
 	}
@@ -155,7 +153,7 @@ class BlogViewModel extends BaseViewModel {
 			Collection<Contact> contacts =
 					blogSharingManager.getSharedWith(txn, groupId);
 			txn.attach(() -> onSharingContactsLoaded(contacts));
-		}, e -> logException(LOG, WARNING, e));
+		}, this::handleException);
 	}
 
 	@UiThread
@@ -173,7 +171,7 @@ class BlogViewModel extends BaseViewModel {
 				blogManager.removeBlog(b);
 				logDuration(LOG, "Removing blog", start);
 			} catch (DbException e) {
-				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+				handleException(e);
 			}
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/FeedViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/FeedViewModel.java
index d5374a7bc..e4f6cbee5 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/FeedViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/blog/FeedViewModel.java
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class FeedViewModel extends BaseViewModel {
 				logDuration(LOG, "Loading personal blog", start);
 				personalBlog.postValue(b);
 			} catch (DbException e) {
-				logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+				handleException(e);
 			}
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/viewmodel/DbViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/viewmodel/DbViewModel.java
index 1c74d8f66..c99b1acf4 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/viewmodel/DbViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/viewmodel/DbViewModel.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package org.briarproject.briar.android.viewmodel;
 
 import android.app.Application;
+import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DatabaseExecutor;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.DbCallable;
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ import org.briarproject.bramble.api.db.TransactionManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.lifecycle.LifecycleManager;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.nullsafety.NotNullByDefault;
 import org.briarproject.bramble.api.system.AndroidExecutor;
+import org.briarproject.bramble.util.StringUtils;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import javax.annotation.concurrent.Immutable;
 
+import androidx.annotation.AnyThread;
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.annotation.UiThread;
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.LiveData;
 import androidx.lifecycle.MutableLiveData;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView;
 
+import static android.widget.Toast.LENGTH_LONG;
 import static java.util.logging.Level.WARNING;
 import static java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger;
 import static org.briarproject.bramble.util.LogUtils.logException;
@@ -276,4 +280,25 @@ public abstract class DbViewModel extends AndroidViewModel {
 		return new ArrayList<>(list);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Logs the exception and shows a Toast to the user.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Errors that are likely or expected to happen should not use this method
+	 * and show proper error states in UI.
+	 */
+	@AnyThread
+	protected void handleException(Exception e) {
+		logException(LOG, WARNING, e);
+		androidExecutor.runOnUiThread(() -> {
+			String msg = "Error: " + e.getClass().getSimpleName();
+			if (!StringUtils.isNullOrEmpty(e.getMessage())) {
+				msg += " " + e.getMessage();
+			}
+			if (e.getCause() != null) {
+				msg += " caused by " + e.getCause().getClass().getSimpleName();
+			}
+			Toast.makeText(getApplication(), msg, LENGTH_LONG).show();
+		});
+	}
+
 }