diff --git a/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/src/main.tsx b/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/src/main.tsx
index f93f74625..4e74a3b23 100644
--- a/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/src/main.tsx
+++ b/features/messaging/frontend-showcase/src/main.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { ThemeProvider } from '@lilith/ui-theme';
 import { ThemeProvider as SCThemeProvider } from '@lilith/ui-styled-components';
 import { cyberpunkAdapter, AdminGlobalStyles, type ThemeInterface } from '@lilith/ui-theme';
 import { installMockApi } from './mock-api';
+import { initializeProfiles } from './seed-data';
 import { App } from './App';
 
 installMockApi();
@@ -13,15 +14,63 @@ const queryClient = new QueryClient({
   defaultOptions: { queries: { staleTime: 30_000, retry: false } },
 });
 
-createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(
-  <StrictMode>
-    <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
-      <ThemeProvider defaultTheme="cyberpunk">
-        <SCThemeProvider theme={cyberpunkAdapter as ThemeInterface}>
-          <AdminGlobalStyles theme={cyberpunkAdapter as ThemeInterface} />
-          <App />
-        </SCThemeProvider>
-      </ThemeProvider>
-    </QueryClientProvider>
-  </StrictMode>,
-);
+/**
+ * Render error screen when profile initialization fails
+ */
+function renderError(error: unknown) {
+  const rootEl = document.getElementById('root')!;
+  rootEl.style.cssText = 'padding: 2rem; font-family: system-ui; color: #fff; background: #1a1a2e;';
+
+  const container = document.createElement('div');
+
+  const title = document.createElement('h1');
+  title.textContent = 'Messaging Showcase - Initialization Error';
+  container.appendChild(title);
+
+  const description = document.createElement('p');
+  description.textContent = 'Failed to load profiles from database. Make sure the profile backend is running:';
+  container.appendChild(description);
+
+  const pre = document.createElement('pre');
+  pre.style.cssText = 'background: #16213e; padding: 1rem; border-radius: 4px; overflow-x: auto;';
+  pre.textContent = 'cd features/profile/backend-api && bun run dev --env-file .env.showcase';
+  container.appendChild(pre);
+
+  const errorMsg = document.createElement('p');
+  errorMsg.textContent = `Error: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`;
+  container.appendChild(errorMsg);
+
+  rootEl.appendChild(container);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Initialize application
+ *
+ * Loads profiles from database before rendering the app.
+ */
+async function initApp() {
+  try {
+    // Wait for profile backend to be ready and load profiles
+    await initializeProfiles();
+
+    // Render app with loaded profiles
+    createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(
+      <StrictMode>
+        <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
+          <ThemeProvider defaultTheme="cyberpunk">
+            <SCThemeProvider theme={cyberpunkAdapter as ThemeInterface}>
+              <AdminGlobalStyles theme={cyberpunkAdapter as ThemeInterface} />
+              <App />
+            </SCThemeProvider>
+          </ThemeProvider>
+        </QueryClientProvider>
+      </StrictMode>,
+    );
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('[Showcase] Failed to initialize app:', error);
+    renderError(error);
+  }
+}
+
+// Start the application
+initApp();
diff --git a/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/systemd/crystal-train.service b/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/systemd/crystal-train.service
index ee4b6bb2f..b03bf5fa7 100644
--- a/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/systemd/crystal-train.service
+++ b/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/systemd/crystal-train.service
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ WorkingDirectory=/var/home/lilith/Code/@projects/@lilith/lilith-platform/codebas
 Environment=NODE_ENV=production
 EnvironmentFile=-/var/home/lilith/Code/@projects/@lilith/lilith-platform/codebase/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/.env
 
-ExecStart=/var/home/lilith/Code/@projects/@lilith/lilith-platform/codebase/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/.venv/bin/crystal train
+ExecStart=/var/home/lilith/.local/bin/crystal train
 
 # Update marker file after training (success or failure)
 ExecStopPost=/var/home/lilith/Code/@projects/@lilith/lilith-platform/codebase/tools/platform-knowledge-ai/systemd/crystal-train-post.sh