diff --git a/src/core/safe-open.test.ts b/src/core/safe-open.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5cc0de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/safe-open.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { safeOpen } from './safe-open.js'
+
+describe('safeOpen', () => {
+  it('returns ok true when open succeeds', async () => {
+    const openTarget = async (_target: string): Promise<void> => {}
+    await expect(safeOpen(openTarget, 'https://example.com')).resolves.toEqual({ ok: true })
+  })
+
+  it('returns ok false and preserves error message on failure', async () => {
+    const openTarget = async (_target: string): Promise<void> => {
+      throw new Error('spawn xdg-open ENOENT')
+    }
+    await expect(safeOpen(openTarget, 'https://example.com')).resolves.toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error: 'spawn xdg-open ENOENT',
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('returns fallback message for non-Error throws', async () => {
+    const openTarget = async (_target: string): Promise<void> => {
+      throw 'boom'
+    }
+    await expect(safeOpen(openTarget, 'https://example.com')).resolves.toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error: 'Failed to open browser',
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/core/safe-open.ts b/src/core/safe-open.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a18e68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/safe-open.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+export interface SafeOpenResult {
+  ok: boolean
+  error?: string
+}
+
+export type OpenTarget = (target: string) => Promise<unknown>
+
+export async function safeOpen(openTarget: OpenTarget, target: string): Promise<SafeOpenResult> {
+  try {
+    await openTarget(target)
+    return { ok: true }
+  } catch (error: unknown) {
+    if (error instanceof Error && error.message) {
+      return { ok: false, error: error.message }
+    }
+    return { ok: false, error: 'Failed to open browser' }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/screens/GalleryDetail.tsx b/src/screens/GalleryDetail.tsx
index 5953137..1630b1c 100644
--- a/src/screens/GalleryDetail.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/GalleryDetail.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import open from 'open'
 import type { PixelmuseClient } from '../core/client.js'
 import type { Generation } from '../core/types.js'
 import { imageToBuffer, autoSave } from '../core/image.js'
+import { safeOpen } from '../core/safe-open.js'
 import ImagePreview from '../components/ImagePreview.js'
 
 interface Props {
@@ -49,7 +50,11 @@ export default function GalleryDetail({ client, generationId, back }: Props) {
     if (confirming) return
     if (input === 'd') setConfirming(true)
     if (input === 'o' && generation) {
-      open(`https://www.pixelmuse.studio/g/${generation.id}`)
+      void safeOpen(open, `https://www.pixelmuse.studio/g/${generation.id}`).then((result) => {
+        if (!result.ok) {
+          setError(result.error ?? 'Failed to open browser')
+        }
+      })
     }
   })