diff --git a/src/main/credential.ts b/src/main/credential.ts
index 36161e0..f5f7f9e 100644
--- a/src/main/credential.ts
+++ b/src/main/credential.ts
@@ -11,5 +11,13 @@ export function decrypt(encoded: string): string {
   if (!safeStorage.isEncryptionAvailable()) {
     return Buffer.from(encoded, 'base64').toString('utf-8')
   }
-  return safeStorage.decryptString(Buffer.from(encoded, 'base64'))
+  try {
+    return safeStorage.decryptString(Buffer.from(encoded, 'base64'))
+  } catch {
+    // Fallback: the ciphertext may have been encoded with plain base64
+    // (e.g. when safeStorage was unavailable at encryption time, or the
+    // OS keyring changed). Decode as plain base64 so the connection
+    // attempt can proceed instead of crashing.
+    return Buffer.from(encoded, 'base64').toString('utf-8')
+  }
 }