diff --git a/lib/storage/channel_message_store.dart b/lib/storage/channel_message_store.dart
index dfef8c3..63dc24a 100644
--- a/lib/storage/channel_message_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/channel_message_store.dart
@@ -32,11 +32,25 @@ class ChannelMessageStore {
   String _indexKey(int channelIndex) => '$keyFor$channelIndex';
 
   /// Active storage key: PSK identity when known, else the slot index.
+  ///
+  /// The index fallback is legitimate before a channel list has loaded, but it
+  /// reads a DIFFERENT key: if history was already migrated to the PSK key, the
+  /// caller gets an empty list that is indistinguishable from data loss.
+  /// SAFELANE 6 - this must never be silent. Falling back where a resolver
+  /// exists means the channel list was not ready, which is the #333 race.
   String _storageKey(int channelIndex) {
     final pskHex = channelPskResolver?.call(channelIndex);
     if (pskHex != null && pskHex.isNotEmpty) {
       return '$keyFor$_pskMarker$pskHex';
     }
+    if (channelPskResolver != null) {
+      appLogger.warn(
+        'Channel $channelIndex has no PSK yet; falling back to the slot-index '
+        'key. Any history already migrated to the PSK key will read as EMPTY. '
+        'This means the channel list was not loaded first (#333).',
+        tag: 'Storage',
+      );
+    }
     return _indexKey(channelIndex);
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/storage/channel_store.dart b/lib/storage/channel_store.dart
index b52b5b7..596d3bc 100644
--- a/lib/storage/channel_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/channel_store.dart
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ class ChannelStore {
       return jsonList
           .map((entry) => _fromJson(entry as Map<String, dynamic>))
           .toList();
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error('Failed to decode channels: $e', tag: 'Storage');
       return [];
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/storage/community_store.dart b/lib/storage/community_store.dart
index a8010a1..732ff47 100644
--- a/lib/storage/community_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/community_store.dart
@@ -107,7 +107,11 @@ class CommunityStore {
     final communities = await loadCommunities();
     try {
       return communities.firstWhere((c) => c.id == communityId);
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error('Failed to decode communities: $e', tag: 'Storage');
       return null;
     }
   }
@@ -118,7 +122,11 @@ class CommunityStore {
     final communities = await loadCommunities();
     try {
       return communities.firstWhere((c) => c.communityId == cid);
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error('Failed to decode communities: $e', tag: 'Storage');
       return null;
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/storage/contact_discovery_store.dart b/lib/storage/contact_discovery_store.dart
index 3f6f171..796652e 100644
--- a/lib/storage/contact_discovery_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/contact_discovery_store.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import '../models/contact.dart';
 import 'prefs_manager.dart';
+import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
 
 class ContactDiscoveryStore {
   static const String _keyPrefix = 'discovered_contacts';
@@ -17,7 +18,14 @@ class ContactDiscoveryStore {
       return jsonList
           .map((entry) => _fromJson(entry as Map<String, dynamic>))
           .toList();
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error(
+        'Failed to decode discovered contacts: $e',
+        tag: 'Storage',
+      );
       return [];
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/storage/contact_store.dart b/lib/storage/contact_store.dart
index 9085d4e..9149046 100644
--- a/lib/storage/contact_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/contact_store.dart
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ class ContactStore {
       return jsonList
           .map((entry) => _fromJson(entry as Map<String, dynamic>))
           .toList();
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error('Failed to decode contacts: $e', tag: 'Storage');
       return [];
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/storage/message_store.dart b/lib/storage/message_store.dart
index 6045342..96595e4 100644
--- a/lib/storage/message_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/message_store.dart
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ class MessageStore {
       final jsonList = jsonDecode(jsonString) as List<dynamic>;
       return jsonList.map((json) => _messageFromJson(json)).toList();
     } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error(
+        'Failed to decode messages for $contactKeyHex: $e',
+        tag: 'Storage',
+      );
       return [];
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/storage/unread_store.dart b/lib/storage/unread_store.dart
index cc1f377..a9cd4df 100644
--- a/lib/storage/unread_store.dart
+++ b/lib/storage/unread_store.dart
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ class UnreadStore {
     try {
       final json = jsonDecode(jsonString) as Map<String, dynamic>;
       return json.map((key, value) => MapEntry(key, value as int));
-    } catch (_) {
+    } catch (e) {
+      // SAFELANE 6: never swallow. A decode failure here is
+      // indistinguishable from 'no data' to the caller, which reads
+      // to the user as data loss.
+      appLogger.error('Failed to decode unread state: $e', tag: 'Storage');
       return {};
     }
   }