diff --git a/src/boltclam/app.py b/src/boltclam/app.py
index 046e42c..49a8610 100644
--- a/src/boltclam/app.py
+++ b/src/boltclam/app.py
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import logging
 import os
 import sys
+import threading
 import time
+import traceback
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from PyQt6.QtCore import QEventLoop, QLockFile, QRectF, Qt, QTimer
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ from .auth import AuthService, CredentialStore, Session, SessionExpired
 from .clamav import ClamAVService
 from .config import AccountCache, SettingsStore
 from .context import AppContext
-from .logging_setup import configure as configure_logging
+from .logging_setup import configure as configure_logging, log_path
 from .quarantine import QuarantineService
 from .storage import Storage
 from .ui import brand, theme
@@ -73,10 +75,17 @@ def _install_exception_hook() -> None:
             sys.__excepthook__(exc_type, exc_value, exc_traceback)
             return
         logger.critical("Unhandled exception", exc_info=(exc_type, exc_value, exc_traceback))
+        # Qt widget calls are not safe from worker threads. Log there and
+        # leave the UI alone; the page's own status/toast reports the failure.
+        if threading.current_thread() is not threading.main_thread():
+            return
+        detail = "".join(traceback.format_exception(exc_type, exc_value, exc_traceback)).strip()
+        if len(detail) > 3200:
+            detail = "…\n" + detail[-3200:]
         try:
             QMessageBox.critical(
                 None, "BoltClam encountered an error",
-                f"{exc_type.__name__}: {exc_value}\n\nDetails were written to the BoltClam log.")
+                f"{detail}\n\nFull details: {log_path()}")
         except Exception:
             pass
 
diff --git a/src/boltclam/realtime.py b/src/boltclam/realtime.py
index 262e4c9..7f9bd5c 100644
--- a/src/boltclam/realtime.py
+++ b/src/boltclam/realtime.py
@@ -259,6 +259,16 @@ class DownloadWatcher(QThread):
             self._stop.set()
 
     def run(self) -> None:
+        try:
+            self._watch_loop()
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Real-time watcher stopped after an error")
+            try:
+                self.watch_status.emit("Real-time watcher stopped")
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+
+    def _watch_loop(self) -> None:
         import threading
 
         stop = threading.Event()
diff --git a/tests/test_realtime.py b/tests/test_realtime.py
index 5060ae3..4862497 100644
--- a/tests/test_realtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_realtime.py
@@ -58,6 +58,19 @@ def test_firefox_download_preference_is_watched(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert download.resolve() in [path.resolve() for path in roots]
 
 
+def test_watcher_stops_cleanly_instead_of_raising(monkeypatch, qapp):
+    messages: list[str] = []
+    watcher = realtime.DownloadWatcher(interval=0.1)
+    watcher.watch_status.connect(messages.append)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(realtime, "browser_download_roots", lambda extra: (_ for _ in ()).throw(
+        RuntimeError("simulated watcher failure")))
+    watcher.start()
+    assert watcher.wait(3000)
+    qapp.processEvents()
+    assert not watcher.isRunning()
+    assert "stopped" in " ".join(messages).lower()
+
+
 def test_copy_for_scan_preserves_bytes(tmp_path):
     source = tmp_path / "download.exe"
     source.write_bytes(b"sample bytes")