diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/TerminalApp/AndroidManifest.xml
index 7dab58d..726004c 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@
             android:label="@string/settings_port_forwarding_title" />
         <activity android:name=".SettingsRecoveryActivity"
             android:label="@string/settings_recovery_title" />
-        <activity android:name=".ErrorActivity" />
+        <activity android:name=".ErrorActivity"
+            android:label="@string/error_title"
+            android:process=":error" />
         <property
             android:name="android.window.PROPERTY_ACTIVITY_EMBEDDING_SPLITS_ENABLED"
             android:value="true" />
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/BaseActivity.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/BaseActivity.java
index d6521be..d6ca1e6 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/BaseActivity.java
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/BaseActivity.java
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@
                             NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT);
             notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel);
         }
+
+        if (!(this instanceof ErrorActivity)) {
+            Thread currentThread = Thread.currentThread();
+            if (!(currentThread.getUncaughtExceptionHandler()
+                    instanceof TerminalExceptionHandler)) {
+                currentThread.setUncaughtExceptionHandler(
+                        new TerminalExceptionHandler(getApplicationContext()));
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/CertificateUtils.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/CertificateUtils.java
index fa5c382..e3d1a67 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/CertificateUtils.java
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/CertificateUtils.java
@@ -62,9 +62,8 @@
             }
             return ((KeyStore.PrivateKeyEntry) ks.getEntry(ALIAS, null));
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "cannot generate or get key", e);
+            throw new RuntimeException("cannot generate or get key", e);
         }
-        return null;
     }
 
     private static void createKey()
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@
                             + end_cert;
             writer.write(output.getBytes());
         } catch (IOException | CertificateEncodingException e) {
-            Log.d(TAG, "cannot write cert", e);
+            throw new RuntimeException("cannot write certs", e);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/InstallerService.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/InstallerService.java
index ac05d78..87ee881 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/InstallerService.java
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/InstallerService.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 import java.net.SocketException;
 import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 
@@ -82,7 +81,9 @@
                         .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
                         .build();
 
-        mExecutorService = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor();
+        mExecutorService =
+                Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(
+                        new TerminalThreadFactory(getApplicationContext()));
 
         mConnectivityManager = getSystemService(ConnectivityManager.class);
         Network defaultNetwork = mConnectivityManager.getBoundNetworkForProcess();
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/MainActivity.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/MainActivity.java
index 397a546..39c98d1 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/MainActivity.java
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/MainActivity.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.ConditionVariable;
 import android.os.Environment;
+import android.os.SystemClock;
 import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.KeyEvent;
@@ -67,6 +68,8 @@
 import java.security.PrivateKey;
 import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 
 public class MainActivity extends BaseActivity
         implements VmLauncherService.VmLauncherServiceCallback, AccessibilityStateChangeListener {
@@ -74,9 +77,11 @@
     static final String KEY_DISK_SIZE = "disk_size";
     private static final String VM_ADDR = "192.168.0.2";
     private static final int TTYD_PORT = 7681;
+    private static final int TERMINAL_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
     private static final int REQUEST_CODE_INSTALLER = 0x33;
     private static final int FONT_SIZE_DEFAULT = 13;
 
+    private ExecutorService mExecutorService;
     private InstalledImage mImage;
     private X509Certificate[] mCertificates;
     private PrivateKey mPrivateKey;
@@ -141,6 +146,11 @@
                             updateModifierKeysVisibility();
                             return insets;
                         });
+
+        mExecutorService =
+                Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(
+                        new TerminalThreadFactory(getApplicationContext()));
+
         // if installer is launched, it will be handled in onActivityResult
         if (!launchInstaller) {
             if (!Environment.isExternalStorageManager()) {
@@ -323,15 +333,12 @@
                         handler.proceed();
                     }
                 });
-        new Thread(
-                        () -> {
-                            waitUntilVmStarts();
-                            runOnUiThread(
-                                    () ->
-                                            mTerminalView.loadUrl(
-                                                    getTerminalServiceUrl().toString()));
-                        })
-                .start();
+        mExecutorService.execute(
+                () -> {
+                    // TODO(b/376793781): Remove polling
+                    waitUntilVmStarts();
+                    runOnUiThread(() -> mTerminalView.loadUrl(getTerminalServiceUrl().toString()));
+                });
     }
 
     private static void waitUntilVmStarts() {
@@ -341,17 +348,33 @@
         } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
             // this can never happen.
         }
-        try {
-            while (!addr.isReachable(10000)) {}
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            // give up on network error
-            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+
+        long startTime = SystemClock.elapsedRealtime();
+        while (true) {
+            int remainingTime =
+                    TERMINAL_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_MS
+                            - (int) (SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() - startTime);
+            if (remainingTime <= 0) {
+                throw new RuntimeException("Connection to terminal timedout");
+            }
+            try {
+                // Note: this quits immediately if VM is unreachable.
+                if (addr.isReachable(remainingTime)) {
+                    return;
+                }
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                // give up on network error
+                throw new RuntimeException(e);
+            }
         }
-        return;
     }
 
     @Override
     protected void onDestroy() {
+        if (mExecutorService != null) {
+            mExecutorService.shutdown();
+        }
+
         getSystemService(AccessibilityManager.class).removeAccessibilityStateChangeListener(this);
         VmLauncherService.stop(this);
         super.onDestroy();
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalExceptionHandler.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalExceptionHandler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ab2b77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalExceptionHandler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.virtualization.terminal;
+
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+public class TerminalExceptionHandler implements Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler {
+    private static final String TAG = "TerminalExceptionHandler";
+
+    private final Context mContext;
+
+    public TerminalExceptionHandler(Context context) {
+        mContext = context;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void uncaughtException(Thread thread, Throwable throwable) {
+        Exception exception;
+        if (throwable instanceof Exception) {
+            exception = (Exception) throwable;
+        } else {
+            exception = new Exception(throwable);
+        }
+        try {
+            ErrorActivity.start(mContext, exception);
+        } catch (Exception ex) {
+            Log.wtf(TAG, "Failed to launch error activity for an exception", exception);
+        }
+
+        thread.getDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler().uncaughtException(thread, throwable);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalThreadFactory.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalThreadFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ee535d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/TerminalThreadFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.virtualization.terminal;
+
+import android.content.Context;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.ThreadFactory;
+
+public class TerminalThreadFactory implements ThreadFactory {
+    private final Context mContext;
+
+    public TerminalThreadFactory(Context context) {
+        mContext = context;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Thread newThread(Runnable r) {
+        Thread thread = Executors.defaultThreadFactory().newThread(r);
+        thread.setUncaughtExceptionHandler(new TerminalExceptionHandler(mContext));
+        return thread;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/VmLauncherService.java b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/VmLauncherService.java
index 6d2c5bd..9a70605 100644
--- a/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/VmLauncherService.java
+++ b/android/TerminalApp/java/com/android/virtualization/terminal/VmLauncherService.java
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@
             Log.d(TAG, "VM instance is already started");
             return START_NOT_STICKY;
         }
-        mExecutorService = Executors.newCachedThreadPool();
+        mExecutorService =
+                Executors.newCachedThreadPool(new TerminalThreadFactory(getApplicationContext()));
 
         InstalledImage image = InstalledImage.getDefault(this);
         ConfigJson json = ConfigJson.from(this, image.getConfigPath());
@@ -172,9 +173,7 @@
             android.os.Trace.endSection();
             android.os.Trace.beginAsyncSection("debianBoot", 0);
         } catch (VirtualMachineException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "cannot create runner", e);
-            stopSelf();
-            return START_NOT_STICKY;
+            throw new RuntimeException("cannot create runner", e);
         }
         mVirtualMachine = runner.getVm();
         mResultReceiver =