diff --git a/config/dev.exs b/config/dev.exs
index 632bcca..378e635 100644
--- a/config/dev.exs
+++ b/config/dev.exs
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ config :aprsme, Aprsme.Repo,
   stacktrace: true,
   show_sensitive_data_on_connection_error: true,
   pool_size: 10,
+  pool_timeout: 5000,
+  timeout: 15_000,
   log: false,
   types: Aprsme.PostgresTypes
 
diff --git a/config/runtime.exs b/config/runtime.exs
index 61b9f9d..fdcfd53 100644
--- a/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/config/runtime.exs
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ if config_env() == :prod do
     # ssl: true,
     url: database_url,
     pool_size: String.to_integer(System.get_env("POOL_SIZE") || "10"),
+    pool_timeout: String.to_integer(System.get_env("POOL_TIMEOUT") || "5000"),
+    timeout: String.to_integer(System.get_env("DB_TIMEOUT") || "15000"),
     socket_options: maybe_ipv6,
     types: Aprsme.PostgresTypes
 
diff --git a/lib/aprsme/packets.ex b/lib/aprsme/packets.ex
index dac536c..72f300a 100644
--- a/lib/aprsme/packets.ex
+++ b/lib/aprsme/packets.ex
@@ -463,7 +463,19 @@ defmodule Aprsme.Packets do
   """
   @spec get_total_packet_count() :: non_neg_integer()
   def get_total_packet_count do
-    Repo.one(from p in Packet, select: count(p.id))
+    Repo.one(from p in Packet, select: count(p.id)) || 0
+  rescue
+    DBConnection.ConnectionError ->
+      require Logger
+
+      Logger.warning("Database connection error in get_total_packet_count, returning 0")
+      0
+
+    error ->
+      require Logger
+
+      Logger.error("Error getting total packet count: #{inspect(error)}")
+      0
   end
 
   @doc """
diff --git a/lib/aprsme_web/live/status_live/index.ex b/lib/aprsme_web/live/status_live/index.ex
index 6458ae8..335c5ca 100644
--- a/lib/aprsme_web/live/status_live/index.ex
+++ b/lib/aprsme_web/live/status_live/index.ex
@@ -328,6 +328,27 @@ defmodule AprsmeWeb.StatusLive.Index do
 
   defp get_aprs_status do
     Aprsme.Is.get_status()
+  rescue
+    error ->
+      require Logger
+
+      Logger.error("Error getting APRS status: #{inspect(error)}")
+      # Return a default status when database is unavailable
+      %{
+        connected: false,
+        server: "unknown",
+        port: 0,
+        connected_at: nil,
+        uptime_seconds: 0,
+        login_id: "unknown",
+        filter: "unknown",
+        packet_stats: %{
+          total_packets: 0,
+          packets_per_second: 0,
+          last_packet_at: nil
+        },
+        stored_packet_count: 0
+      }
   end
 
   defp get_app_version do