diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index 4cfd5d5d..fbc3026f 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     <EditModeTopBanner v-if="isEditMode" />
     <LoadingScreen :isLoading="isLoading" v-if="shouldShowSplash" />
     <Header :pageInfo="pageInfo" />
+    <CriticalError />
     <router-view v-if="!isFetching" />
     <Footer :text="footerText" v-if="visibleComponents.footer && !isFetching" />
   </div>
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@
 import Header from '@/components/PageStrcture/Header.vue';
 import Footer from '@/components/PageStrcture/Footer.vue';
 import EditModeTopBanner from '@/components/InteractiveEditor/EditModeTopBanner.vue';
+import CriticalError from '@/components/PageStrcture/CriticalError.vue';
 import LoadingScreen from '@/components/PageStrcture/LoadingScreen.vue';
 import { welcomeMsg } from '@/utils/CoolConsole';
 import ErrorHandler from '@/utils/ErrorHandler';
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ export default {
     Footer,
     LoadingScreen,
     EditModeTopBanner,
+    CriticalError,
   },
   data() {
     return {
diff --git a/src/components/PageStrcture/CriticalError.vue b/src/components/PageStrcture/CriticalError.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c8dc19d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/PageStrcture/CriticalError.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+<template>
+  <div
+    class="critical-error-wrap" v-if="shouldShow">
+    <h3>Configuration Load Error</h3>
+    <p>
+      It looks like there was an error loading the configuration.<br>
+    </p>
+    <p>Please ensure that:</p>
+    <ul>
+      <li>The configuration file can be found at the specified location</li>
+      <li>There are no CORS rules preventing client-side access</li>
+      <li>The YAML is valid, parsable and matches the schema</li>
+    </ul>
+    <p>
+      You can check the browser console for more details.<br>
+      If this issue persists, open a ticket on our GitHub.
+    </p>
+    <h4>Error Details:</h4>
+    <p class="the-error">{{ this.$store.state.criticalError }}</p>
+
+    <button class="user-doesnt-care" @click="ignoreWarning">Ignore Error</button>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+import { localStorageKeys } from '@/utils/defaults';
+import Keys from '@/utils/StoreMutations';
+
+export default {
+  name: 'CriticalError',
+  props: {
+    text: String,
+  },
+  data() {
+    return {
+
+    };
+  },
+  computed: {
+    shouldShow() {
+      return this.$store.state.criticalError
+      && !localStorage[localStorageKeys.DISABLE_CRITICAL_WARNING];
+    },
+  },
+  methods: {
+    ignoreWarning() {
+      this.$store.commit(Keys.CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, null);
+      localStorage.setItem(localStorageKeys.DISABLE_CRITICAL_WARNING, true);
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
+
+<style scoped lang="scss">
+@import '@/styles/media-queries.scss';
+.critical-error-wrap {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 30%;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
+  z-index: 2;
+  background: var(--background-darker);
+  padding: 1rem;
+  border-radius: var(--curve-factor);
+  color: var(--danger);
+  border: 2px solid var(--danger);
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  justify-content: center;
+  opacity: 0.95;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  @include tablet-down {
+    top: 50%;
+    width: 85vw;
+  }
+  p, ul, h4 {
+    margin: 0;
+    color: var(--white);
+  }
+  h4 {
+    margin-top: 1rem;
+  }
+  h3 {
+    font-size: 2.2rem;
+    text-align: center;
+    background: var(--danger);
+    color: white;
+    margin: -1rem -1rem 1rem -1rem;
+    padding: 0.5rem;
+  }
+  ul {
+    padding-left: 1rem;
+  }
+  .the-error {
+    color: var(--danger);
+  }
+  .user-doesnt-care {
+    background: var(--background-darker);
+    color: var(--white);
+    border-radius: var(--curve-factor);
+    border: none;
+    text-decoration: underline;
+    padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    width: fit-content;
+    margin: 0 auto;
+    transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;
+    &:hover {
+      background: var(--danger);
+      color: var(--background-darker);
+      text-decoration: none;
+    }
+  }
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/src/store.js b/src/store.js
index b74bb3cf..a17c38aa 100644
--- a/src/store.js
+++ b/src/store.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ const {
   INSERT_ITEM,
   UPDATE_CUSTOM_CSS,
   CONF_MENU_INDEX,
+  CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG,
 } = Keys;
 
 const store = new Vuex.Store({
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ const store = new Vuex.Store({
     modalOpen: false, // KB shortcut functionality will be disabled when modal is open
     currentConfigInfo: {}, // For multi-page support, will store info about config file
     isUsingLocalConfig: false, // If true, will use local config instead of fetched
+    criticalError: null, // Will store a message, if a critical error occurs
     navigateConfToTab: undefined, // Used to switch active tab in config modal
   },
   getters: {
@@ -174,6 +176,10 @@ const store = new Vuex.Store({
         state.editMode = editMode;
       }
     },
+    [CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG](state, message) {
+      if (message) ErrorHandler(message);
+      state.criticalError = message;
+    },
     [UPDATE_ITEM](state, payload) {
       const { itemId, newItem } = payload;
       const newConfig = { ...state.config };
@@ -320,16 +326,38 @@ const store = new Vuex.Store({
   actions: {
     /* Fetches the root config file, only ever called by INITIALIZE_CONFIG */
     async [INITIALIZE_ROOT_CONFIG]({ commit }) {
-      // Load and parse config from root config file
       const configFilePath = process.env.VUE_APP_CONFIG_PATH || '/conf.yml';
-      const data = await yaml.load((await axios.get(configFilePath)).data);
-      // Replace missing root properties with empty objects
-      if (!data.appConfig) data.appConfig = {};
-      if (!data.pageInfo) data.pageInfo = {};
-      if (!data.sections) data.sections = [];
-      // Set the state, and return data
-      commit(SET_ROOT_CONFIG, data);
-      return data;
+      try {
+        // Attempt to fetch the YAML file
+        const response = await axios.get(configFilePath);
+        let data;
+        try {
+          data = yaml.load(response.data);
+        } catch (parseError) {
+          commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, `Failed to parse YAML: ${parseError.message}`);
+        }
+        // Replace missing root properties with empty objects
+        if (!data.appConfig) data.appConfig = {};
+        if (!data.pageInfo) data.pageInfo = {};
+        if (!data.sections) data.sections = [];
+        // Set the state, and return data
+        commit(SET_ROOT_CONFIG, data);
+        commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, null);
+        return data;
+      } catch (fetchError) {
+        if (fetchError.response) {
+          commit(
+            CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG,
+            'Failed to fetch configuration: Server responded with status '
+            + `${fetchError.response?.status || 'mystery status'}`,
+          );
+        } else if (fetchError.request) {
+          commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, 'Failed to fetch configuration: No response from server');
+        } else {
+          commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, `Failed to fetch configuration: ${fetchError.message}`);
+        }
+        return {};
+      }
     },
     /**
      * Fetches config and updates state
@@ -351,7 +379,7 @@ const store = new Vuex.Store({
             const json = JSON.parse(localSectionsRaw);
             if (json.length >= 1) localSections = json;
           } catch (e) {
-            ErrorHandler('Malformed section data in local storage');
+            commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, 'Malformed section data in local storage');
           }
         }
         if (localSections.length > 0) {
@@ -366,7 +394,7 @@ const store = new Vuex.Store({
         )?.path);
 
         if (!subConfigPath) {
-          ErrorHandler(`Unable to find config for '${subConfigId}'`);
+          commit(CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG, `Unable to find config for '${subConfigId}'`);
           return null;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/styles/global-styles.scss b/src/styles/global-styles.scss
index 4d4a9565..9c601e60 100644
--- a/src/styles/global-styles.scss
+++ b/src/styles/global-styles.scss
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ html {
   }
 }
 
+#dashy {
+  position: relative;
+  min-height: 100vh;
+}
+
 /* Hide text, and show 'Loading...' while Vue is initializing tags */
 [v-cloak] > * { display:none }
 [v-cloak]::before { content: "loading…" }
diff --git a/src/utils/StoreMutations.js b/src/utils/StoreMutations.js
index 1e1a1330..0332d8fd 100644
--- a/src/utils/StoreMutations.js
+++ b/src/utils/StoreMutations.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const KEY_NAMES = [
   'INSERT_ITEM',
   'UPDATE_CUSTOM_CSS',
   'CONF_MENU_INDEX',
+  'CRITICAL_ERROR_MSG',
 ];
 
 // Convert array of key names into an object, and export
diff --git a/src/utils/defaults.js b/src/utils/defaults.js
index b361d137..eafec4d0 100644
--- a/src/utils/defaults.js
+++ b/src/utils/defaults.js
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ module.exports = {
     MOST_USED: 'mostUsed',
     LAST_USED: 'lastUsed',
     KEYCLOAK_INFO: 'keycloakInfo',
+    DISABLE_CRITICAL_WARNING: 'disableCriticalWarning',
   },
   /* Key names for cookie identifiers */
   cookieKeys: {