diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index 4f65052b..8f63a19f 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 import 'package:sentry_flutter/sentry_flutter.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/app.dart';
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/notifications/setup.notifications.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/user.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/avatars.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/storage.dart';
 
 /// This function is used to initialized the absolute minimum so it
@@ -56,13 +56,23 @@ void main() async {
 
   await initFCMService();
 
-  final userExists = await userService.tryInit();
+  var userExists = false;
+  var storageError = false;
+  try {
+    userExists = await userService.tryInit();
+  } catch (e) {
+    Log.error('Failed to initialize user session due to storage error: $e');
+    storageError = true;
+  }
+
+  final dbFile = File('${AppEnvironment.supportDir}/twonly.sqlite');
+  final dbExists = dbFile.existsSync();
 
   if (Platform.isIOS && userExists) {
-    final db = File('${AppEnvironment.supportDir}/twonly.sqlite');
-    if (!db.existsSync()) {
+    if (!dbExists) {
       Log.error('[twonly] IOS: App was removed and then reinstalled again...');
-      await const FlutterSecureStorage().deleteAll();
+      await SecureStorage.instance.deleteAll();
+      userExists = false;
     }
   }
 
@@ -80,9 +90,21 @@ void main() async {
 
     unawaited(performTwonlySafeBackup());
     unawaited(initializeBackgroundTaskManager());
+  } else if (!storageError) {
+    if (!dbExists) {
+      Log.info(
+        'User is not yet registered and no database found. Ensuring clean state.',
+      );
+      await deleteLocalUserData();
+    } else {
+      Log.error(
+        'User not found in secure storage, but database exists. Skipping destructive wipe.',
+      );
+    }
   } else {
-    Log.info('User is not yet register. Ensure all local data is removed.');
-    await deleteLocalUserData();
+    Log.error(
+      'Storage error occurred and database exists. Skipping wipe to prevent data loss.',
+    );
   }
 
   final settingsController = SettingsChangeProvider();
diff --git a/lib/src/database/signal/signal_signed_pre_key_store.dart b/lib/src/database/signal/signal_signed_pre_key_store.dart
index 4e949e47..5017230c 100644
--- a/lib/src/database/signal/signal_signed_pre_key_store.dart
+++ b/lib/src/database/signal/signal_signed_pre_key_store.dart
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 import 'dart:collection';
 import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
+
 import 'package:libsignal_protocol_dart/libsignal_protocol_dart.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/constants/secure_storage.keys.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 class SignalSignedPreKeyStore extends SignedPreKeyStore {
   Future<HashMap<int, Uint8List>> getStore() async {
-    const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-    final storeSerialized = await storage.read(
+    final storeSerialized = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey,
     );
     final store = HashMap<int, Uint8List>();
@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@ class SignalSignedPreKeyStore extends SignedPreKeyStore {
   }
 
   Future<void> safeStore(HashMap<int, Uint8List> store) async {
-    const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
     final storeHashMap = <List<dynamic>>[];
     for (final item in store.entries) {
       storeHashMap.add([item.key, base64Encode(item.value)]);
     }
     final storeSerialized = json.encode(storeHashMap);
-    await storage.write(
+    await SecureStorage.instance.write(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey,
       value: storeSerialized,
     );
diff --git a/lib/src/services/api.service.dart b/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
index 70e51353..eb84969a 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/api.service.dart
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import 'package:connectivity_plus/connectivity_plus.dart';
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
 import 'package:fixnum/fixnum.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 // ignore: implementation_imports
 import 'package:libsignal_protocol_dart/src/ecc/ed25519.dart';
 import 'package:mutex/mutex.dart';
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/user_study.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/keyvalue.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:web_socket_channel/io.dart';
 
 final lockConnecting = Mutex();
@@ -417,8 +417,7 @@ class ApiService {
   }
 
   Future<bool> tryAuthenticateWithToken(int userId) async {
-    const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-    final apiAuthToken = await storage.read(
+    final apiAuthToken = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.apiAuthToken,
     );
     final user = await getUser();
@@ -518,8 +517,7 @@ class ApiService {
       final apiAuthToken = result2.value.authtoken as Uint8List;
       final apiAuthTokenB64 = base64Encode(apiAuthToken);
 
-      const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-      await storage.write(
+      await SecureStorage.instance.write(
         key: SecureStorageKeys.apiAuthToken,
         value: apiAuthTokenB64,
       );
diff --git a/lib/src/services/api/mediafiles/upload.api.dart b/lib/src/services/api/mediafiles/upload.api.dart
index 60a28e37..7689365b 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/api/mediafiles/upload.api.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/api/mediafiles/upload.api.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import 'package:cryptography_flutter_plus/cryptography_flutter_plus.dart';
 import 'package:cryptography_plus/cryptography_plus.dart';
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
 import 'package:fixnum/fixnum.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 import 'package:mutex/mutex.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/globals.dart';
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/flame.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/mediafiles/mediafile.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:workmanager/workmanager.dart' hide TaskStatus;
 
 final lockRetransmission = Mutex();
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ Future<void> _uploadUploadRequest(MediaFileService media) async {
       return null;
     }
 
-    final apiAuthTokenRaw = await const FlutterSecureStorage().read(
+    final apiAuthTokenRaw = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.apiAuthToken,
     );
 
diff --git a/lib/src/services/backup/create.backup.dart b/lib/src/services/backup/create.backup.dart
index 5bb70f03..fa2a4523 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/backup/create.backup.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/backup/create.backup.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import 'package:cryptography_flutter_plus/cryptography_flutter_plus.dart';
 import 'package:cryptography_plus/cryptography_plus.dart';
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
 import 'package:drift_flutter/drift_flutter.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:path/path.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/globals.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/locator.dart';
@@ -21,6 +20,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/backup/common.backup.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/user.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 Future<void> performTwonlySafeBackup({bool force = false}) async {
   if (userService.currentUser.twonlySafeBackup == null) {
@@ -84,12 +84,15 @@ Future<void> performTwonlySafeBackup({bool force = false}) async {
 
   // ignore: inference_failure_on_collection_literal
   final secureStorageBackup = {};
-  const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-  secureStorageBackup[SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity] = await storage.read(
-    key: SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity,
-  );
-  secureStorageBackup[SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey] = await storage
-      .read(key: SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey);
+  secureStorageBackup[SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity] = await SecureStorage
+      .instance
+      .read(
+        key: SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity,
+      );
+  secureStorageBackup[SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey] =
+      await SecureStorage.instance.read(
+        key: SecureStorageKeys.signalSignedPreKey,
+      );
 
   final userBackup = await getUser();
   if (userBackup == null) return;
@@ -129,7 +132,7 @@ Future<void> performTwonlySafeBackup({bool force = false}) async {
     force = true;
   }
 
-  final lastHash = await storage.read(
+  final lastHash = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
     key: SecureStorageKeys.twonlySafeLastBackupHash,
   );
 
@@ -139,7 +142,8 @@ Future<void> performTwonlySafeBackup({bool force = false}) async {
       return;
     }
   }
-  await storage.write(
+
+  await SecureStorage.instance.write(
     key: SecureStorageKeys.twonlySafeLastBackupHash,
     value: backupHash,
   );
diff --git a/lib/src/services/backup/restore.backup.dart b/lib/src/services/backup/restore.backup.dart
index 7d0fbe7c..f2721e0e 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/backup/restore.backup.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/backup/restore.backup.dart
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:cryptography_flutter_plus/cryptography_flutter_plus.dart';
 import 'package:cryptography_plus/cryptography_plus.dart';
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 import 'package:path/path.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/globals.dart';
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/model/protobuf/client/generated/backup.pb.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/backup/common.backup.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/user.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 Future<void> recoverBackup(
   String username,
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ Future<void> handleBackupData(
   );
   await originalDatabase.writeAsBytes(backupContent.twonlyDatabase);
 
-  const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
+  const storage = SecureStorage.instance;
 
   final secureStorage = jsonDecode(backupContent.secureStorageJson);
 
diff --git a/lib/src/services/signal/identity.signal.dart b/lib/src/services/signal/identity.signal.dart
index bb053c2c..6086217d 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/signal/identity.signal.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/signal/identity.signal.dart
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:typed_data';
 
 import 'package:clock/clock.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:libsignal_protocol_dart/libsignal_protocol_dart.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/locator.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/constants/secure_storage.keys.dart';
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/signal/protocol_state.signal.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/signal/utils.signal.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/user.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 Future<IdentityKeyPair?> getSignalIdentityKeyPair() async {
   final signalIdentity = await getSignalIdentity();
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ Future<List<PreKeyRecord>> signalGetPreKeys() async {
 
 Future<SignalIdentity?> getSignalIdentity() async {
   try {
-    const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-    var signalIdentityJson = await storage.read(
+    var signalIdentityJson = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity,
     );
     if (signalIdentityJson == null) {
@@ -102,9 +101,7 @@ Future<Uint8List> getUserPublicKey() async {
 }
 
 Future<void> createIfNotExistsSignalIdentity() async {
-  const storage = FlutterSecureStorage();
-
-  final signalIdentity = await storage.read(
+  final signalIdentity = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
     key: SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity,
   );
 
@@ -132,7 +129,7 @@ Future<void> createIfNotExistsSignalIdentity() async {
     registrationId: registrationId,
   );
 
-  await storage.write(
+  await SecureStorage.instance.write(
     key: SecureStorageKeys.signalIdentity,
     value: jsonEncode(storedSignalIdentity),
   );
diff --git a/lib/src/services/user.service.dart b/lib/src/services/user.service.dart
index 37c8c146..8ea64c4c 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/user.service.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/user.service.dart
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/model/json/userdata.model.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/providers/purchases.provider.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/subscription.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 class UserService {
   late UserData currentUser;
@@ -45,18 +46,16 @@ Future<bool> isUserCreated() async {
 
 Future<UserData?> getUser() async {
   try {
-    final userJson = await const FlutterSecureStorage().read(
+    final userDataJson = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.userData,
     );
-    if (userJson == null) {
+    if (userDataJson == null) {
       return null;
     }
-    final userMap = jsonDecode(userJson) as Map<String, dynamic>;
-    final user = UserData.fromJson(userMap);
-    return user;
+    return UserData.fromJson(jsonDecode(userDataJson) as Map<String, dynamic>);
   } catch (e) {
-    Log.error('Error getting user: $e');
-    return null;
+    Log.error('could not load user: $e');
+    rethrow; // Rethrow instead of returning null to distinguish error from missing user
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/secure_storage.dart b/lib/src/utils/secure_storage.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b2d62241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/utils/secure_storage.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
+
+class SecureStorage {
+  static const FlutterSecureStorage instance = FlutterSecureStorage();
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/storage.dart b/lib/src/utils/storage.dart
index b963b693..b6e4e283 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/storage.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/storage.dart
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:path_provider/path_provider.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 
 Future<bool> deleteLocalUserData() async {
   final appDir = await getApplicationSupportDirectory();
   if (appDir.existsSync()) {
     appDir.deleteSync(recursive: true);
   }
-  await const FlutterSecureStorage().deleteAll();
+  await SecureStorage.instance.deleteAll();
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/visual/views/onboarding/register.view.dart b/lib/src/visual/views/onboarding/register.view.dart
index f275ec71..f507b489 100644
--- a/lib/src/visual/views/onboarding/register.view.dart
+++ b/lib/src/visual/views/onboarding/register.view.dart
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import 'dart:convert';
 
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:go_router/go_router.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/locator.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/constants/routes.keys.dart';
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/signal/identity.signal.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/pow.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/storage.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/visual/components/alert.dialog.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/visual/views/groups/group.view.dart';
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class _RegisterViewState extends State<RegisterView> {
       subscriptionPlan: 'Preview',
     )..appVersion = 62;
 
-    await const FlutterSecureStorage().write(
+    await SecureStorage.instance.write(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.userData,
       value: jsonEncode(userData),
     );
diff --git a/lib/src/visual/views/settings/help/contact_us.view.dart b/lib/src/visual/views/settings/help/contact_us.view.dart
index 3ff15996..2d91c099 100644
--- a/lib/src/visual/views/settings/help/contact_us.view.dart
+++ b/lib/src/visual/views/settings/help/contact_us.view.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import 'dart:convert';
 import 'package:device_info_plus/device_info_plus.dart';
 import 'package:fixnum/fixnum.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:font_awesome_flutter/font_awesome_flutter.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 import 'package:package_info_plus/package_info_plus.dart';
@@ -12,6 +11,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/constants/secure_storage.keys.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/model/protobuf/api/http/http_requests.pb.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/log.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/visual/views/settings/help/contact_us/submit_message.view.dart';
 import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher.dart';
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class _ContactUsState extends State<ContactUsView> {
 
     final uploadRequestBytes = uploadRequest.writeToBuffer();
 
-    final apiAuthTokenRaw = await const FlutterSecureStorage().read(
+    final apiAuthTokenRaw = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.apiAuthToken,
     );
     if (apiAuthTokenRaw == null) {
diff --git a/lib/src/visual/views/settings/notification.view.dart b/lib/src/visual/views/settings/notification.view.dart
index c2769ed2..26a3b591 100644
--- a/lib/src/visual/views/settings/notification.view.dart
+++ b/lib/src/visual/views/settings/notification.view.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
-import 'package:flutter_secure_storage/flutter_secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:hashlib/random.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/locator.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/constants/secure_storage.keys.dart';
@@ -12,6 +11,7 @@ import 'package:twonly/src/services/notifications/fcm.notifications.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/notifications/pushkeys.notifications.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/services/user.service.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/utils/misc.dart';
+import 'package:twonly/src/utils/secure_storage.dart';
 import 'package:twonly/src/visual/components/alert.dialog.dart';
 
 class NotificationView extends StatefulWidget {
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ class _NotificationViewState extends State<NotificationView> {
 
     await initFCMAfterAuthenticated(force: true);
 
-    final storedToken = await (const FlutterSecureStorage().read(
+    final storedToken = await SecureStorage.instance.read(
       key: SecureStorageKeys.googleFcm,
-    ));
+    );
 
     await setupNotificationWithUsers(force: true);