diff --git a/components/chat/Chat.tsx b/components/chat/Chat.tsx
index e187ad0..26828b5 100644
--- a/components/chat/Chat.tsx
+++ b/components/chat/Chat.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ import { Stream, Message } from "@/lib/OpenRouter"
 import { MessageView } from "./Messages"
 import { useDB } from "@/components/DatabaseProvider"
 import { toast } from "sonner"
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
+import { openUrl } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-opener'
+
 import SourceDropdown from "./SourceDropdown"
+import Settings from "./Settings"
 import OpenAI from "openai"
 
 import {
@@ -14,7 +18,8 @@ import {
   SendHorizontalIcon,
   GlobeIcon,
   WrenchIcon,
-  CheckIcon
+  CheckIcon,
+  KeyRoundIcon,
 } from "lucide-react"
 
 import {
@@ -26,6 +31,33 @@ import {
 
 type FormEvent = React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>
 
+// SetUpKeyCard is a card that asks the user to set up their OpenRouter
+// API key whenever it's not available.
+export const SetUpKeyCard = () => {
+  const [settingsOpen, setSettingsOpen] = useState<boolean>(false)
+  const openrouter = () => {
+    openUrl("https://openrouter.ai/")
+  }
+  return (
+    <div className="pt-12 min-h-full flex flex-col justify-center items-center pb-12">
+      <KeyRoundIcon className="h-12 w-12"/>
+      <p className="text-lg font-bold pt-2 text-center">
+        Configure API Key
+      </p>
+      <p className="text-center pb-4">
+        Configure your OpenRouter API key to begin sending messages.
+      </p>
+      <div className="w-100 flex flex-col gap-2">
+        <Button onClick={openrouter}> Get Free API Key (OpenRouter) </Button>
+        <Button onClick={() => setSettingsOpen(true)}>
+          Configure API Key
+        </Button>
+      </div>
+      <Settings open={settingsOpen} onOpenChange={setSettingsOpen} />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 export default function Chat() {
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<(Message|ToolCall)[]>([])
   const [source, setSource] = useState<string>('google/gemini-2.5-pro-exp-03-25:free')
@@ -34,6 +66,8 @@ export default function Chat() {
   const [isStreaming, setIsStreaming] = useState<boolean>(false)
   const [webSearchEnabled, setWebSearchEnabled] = useState<boolean>(false)
   const [toolCallingEnabled, setToolCallingEnabled] = useState<boolean>(true)
+  const [hasKey, setHasKey] = useState<boolean>(false)
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState<boolean>(true)
   const [client, setClient] = useState<OpenAI>(new OpenAI({
     baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
     dangerouslyAllowBrowser: true,
@@ -44,36 +78,51 @@ export default function Chat() {
 
   // Fetch messages and API key from database.
   useEffect(() => {
-    // TODO: HANDLE DATABASE ERRORS.
     const fetchMessages = async () => {
-      const msgs = await db.history.readAll()
-      setMessages(msgs.map(msg => {
-        if (msg.role === 'tool') {
+      try {
+        const msgs = await db.history.readAll()
+        setMessages(msgs.map(msg => {
+          if (msg.role === 'tool') {
+            return {
+              tool    : msg.tool_name,
+              id      : msg.id,
+              content : msg.content,
+            } as ToolCall
+          }
           return {
-            tool    : msg.tool_name,
-            id      : msg.id,
-            content : msg.content,
-          } as ToolCall
-        }
-        return {
-          role    : msg.role,
-          content : msg.content
-        } as Message
-      }))
-      setIsTyping(false)
+            role    : msg.role,
+            content : msg.content
+          } as Message
+        }))
+      }
+      catch {
+        toast('Error: Failed to Load Chat Message', {
+          description: 'The database failed to load chat message'
+        })
+      }
+      finally {setIsTyping(false)}
     }
     const fetchKey = async () => {
-      const keys = await db.keys.readAll()
-      if (keys.length === 0) {
-        // TODO: SHOW DIALOG
-        return
+      try {
+        const keys = await db.keys.readAll()
+        if (keys.length === 0) {
+          setHasKey(false)
+          return
+        }
+        setClient(new OpenAI({
+          baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
+          dangerouslyAllowBrowser: true,
+          apiKey: keys[0].key_hash,
+        }))
+        setHasKey(true)
+      }
+      catch {
+        toast('Error: Failed to fetch API Key', {
+          description: 'Ensure your API Key is correct'
+        })
       }
-      setClient(new OpenAI({
-        baseURL: "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
-        dangerouslyAllowBrowser: true,
-        apiKey: keys[0].key_hash,
-      }))
     }
+    setIsLoading(false)
     fetchMessages()
     fetchKey()
   }, [])
@@ -167,6 +216,15 @@ export default function Chat() {
     }
   }
 
+  if (isLoading) {
+    setIsLoading(false)
+  }
+
+  // Show a "set up API key" card when OpenRouter key is not configured.
+  if (!hasKey) {
+    return <SetUpKeyCard />
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="pt-12 min-h-full grid grid-rows-[auto_40px]">
       <div className="absolute top-2">
diff --git a/components/chat/Settings.tsx b/components/chat/Settings.tsx
index e6cf306..31560fd 100644
--- a/components/chat/Settings.tsx
+++ b/components/chat/Settings.tsx
@@ -1,24 +1,26 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { useState, useEffect } from "react"
+import { useState, useEffect, Dispatch, SetStateAction } from "react"
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
-import { SettingsIcon } from "lucide-react"
 import { useDB } from "@/components/DatabaseProvider"
 import { toast } from "sonner"
 import { Keys } from "@/lib/controller/KeyController"
 
 import {
   Dialog,
-  DialogTrigger,
   DialogContent,
   DialogHeader,
   DialogTitle,
 } from "@/components/ui/dialog"
 
+type SettingsProps = {
+  onOpenChange: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>
+  open: boolean,
+}
+
 // Settings displays a modal asking the user to configure their
 // OpenRouter API key.
-const Settings = () => {
-  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false)
+const Settings = ({open, onOpenChange} : SettingsProps) => {
   const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useState("")
   const db = useDB()
 
@@ -35,7 +37,7 @@ const Settings = () => {
         setApiKey("")
         return
       }
-      setApiKey(keys[0].id!.toString())
+      setApiKey(keys[0].key_hash)
     }
     fetchKey()
   }, [])
@@ -45,6 +47,10 @@ const Settings = () => {
   const handleSubmit = async () => {
     try {
       await db.keys.deleteAll()
+      if (apiKey === "") {
+        onOpenChange(false)
+        return
+      }
       await db.keys.create({
         key_hash   : apiKey,
         created_at : Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)
@@ -54,16 +60,11 @@ const Settings = () => {
         description: 'A database error prevented the key from being saved'
       })
     }
-    setOpen(false)
+    onOpenChange(false)
   }
 
   return (
-    <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
-      <DialogTrigger asChild>
-        <Button size='icon'>
-          <SettingsIcon />
-        </Button>
-      </DialogTrigger>
+    <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
       <DialogContent className="w-full !p-4">
         <DialogHeader className="col-span-2">
           <DialogTitle>Enter your OpenRouter API Key</DialogTitle>
diff --git a/components/navigation/RightNavigation.tsx b/components/navigation/RightNavigation.tsx
index 8f4178a..a5c3805 100644
--- a/components/navigation/RightNavigation.tsx
+++ b/components/navigation/RightNavigation.tsx
@@ -1,27 +1,35 @@
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
 import { NavigationState } from "./NavigationState"
-import { MessageSquareIcon, PlusIcon} from "lucide-react"
+import { MessageSquareIcon, PlusIcon, SettingsIcon} from "lucide-react"
+import { useState } from "react"
+
 import Chat from "@/components/chat/Chat"
 import Settings from "../chat/Settings"
 
 // RightNavigation consists of the create note, LLM chat, and
 // settings buttons.
-const RightNavigation = ({ state } : { state: NavigationState }) => (
-  <div className='flex flex-row gap-1 fixed top-2 right-2 z-20'>
-    { /* Redirecting to the note page creates a new note */ }
-    <Button size='icon' onClick={() => window.location.href = '/note'}>
-      <PlusIcon />
-    </Button>
-    { /* Toggle the right sidebar */ }
-    <Button
-      onClick={() => state.setRightOpen(!state.isRightOpen)}
-      size='icon'
-    >
-      <MessageSquareIcon />
-    </Button>
-    <Settings />
-  </div>
-)
+const RightNavigation = ({ state } : { state: NavigationState }) => {
+  const [settingsOpen, setSettingsOpen] = useState<boolean>(false)
+  return (
+    <div className='flex flex-row gap-1 fixed top-2 right-2 z-20'>
+      { /* Redirecting to the note page creates a new note */ }
+      <Button size='icon' onClick={() => window.location.href = '/note'}>
+        <PlusIcon />
+      </Button>
+      { /* Toggle the right sidebar */ }
+      <Button
+        onClick={() => state.setRightOpen(!state.isRightOpen)}
+        size='icon'
+      >
+        <MessageSquareIcon />
+      </Button>
+      <Button size='icon' onClick={() => setSettingsOpen(true)}>
+        <SettingsIcon />
+      </Button>
+      <Settings open={settingsOpen} onOpenChange={setSettingsOpen} />
+    </div>
+  )
+}
 
 // RightSidebar shows the LLM chat sidebar.
 const RightSidebar = () => (