diff --git a/lua/kitty-scrollback/kitty_commands.lua b/lua/kitty-scrollback/kitty_commands.lua
index 67f0ef62..44adcbe9 100644
--- a/lua/kitty-scrollback/kitty_commands.lua
+++ b/lua/kitty-scrollback/kitty_commands.lua
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ M.get_text_term = function(kitty_data, get_text_opts, on_exit_cb)
   -- set the shell used for termopen to sh to avoid imcompatabiliies with other shells (e.g., nushell, fish, etc)
   vim.o.shell = 'sh'
 
-  vim.fn.termopen(full_cmd, {
+  local success, error = pcall(vim.fn.termopen, full_cmd, {
     stdout_buffered = true,
     stderr_buffered = true,
     on_stdout = function(_, data)
@@ -210,6 +210,12 @@ M.get_text_term = function(kitty_data, get_text_opts, on_exit_cb)
       end
     end,
   })
+  if not success then
+    display_error(full_cmd, {
+      entrypoint = 'termopen() :: pcall(vim.fn.termopen) error returned',
+      stderr = error or nil,
+    })
+  end
 
   -- restore the original shell after processing termopen
   vim.o.shell = p.orig_options.shell
diff --git a/lua/kitty-scrollback/launch.lua b/lua/kitty-scrollback/launch.lua
index e7120598..ed044f61 100644
--- a/lua/kitty-scrollback/launch.lua
+++ b/lua/kitty-scrollback/launch.lua
@@ -312,7 +312,15 @@ end
 M.launch = function()
   local kitty_data = p.kitty_data
   vim.schedule(function()
-    p.bufid = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+    local buf_lines = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(0, 0, 1, false)
+    local no_buf_content = vim.api.nvim_buf_line_count(0) == 1 and buf_lines[1] == ''
+    if no_buf_content then
+      p.bufid = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
+    else
+      -- buffer must be empty for termopen, dashboard plugins may write to the first buffer before kitty-scrollback.nvim loads
+      p.bufid = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(true, true)
+      vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(p.bufid)
+    end
 
     ksb_autocmds.load_autocmds()