diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index f88f1c83a9..83ca9adde6 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -3291,10 +3291,24 @@ processAgentMessage _ connId DEL_CONN =
   toView $ CRAgentConnDeleted (AgentConnId connId)
 processAgentMessage corrId connId msg = do
   vr <- chatVersionRange
-  withStore' (`getUserByAConnId` AgentConnId connId) >>= \case
+  -- getUserByAConnId never throws logical errors, only SEDBBusyError can be thrown here
+  critical (withStore' (`getUserByAConnId` AgentConnId connId)) >>= \case
     Just user -> processAgentMessageConn vr user corrId connId msg `catchChatError` (toView . CRChatError (Just user))
     _ -> throwChatError $ CENoConnectionUser (AgentConnId connId)
 
+-- CRITICAL error will be shown to the user as alert with restart button in Android/desktop apps.
+-- SEDBBusyError will only be thrown on IO exceptions or SQLError during DB queries,
+-- e.g. when database is locked or busy for longer than 3s.
+-- In this case there is no better mitigation than showing alert:
+-- - without ACK the message delivery will be stuck,
+-- - with ACK message will be lost, as it failed to be saved.
+-- Full app restart is likely to resolve database condition and the message will be received and processed again.
+critical :: ChatMonad m => m a -> m a
+critical a =
+  a `catchChatError` \case
+    ChatErrorStore SEDBBusyError {message} -> throwError $ ChatErrorAgent (CRITICAL True message) Nothing
+    e -> throwError e
+
 processAgentMessageNoConn :: forall m. ChatMonad m => ACommand 'Agent 'AENone -> m ()
 processAgentMessageNoConn = \case
   CONNECT p h -> hostEvent $ CRHostConnected p h
@@ -3482,9 +3496,13 @@ processAgentMsgRcvFile _corrId aFileId msg =
               agentXFTPDeleteRcvFile aFileId fileId
               toView $ CRRcvFileError user ci e ft
 
-processAgentMessageConn :: forall m. ChatMonad m => (PQSupport -> VersionRangeChat) -> User -> ACorrId -> ConnId -> ACommand 'Agent 'AEConn -> m ()
+processAgentMessageConn :: forall m . ChatMonad m => (PQSupport -> VersionRangeChat) -> User -> ACorrId -> ConnId -> ACommand 'Agent 'AEConn -> m ()
 processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
-  entity <- withStore (\db -> getConnectionEntity db vr user $ AgentConnId agentConnId) >>= updateConnStatus
+  -- Missing connection/entity errors here will be sent to the view but not shown as CRITICAL alert,
+  -- as in this case no need to ACK message - we can't process messages for this connection anyway.
+  -- SEDBException will be re-trown as CRITICAL as it is likely to indicate a temporary database condition
+  -- that will be resolved with app restart.
+  entity <- critical $ withStore (\db -> getConnectionEntity db vr user $ AgentConnId agentConnId) >>= updateConnStatus
   case agentMessage of
     END -> case entity of
       RcvDirectMsgConnection _ (Just ct) -> toView $ CRContactAnotherClient user ct
@@ -3547,12 +3565,11 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
           processINFOpqSupport conn pqSupport
           _conn' <- saveConnInfo conn connInfo
           pure ()
-        MSG meta _msgFlags msgBody -> do
-          cmdId <- createAckCmd conn
+        MSG meta _msgFlags msgBody ->
           -- TODO only acknowledge without saving message?
           -- probably this branch is never executed, so there should be no reason
           -- to save message if contact hasn't been created yet - chat item isn't created anyway
-          withAckMessage agentConnId cmdId meta $ do
+          withAckMessage agentConnId conn meta False $ \cmdId -> do
             (_conn', _) <- saveDirectRcvMSG conn meta cmdId msgBody
             pure False
         SENT msgId ->
@@ -3584,12 +3601,11 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
                 forM_ contData $ \(hostConnId, xGrpMemIntroCont) ->
                   sendXGrpMemInv hostConnId (Just directConnReq) xGrpMemIntroCont
               CRContactUri _ -> throwChatError $ CECommandError "unexpected ConnectionRequestUri type"
-        MSG msgMeta _msgFlags msgBody -> do
-          let MsgMeta {pqEncryption} = msgMeta
-          (ct', conn') <- updateContactPQRcv user ct conn pqEncryption
-          checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDDirectRcv ct') msgMeta
-          cmdId <- createAckCmd conn'
-          withAckMessage agentConnId cmdId msgMeta $ do
+        MSG msgMeta _msgFlags msgBody ->
+          withAckMessage agentConnId conn msgMeta True $ \cmdId -> do
+            let MsgMeta {pqEncryption} = msgMeta
+            (ct', conn') <- updateContactPQRcv user ct conn pqEncryption
+            checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDDirectRcv ct') msgMeta `catchChatError` \_ -> pure ()
             (conn'', msg@RcvMessage {chatMsgEvent = ACME _ event}) <- saveDirectRcvMSG conn' msgMeta cmdId msgBody
             let ct'' = ct' {activeConn = Just conn''} :: Contact
             assertDirectAllowed user MDRcv ct'' $ toCMEventTag event
@@ -3995,10 +4011,8 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
                       void $ sendDirectMemberMessage imConn (XGrpMemCon memberId) groupId
                 _ -> messageWarning "sendXGrpMemCon: member category GCPreMember or GCPostMember is expected"
       MSG msgMeta _msgFlags msgBody -> do
-        checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDGroupRcv gInfo m) msgMeta
-        cmdId <- createAckCmd conn
-        let aChatMsgs = parseChatMessages msgBody
-        withAckMessage agentConnId cmdId msgMeta $ do
+        withAckMessage agentConnId conn msgMeta True $ \cmdId -> do
+          checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDGroupRcv gInfo m) msgMeta `catchChatError` \_ -> pure ()
           forM_ aChatMsgs $ \case
             Right (ACMsg _ chatMsg) ->
               processEvent cmdId chatMsg `catchChatError` \e -> toView $ CRChatError (Just user) e
@@ -4010,6 +4024,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
           [Right (ACMsg _ chatMsg)] -> forwardMsg_ chatMsg
           _ -> pure ()
         where
+          aChatMsgs = parseChatMessages msgBody
           brokerTs = metaBrokerTs msgMeta
           processEvent :: MsgEncodingI e => CommandId -> ChatMessage e -> m ()
           processEvent cmdId chatMsg = do
@@ -4046,12 +4061,12 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
               BFileChunk sharedMsgId chunk -> bFileChunkGroup gInfo sharedMsgId chunk msgMeta
               _ -> messageError $ "unsupported message: " <> T.pack (show event)
           checkSendRcpt :: [AChatMessage] -> m Bool
-          checkSendRcpt aChatMsgs = do
+          checkSendRcpt aMsgs = do
             currentMemCount <- withStore' $ \db -> getGroupCurrentMembersCount db user gInfo
             let GroupInfo {chatSettings = ChatSettings {sendRcpts}} = gInfo
             pure $
               fromMaybe (sendRcptsSmallGroups user) sendRcpts
-                && any aChatMsgHasReceipt aChatMsgs
+                && any aChatMsgHasReceipt aMsgs
                 && currentMemCount <= smallGroupsRcptsMemLimit
             where
               aChatMsgHasReceipt (ACMsg _ ChatMessage {chatMsgEvent}) =
@@ -4241,6 +4256,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
             _ -> pure ()
         CON _ -> startReceivingFile user fileId
         MSG meta _ msgBody -> do
+          -- XXX: not all branches do ACK
           parseFileChunk msgBody >>= receiveFileChunk ft (Just conn) meta
         OK ->
           -- [async agent commands] continuation on receiving OK
@@ -4384,19 +4400,22 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
 
     withAckMessage' :: ConnId -> Connection -> MsgMeta -> m () -> m ()
     withAckMessage' cId conn msgMeta action = do
-      cmdId <- createAckCmd conn
-      withAckMessage cId cmdId msgMeta $ action $> False
+      withAckMessage cId conn msgMeta False $ \_cmdId -> action $> False
 
-    withAckMessage :: ConnId -> CommandId -> MsgMeta -> m Bool -> m ()
-    withAckMessage cId cmdId msgMeta action = do
+    withAckMessage :: ConnId -> Connection -> MsgMeta -> Bool -> (CommandId -> m Bool) -> m ()
+    withAckMessage cId conn msgMeta showCritical action = do
+      cmdId <- createAckCmd conn `catchChatError` \e -> throwError $ ChatErrorAgent (CRITICAL True $ show e) Nothing
       -- [async agent commands] command should be asynchronous, continuation is ackMsgDeliveryEvent
       -- TODO catching error and sending ACK after an error, particularly if it is a database error, will result in the message not processed (and no notification to the user).
       -- Possible solutions are:
       -- 1) retry processing several times
       -- 2) stabilize database
       -- 3) show screen of death to the user asking to restart
-      tryChatError action >>= \case
+      tryChatError (action cmdId) >>= \case
         Right withRcpt -> ackMsg cId cmdId msgMeta $ if withRcpt then Just "" else Nothing
+        -- If showCritical is True, then these errors don't result in ACK and show user visible alert
+        -- This prevents losing the message that failed to be processed.
+        Left (ChatErrorStore SEDBBusyError {message}) | showCritical -> throwError $ ChatErrorAgent (CRITICAL True message) Nothing
         Left e -> ackMsg cId cmdId msgMeta Nothing >> throwError e
 
     ackMsg :: ConnId -> CommandId -> MsgMeta -> Maybe MsgReceiptInfo -> m ()
@@ -4997,9 +5016,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
     checkIntegrityCreateItem :: forall c. ChatTypeI c => ChatDirection c 'MDRcv -> MsgMeta -> m ()
     checkIntegrityCreateItem cd MsgMeta {integrity, broker = (_, brokerTs)} = case integrity of
       MsgOk -> pure ()
-      MsgError e ->
-        createInternalChatItem user cd (CIRcvIntegrityError e) (Just brokerTs)
-          `catchChatError` \_ -> pure ()
+      MsgError e -> createInternalChatItem user cd (CIRcvIntegrityError e) (Just brokerTs)
 
     xInfo :: Contact -> Profile -> m ()
     xInfo c p' = void $ processContactProfileUpdate c p' True
@@ -5719,7 +5736,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
 
     directMsgReceived :: Contact -> Connection -> MsgMeta -> NonEmpty MsgReceipt -> m ()
     directMsgReceived ct conn@Connection {connId} msgMeta msgRcpts = do
-      checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDDirectRcv ct) msgMeta
+      checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDDirectRcv ct) msgMeta `catchChatError` \_ -> pure ()
       forM_ msgRcpts $ \MsgReceipt {agentMsgId, msgRcptStatus} -> do
         withStore' $ \db -> updateSndMsgDeliveryStatus db connId agentMsgId $ MDSSndRcvd msgRcptStatus
         updateDirectItemStatus ct conn agentMsgId $ CISSndRcvd msgRcptStatus SSPComplete
@@ -5731,7 +5748,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn vr user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage =
     -- - getChatItemIdByAgentMsgId to return [ChatItemId]
     groupMsgReceived :: GroupInfo -> GroupMember -> Connection -> MsgMeta -> NonEmpty MsgReceipt -> m ()
     groupMsgReceived gInfo m conn@Connection {connId} msgMeta msgRcpts = do
-      checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDGroupRcv gInfo m) msgMeta
+      checkIntegrityCreateItem (CDGroupRcv gInfo m) msgMeta `catchChatError` \_ -> pure ()
       forM_ msgRcpts $ \MsgReceipt {agentMsgId, msgRcptStatus} -> do
         withStore' $ \db -> updateSndMsgDeliveryStatus db connId agentMsgId $ MDSSndRcvd msgRcptStatus
         updateGroupItemStatus gInfo m conn agentMsgId $ CISSndRcvd msgRcptStatus SSPComplete
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index ce7c952ded..62caa8a6ab 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ import Data.Time (NominalDiffTime, UTCTime)
 import Data.Time.Clock.System (systemToUTCTime)
 import Data.Version (showVersion)
 import Data.Word (Word16)
+import Database.SQLite.Simple (SQLError)
+import qualified Database.SQLite.Simple as SQL
 import Language.Haskell.TH (Exp, Q, runIO)
 import Numeric.Natural
 import qualified Paths_simplex_chat as SC
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ import Simplex.Messaging.Protocol (AProtoServerWithAuth, AProtocolType (..), Cor
 import Simplex.Messaging.TMap (TMap)
 import Simplex.Messaging.Transport (TLS, simplexMQVersion)
 import Simplex.Messaging.Transport.Client (TransportHost)
-import Simplex.Messaging.Util (allFinally, catchAllErrors, liftEitherError, tryAllErrors, (<$$>))
+import Simplex.Messaging.Util (allFinally, catchAllErrors, liftIOEither, tryAllErrors, (<$$>))
 import Simplex.RemoteControl.Client
 import Simplex.RemoteControl.Invitation (RCSignedInvitation, RCVerifiedInvitation)
 import Simplex.RemoteControl.Types
@@ -1296,30 +1298,23 @@ withStoreCtx' :: ChatMonad m => Maybe String -> (DB.Connection -> IO a) -> m a
 withStoreCtx' ctx_ action = withStoreCtx ctx_ $ liftIO . action
 
 withStoreCtx :: ChatMonad m => Maybe String -> (DB.Connection -> ExceptT StoreError IO a) -> m a
-withStoreCtx ctx_ action = do
+withStoreCtx _ctx action = do
   ChatController {chatStore} <- ask
-  liftEitherError ChatErrorStore $ case ctx_ of
-    Nothing -> withTransaction chatStore (runExceptT . action) `catch` handleInternal ""
-    -- uncomment to debug store performance
-    -- Just ctx -> do
-    --   t1 <- liftIO getCurrentTime
-    --   putStrLn $ "withStoreCtx start       :: " <> show t1 <> " :: " <> ctx
-    --   r <- withTransactionCtx ctx_ chatStore (runExceptT . action) `E.catch` handleInternal (" (" <> ctx <> ")")
-    --   t2 <- liftIO getCurrentTime
-    --   putStrLn $ "withStoreCtx end         :: " <> show t2 <> " :: " <> ctx <> " :: duration=" <> show (diffToMilliseconds $ diffUTCTime t2 t1)
-    --   pure r
-    Just _ -> withTransaction chatStore (runExceptT . action) `catch` handleInternal ""
-  where
-    handleInternal :: String -> SomeException -> IO (Either StoreError a)
-    handleInternal ctxStr e = pure . Left . SEInternalError $ show e <> ctxStr
+  liftIOEither $ withTransaction chatStore (runExceptT . withExceptT ChatErrorStore . action) `E.catches` handleDBErrors
 
 withStoreBatch :: (ChatMonad' m, Traversable t) => (DB.Connection -> t (IO (Either ChatError a))) -> m (t (Either ChatError a))
 withStoreBatch actions = do
   ChatController {chatStore} <- ask
-  liftIO $ withTransaction chatStore $ mapM (`E.catch` handleInternal) . actions
-  where
-    handleInternal :: E.SomeException -> IO (Either ChatError a)
-    handleInternal = pure . Left . ChatError . CEInternalError . show
+  liftIO $ withTransaction chatStore $ mapM (`E.catches` handleDBErrors) . actions
+
+handleDBErrors :: [E.Handler IO (Either ChatError a)]
+handleDBErrors =
+  [ E.Handler $ \(e :: SQLError) ->
+      let se = SQL.sqlError e
+          busy = se == SQL.ErrorBusy || se == SQL.ErrorLocked
+        in pure . Left . ChatErrorStore $ if busy then SEDBBusyError $ show se else SEDBException $ show e,
+    E.Handler $ \(E.SomeException e) -> pure . Left . ChatErrorStore . SEDBException $ show e
+  ]
 
 withStoreBatch' :: (ChatMonad' m, Traversable t) => (DB.Connection -> t (IO a)) -> m (t (Either ChatError a))
 withStoreBatch' actions = withStoreBatch $ fmap (fmap Right) . actions
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs
index 6d5c41c1a5..fd628d09ee 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ data StoreError
   | SEUniqueID
   | SELargeMsg
   | SEInternalError {message :: String}
+  | SEDBException {message :: String}
+  | SEDBBusyError {message :: String}
   | SEBadChatItem {itemId :: ChatItemId, itemTs :: Maybe ChatItemTs}
   | SEChatItemNotFound {itemId :: ChatItemId}
   | SEChatItemNotFoundByText {text :: Text}