diff --git a/browser-extension/background.js b/browser-extension/background.js
index b3dba90..19cdb62 100644
--- a/browser-extension/background.js
+++ b/browser-extension/background.js
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 let serverUrl = '';
 
-browser.storage.sync.get('serverUrl').then(r => {
-  if (r.serverUrl) serverUrl = r.serverUrl.replace(/\/+$/, '');
-});
+function norm(v) {
+  return (v || '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
+}
+
+async function getServerUrl() {
+  const r = await browser.storage.sync.get('serverUrl');
+  serverUrl = norm(r.serverUrl);
+  return serverUrl;
+}
 
 browser.storage.onChanged.addListener(changes => {
   if (changes.serverUrl) {
-    serverUrl = changes.serverUrl.newValue.replace(/\/+$/, '');
+    serverUrl = norm(changes.serverUrl.newValue);
   }
 });
 
@@ -22,10 +28,18 @@ browser.runtime.onMessage.addListener((msg, sender) => {
 });
 
 async function request(path, opts) {
-  if (!serverUrl) throw new Error('Server URL not configured');
+  const base = await getServerUrl();
+  if (!base) {
+    throw new Error('Server URL not set — open snotes and click "Capture" → "Apply to Extension", or set it in Options');
+  }
   opts = opts || {};
   opts.credentials = 'include';
-  const res = await fetch(serverUrl + path, opts);
+  let res;
+  try {
+    res = await fetch(base + path, opts);
+  } catch (e) {
+    throw new Error('Cannot reach ' + base + ' (' + e.message + ')');
+  }
   if (!res.ok) {
     const err = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
     throw new Error(err.detail || 'HTTP ' + res.status);
diff --git a/browser-extension/popup.js b/browser-extension/popup.js
index dfdc070..1bf427e 100644
--- a/browser-extension/popup.js
+++ b/browser-extension/popup.js
@@ -114,12 +114,19 @@
     browser.runtime.openOptionsPage();
   });
 
+  function updateIndicator() {
+    var el = document.getElementById('server-indicator');
+    var display = serverUrl ? serverUrl.replace(/^https?:\/\//, '') : 'Set server URL…';
+    el.textContent = display;
+    el.title = serverUrl || '';
+  }
+
   browser.storage.sync.get('serverUrl').then(function (r) {
     serverUrl = (r.serverUrl || '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
-    if (!serverUrl) showStatus('Set the server URL in Options', false);
+    updateIndicator();
+    loadUsers();
   });
 
-  loadUsers();
   captureContext();
   noteEl.focus();
 })();
diff --git a/static/app.css b/static/app.css
index 9dcb77e..5e422a9 100644
--- a/static/app.css
+++ b/static/app.css
@@ -327,6 +327,10 @@ body {
 .tools-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; margin-top: 8px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
 .tools-row .muted { min-height: 1.2em; }
 
+.tools-head { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 8px; }
+.tools-head h1 { margin: 0; }
+.tools-logo { height: 40px; width: auto; }
+
 .login-card {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
diff --git a/static/app.js b/static/app.js
index 7d81a2b..a805921 100644
--- a/static/app.js
+++ b/static/app.js
@@ -254,7 +254,10 @@ function showTools() {
   const qsApply = el("button", { class: "btn", text: "Apply to Extension" });
 
   const card = el("div", { class: "help-card" }, [
-    el("h1", { text: "Quick capture" }),
+    el("div", { class: "tools-head" }, [
+      el("img", { src: "/static/snotes-logo.png", class: "tools-logo", alt: "quickSnote" }),
+      el("h1", { text: "Quick capture" }),
+    ]),
     el("p", { html: 'The <b>quickSnote</b> browser extension lets you jot a note from any page. It prefills the note with the text you\'ve selected, and a <b>Page</b> button inserts the current page\'s title and link.' }),
 
     el("h2", { text: "Firefox" }),