diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/termux/app/TermuxActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/termux/app/TermuxActivity.java
index b802d824..9a245324 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/termux/app/TermuxActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/termux/app/TermuxActivity.java
@@ -248,14 +248,24 @@ public final class TermuxActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements ServiceCo
 
         registerForContextMenu(mTerminalView);
 
-        // Start the {@link TermuxService} and make it run regardless of who is bound to it
-        Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(this, TermuxService.class);
-        startService(serviceIntent);
+        try {
+            // Start the {@link TermuxService} and make it run regardless of who is bound to it
+            Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(this, TermuxService.class);
+            startService(serviceIntent);
 
-        // Attempt to bind to the service, this will call the {@link #onServiceConnected(ComponentName, IBinder)}
-        // callback if it succeeds.
-        if (!bindService(serviceIntent, this, 0))
-            throw new RuntimeException("bindService() failed");
+            // Attempt to bind to the service, this will call the {@link #onServiceConnected(ComponentName, IBinder)}
+            // callback if it succeeds.
+            if (!bindService(serviceIntent, this, 0))
+                throw new RuntimeException("bindService() failed");
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            Logger.logStackTraceWithMessage(LOG_TAG,"TermuxActivity failed to start TermuxService", e);
+            Logger.showToast(this,
+                getString(e.getMessage() != null && e.getMessage().contains("app is in background") ?
+                    R.string.error_termux_service_start_failed_bg : R.string.error_termux_service_start_failed_general),
+                true);
+            mIsInvalidState = true;
+            return;
+        }
 
         // Send the {@link TermuxConstants#BROADCAST_TERMUX_OPENED} broadcast to notify apps that Termux
         // app has been opened.
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index d5335bf0..5f23f4bb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@
     <!-- Miscellaneous -->
     <string name="error_allow_external_apps_ungranted">%1$s requires `allow-external-apps`
         property to be set to `true` in `%2$s` file.</string>
+    <string name="error_termux_service_start_failed_general">Failed to start TermuxService. Check logcat for exception message.</string>
+    <string name="error_termux_service_start_failed_bg">Failed to start TermuxService while app is in background due to android bg restrictions.</string>