diff --git a/backend/config.py b/backend/config.py
index f864062d9..f8dbc4d2a 100644
--- a/backend/config.py
+++ b/backend/config.py
@@ -168,7 +168,11 @@ except:
 
 STATIC_DIR = str(Path(os.getenv("STATIC_DIR", "./static")).resolve())
 
-shutil.copyfile(f"{FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR}/favicon.png", f"{STATIC_DIR}/favicon.png")
+frontend_favicon = f"{FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR}/favicon.png"
+if os.path.exists(frontend_favicon):
+    shutil.copyfile(frontend_favicon, f"{STATIC_DIR}/favicon.png")
+else:
+    logging.warning(f"Frontend favicon not found at {frontend_favicon}")
 
 ####################################
 # CUSTOM_NAME
diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 1b2772627..91cce711b 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -318,11 +318,16 @@ async def get_manifest_json():
 app.mount("/static", StaticFiles(directory=STATIC_DIR), name="static")
 app.mount("/cache", StaticFiles(directory=CACHE_DIR), name="cache")
 
-app.mount(
-    "/",
-    SPAStaticFiles(directory=FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR, html=True),
-    name="spa-static-files",
-)
+if os.path.exists(FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR):
+    app.mount(
+        "/",
+        SPAStaticFiles(directory=FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR, html=True),
+        name="spa-static-files",
+    )
+else:
+    log.warning(
+        f"Frontend build directory not found at '{FRONTEND_BUILD_DIR}'. Serving API only."
+    )
 
 
 @app.on_event("shutdown")