diff --git a/app/helpers/database.php b/app/helpers/database.php
index db56adc..a97e86c 100644
--- a/app/helpers/database.php
+++ b/app/helpers/database.php
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ function connectDB($config, $database = '', $dbFile = '', $platformId = '') {
                 'type'		=> 'sqlite',
                 'dbFile'	=> $dbFile,
             ]);
+            return ['db' => $db, 'error' => null];
         } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $error = getError('Error connecting to DB.', $e->getMessage());
-            include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
-            exit();
+            return ['db' => null, 'error' => getError('Error connecting to DB.', $e->getMessage())];
         }
 
     // connecting to a jilo-web database of the web app
@@ -30,10 +29,12 @@ function connectDB($config, $database = '', $dbFile = '', $platformId = '') {
                     'dbFile'	=> $config['db']['sqlite_file'],
                 ]);
                 $pdo = $db->getConnection();
+                return $db;
             } catch (Exception $e) {
                 $error = getError('Error connecting to DB.', $e->getMessage());
-                include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
-                exit();
+                return $error;
+//                include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
+//                exit();
             }
         // mysql/mariadb database
         } elseif ($config['db']['db_type'] === 'mysql' || $config['db']['db_type'] === 'mariadb') {
@@ -47,10 +48,12 @@ function connectDB($config, $database = '', $dbFile = '', $platformId = '') {
                     'password'	=> $config['db']['sql_password'],
                 ]);
                 $pdo = $db->getConnection();
+                return $db;
             } catch (Exception $e) {
                 $error = getError('Error connecting to DB.', $e->getMessage());
-                include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
-                exit();
+                return $error;
+//                include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
+//                exit();
             }
         // unknown database
         } else {
@@ -61,6 +64,6 @@ function connectDB($config, $database = '', $dbFile = '', $platformId = '') {
 
     }
 
-    return $db;
+//    return $db;
 }
 ?>
diff --git a/app/pages/dashboard.php b/app/pages/dashboard.php
index a8e268a..32b0097 100644
--- a/app/pages/dashboard.php
+++ b/app/pages/dashboard.php
@@ -4,8 +4,13 @@ require '../app/classes/conference.php';
 require '../app/classes/participant.php';
 
 // connect to database
-$db = connectDB($config, 'jilo', $platformDetails[0]['jilo_database'], $platform_id);
-
+$response = connectDB($config, 'jilo', $platformDetails[0]['jilo_database'], $platform_id);
+if ($response['db'] === null) {
+    $error = $response['error'];
+    include '../app/templates/block-message.php';
+} else {
+    $db = $response['db'];
+}
 
 //
 // dashboard widget listings
diff --git a/app/templates/block-message.php b/app/templates/block-message.php
index 35d52f0..c078db0 100644
--- a/app/templates/block-message.php
+++ b/app/templates/block-message.php
@@ -1,13 +1,24 @@
 <?php
 
-// 'notice' for all non-critical messages
+// 'error' for errors
 if (isset($_SESSION['error'])) {
     echo "\t\t" . '<div class="error">' . $_SESSION['error'] . '</div>';
 }
 
-// 'error' for errors
+// 'notice' for all non-critical messages
 if (isset($_SESSION['notice'])) {
     echo "\t\t" . '<div class="notice">' . $_SESSION['notice'] . '</div>';
 }
 
+// 'error' for errors
+if (isset($error)) {
+    echo "\t\t" . '<div class="error">' . $error . '</div>';
+}
+
+// 'notice' for all non-critical messages
+if (isset($_SESSION['notice'])) {
+    echo "\t\t" . '<div class="notice">' . $_SESSION['notice'] . '</div>';
+}
+
+
 ?>