diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/controllers/account-controller.ts b/frontend/src/ts/controllers/account-controller.ts
index 40c5562c3..a6fdcefe0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/controllers/account-controller.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/controllers/account-controller.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ let canCall = true;
 
 export function sendVerificationEmail(): void {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   Loader.show();
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ if (Auth) {
 
 export function signIn(): void {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ export function signIn(): void {
 
 export async function forgotPassword(email: any): Promise<void> {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   if (!canCall) {
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ export async function forgotPassword(email: any): Promise<void> {
 
 export async function signInWithGoogle(): Promise<void> {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ export async function signInWithGoogle(): Promise<void> {
 
 export async function addGoogleAuth(): Promise<void> {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   Loader.show();
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ export async function addPasswordAuth(
   password: string
 ): Promise<void> {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   Loader.show();
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ export async function addPasswordAuth(
 
 export function signOut(): void {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   if (!Auth.currentUser) return;
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ export function signOut(): void {
 
 async function signUp(): Promise<void> {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   RegisterCaptchaPopup.show();
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ $(".pageLogin .login .button.signInWithGoogle").on("click", () => {
 
 $("#top .signInOut").on("click", () => {
   if (Auth === undefined) {
-    Notifications.add("Offline mode", -1, 3);
+    Notifications.add("Authentication uninitialized", -1, 3);
     return;
   }
   if (Auth.currentUser) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/firebase.ts b/frontend/src/ts/firebase.ts
index ce587897b..0802bb84e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/firebase.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/firebase.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { FirebaseApp, initializeApp } from "firebase/app";
 import { getAuth, Auth as AuthType } from "firebase/auth";
 import { firebaseConfig } from "./constants/firebase-config"; // eslint-disable-line require-path-exists/exists
 import * as Notifications from "./elements/notifications";
+import { createErrorMessage } from "./utils/misc";
 
 // Initialize Firebase
 export let app: FirebaseApp | undefined;
@@ -15,15 +16,13 @@ try {
   app = undefined;
   Auth = undefined;
   console.error("Authentication failed to initialize", e);
-  const error = e as Error;
-  Notifications.addBanner(
-    "Authentication failed to initialize" +
-      (window.location.hostname === "localhost" ? ": " + error.message : ""),
-    0,
-    undefined,
-    false
-  );
-  // $("body").text(
-  //   "Failed to initialize Firebase. Are you sure you have the correct config in the firebase-config.ts file?"
-  // );
+  if (window.location.hostname === "localhost") {
+    Notifications.addBanner(
+      createErrorMessage(e, "Authentication uninitialized") +
+        " Check your firebase-config.ts",
+      0,
+      undefined,
+      false
+    );
+  }
 }