diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 94fb8d5..4240185 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ func loadFromEnv() *Config {
 }
 
 // SaveConfig stores host and token in both the system keyring and file storage.
-// It returns an error only if both storage methods fail.
 func SaveConfig(host, token string) error {
 	if host != "" {
 		validHost, err := ValidateAndTransformHost(host)
@@ -163,11 +162,20 @@ func SaveConfig(host, token string) error {
 		cfg.GleanToken = token
 	}
 
-	if err := saveToFile(cfg); err != nil && keyringErr != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save config: keyring error: %v, file error: %v", keyringErr, err)
-	}
+	fileErr := saveToFile(cfg)
 
-	return nil
+	switch {
+	case keyringErr != nil && fileErr != nil:
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save config: keyring: %v, file: %v", keyringErr, fileErr)
+	case fileErr != nil:
+		cfgLog.Log("warning: config file write failed (keyring OK): %v", fileErr)
+		return nil
+	case keyringErr != nil:
+		cfgLog.Log("keyring unavailable, config saved to file only: %v", keyringErr)
+		return nil
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
 }
 
 // SaveHostToFile persists only the host in ~/.glean/config.json without touching
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 877b396..4b0ac0e 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ func TestConfigOperations(t *testing.T) {
 		err = SaveConfig("linkedin", "test-token")
 		assert.Error(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "failed to save config")
-		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "keyring error")
-		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "file error")
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "keyring:")
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "file:")
 
 		// Reset mock error for other tests
 		mock.err = nil
diff --git a/internal/tui/commands.go b/internal/tui/commands.go
index 2294ed3..bb51900 100644
--- a/internal/tui/commands.go
+++ b/internal/tui/commands.go
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ func (m *Model) handleSlashCommand(input string) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 // System turns are rendered in the viewport but never sent to the Glean API.
 func (m *Model) addSystemMessage(text string) {
 	turn := Turn{Role: roleSystem, Content: text}
-	m.session.AppendTurn(turn)
+	if err := m.session.AppendTurn(turn); err != nil {
+		sessionLog.Log("save failed: %v", err)
+	}
 	if !m.conversationActive {
 		m.conversationActive = true
 		m.viewport.Height = m.maxViewportHeight()
diff --git a/internal/tui/model.go b/internal/tui/model.go
index ed334c3..978430d 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model.go
@@ -410,7 +410,9 @@ func (m *Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			}
 
 			// Display turn uses original question for clean viewport rendering.
-			m.session.AddTurn(roleUser, question, nil)
+			if err := m.session.AddTurn(roleUser, question, nil); err != nil {
+				sessionLog.Log("save failed: %v", err)
+			}
 
 			// API message carries file context when present.
 			apiText := apiContent
@@ -489,7 +491,9 @@ func (m *Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 				Elapsed: msg.elapsed,
 			}
 			m.addTurnToConversation(turn)
-			m.session.AppendTurn(turn) // preserves Elapsed for renderConversation
+			if err := m.session.AppendTurn(turn); err != nil {
+				sessionLog.Log("save failed: %v", err)
+			}
 		}
 		m.viewport.SetContent(m.renderConversation())
 		m.viewport.GotoBottom()
diff --git a/internal/tui/session.go b/internal/tui/session.go
index 9e9eb20..51bc6f2 100644
--- a/internal/tui/session.go
+++ b/internal/tui/session.go
@@ -81,15 +81,17 @@ func (s *Session) Save() error {
 }
 
 // AddTurn appends a turn to the session and saves immediately.
-func (s *Session) AddTurn(role, content string, sources []Source) {
-	s.AppendTurn(Turn{Role: role, Content: content, Sources: sources})
+func (s *Session) AddTurn(role, content string, sources []Source) error {
+	return s.AppendTurn(Turn{Role: role, Content: content, Sources: sources})
 }
 
 // AppendTurn appends a complete Turn (including Elapsed and any other fields)
 // to the session and saves immediately.
-func (s *Session) AppendTurn(turn Turn) {
+func (s *Session) AppendTurn(turn Turn) error {
 	s.Turns = append(s.Turns, turn)
 	if err := s.Save(); err != nil {
 		sessionLog.Log("save failed: %v", err)
+		return err
 	}
+	return nil
 }