diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useMessaging.ts b/web/src/hooks/useMessaging.ts
index ebb29be5..cb1f8b62 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useMessaging.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useMessaging.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { usePezkuwi } from '@/contexts/PezkuwiContext';
 import { useWallet } from '@/contexts/WalletContext';
 import { deriveKeypair, encryptMessage, decryptMessage } from '@/lib/messaging/crypto';
 import {
+  isPalletAvailable,
   getEncryptionKey,
   getCurrentEra,
   getInbox,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ export interface DecryptedMessage {
 }
 
 interface MessagingState {
+  palletReady: boolean;
   isKeyRegistered: boolean;
   isKeyUnlocked: boolean;
   inbox: EncryptedMessage[];
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ export function useMessaging() {
   const { signMessage } = useWallet();
 
   const [state, setState] = useState<MessagingState>({
+    palletReady: false,
     isKeyRegistered: false,
     isKeyUnlocked: false,
     inbox: [],
@@ -55,9 +58,18 @@ export function useMessaging() {
   const publicKeyRef = useRef<Uint8Array | null>(null);
   const pollIntervalRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null>(null);
 
+  // Check if messaging pallet exists on chain
+  const checkPalletAvailability = useCallback((): boolean => {
+    if (!peopleApi || !isPeopleReady) return false;
+    const available = isPalletAvailable(peopleApi);
+    setState(prev => ({ ...prev, palletReady: available }));
+    return available;
+  }, [peopleApi, isPeopleReady]);
+
   // Check if user has a registered encryption key on-chain
   const checkKeyRegistration = useCallback(async () => {
     if (!peopleApi || !isPeopleReady || !selectedAccount) return;
+    if (!isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) return;
 
     try {
       const key = await getEncryptionKey(peopleApi, selectedAccount.address);
@@ -74,19 +86,27 @@ export function useMessaging() {
       return;
     }
 
+    // Check pallet BEFORE asking for signature
+    if (!isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) {
+      toast.error('Messaging pallet is not yet available on this chain. Runtime upgrade required.');
+      return;
+    }
+
     setState(prev => ({ ...prev, registering: true }));
 
     try {
-      // 1. Sign deterministic message to derive keys
+      // 1. Check if key is already registered on-chain (no signing needed)
+      const existingKey = await getEncryptionKey(peopleApi, selectedAccount.address);
+
+      // 2. Now sign to derive keys
       const signature = await signMessage('PEZMessage:v1');
       const { publicKey, privateKey } = deriveKeypair(signature);
 
-      // 2. Store keys in memory
+      // 3. Store keys in memory
       privateKeyRef.current = privateKey;
       publicKeyRef.current = publicKey;
 
-      // 3. Check if key is already registered on-chain
-      const existingKey = await getEncryptionKey(peopleApi, selectedAccount.address);
+      // 4. If key already matches, just unlock
       const alreadyRegistered = existingKey !== null &&
         existingKey.length === publicKey.length &&
         existingKey.every((b, i) => b === publicKey[i]);
@@ -102,7 +122,7 @@ export function useMessaging() {
         return;
       }
 
-      // 4. Register key on-chain
+      // 5. Register key on-chain
       const tx = buildRegisterKeyTx(peopleApi, publicKey);
       const injector = await getSigner(selectedAccount.address, walletSource, peopleApi);
 
@@ -163,6 +183,7 @@ export function useMessaging() {
   // Refresh inbox from chain
   const refreshInbox = useCallback(async () => {
     if (!peopleApi || !isPeopleReady || !selectedAccount) return;
+    if (!isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) return;
 
     try {
       const era = await getCurrentEra(peopleApi);
@@ -214,6 +235,10 @@ export function useMessaging() {
       toast.error('Wallet not connected');
       return;
     }
+    if (!isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) {
+      toast.error('Messaging pallet is not available on this chain');
+      return;
+    }
 
     setState(prev => ({ ...prev, sending: true }));
 
@@ -267,6 +292,7 @@ export function useMessaging() {
   // Acknowledge messages (optional, feeless)
   const acknowledge = useCallback(async () => {
     if (!peopleApi || !selectedAccount) return;
+    if (!isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) return;
 
     try {
       const tx = buildAcknowledgeTx(peopleApi);
@@ -284,14 +310,21 @@ export function useMessaging() {
     setState(prev => ({ ...prev, loading: true }));
 
     const init = async () => {
-      await checkKeyRegistration();
-      await refreshInbox();
+      const available = checkPalletAvailability();
+      if (available) {
+        await checkKeyRegistration();
+        await refreshInbox();
+      }
       setState(prev => ({ ...prev, loading: false }));
     };
     init();
 
-    // Poll every 12 seconds (1 block interval)
-    pollIntervalRef.current = setInterval(refreshInbox, 12000);
+    // Poll every 12 seconds (1 block interval) - only if pallet exists
+    pollIntervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
+      if (isPalletAvailable(peopleApi)) {
+        refreshInbox();
+      }
+    }, 12000);
 
     return () => {
       if (pollIntervalRef.current) {
@@ -299,7 +332,7 @@ export function useMessaging() {
         pollIntervalRef.current = null;
       }
     };
-  }, [peopleApi, isPeopleReady, selectedAccount, checkKeyRegistration, refreshInbox]);
+  }, [peopleApi, isPeopleReady, selectedAccount, checkPalletAvailability, checkKeyRegistration, refreshInbox]);
 
   // Clear private key when account changes
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/web/src/lib/messaging/chain.ts b/web/src/lib/messaging/chain.ts
index f20ef926..005a228f 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/messaging/chain.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/messaging/chain.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,19 @@ export interface EncryptedMessage {
   ciphertext: Uint8Array;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Check if the messaging pallet exists in the runtime metadata.
+ * Must be called before any other chain function.
+ */
+export function isPalletAvailable(api: ApiPromise): boolean {
+  try {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    return !!(api.query as any).messaging;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 // --- Storage queries ---
 
 export async function getEncryptionKey(
@@ -16,7 +29,9 @@ export async function getEncryptionKey(
   address: string
 ): Promise<Uint8Array | null> {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  const result = await (api.query as any).messaging.encryptionKeys(address);
+  const messaging = (api.query as any).messaging;
+  if (!messaging?.encryptionKeys) return null;
+  const result = await messaging.encryptionKeys(address);
   if (result.isNone || result.isEmpty) return null;
   const hex = result.unwrap().toHex();
   return hexToBytes(hex);
@@ -24,7 +39,9 @@ export async function getEncryptionKey(
 
 export async function getCurrentEra(api: ApiPromise): Promise<number> {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  const era = await (api.query as any).messaging.currentEra();
+  const messaging = (api.query as any).messaging;
+  if (!messaging?.currentEra) return 0;
+  const era = await messaging.currentEra();
   return era.toNumber();
 }
 
@@ -34,7 +51,9 @@ export async function getInbox(
   address: string
 ): Promise<EncryptedMessage[]> {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  const result = await (api.query as any).messaging.inbox([era, address]);
+  const messaging = (api.query as any).messaging;
+  if (!messaging?.inbox) return [];
+  const result = await messaging.inbox([era, address]);
   if (result.isEmpty || result.length === 0) return [];
 
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
@@ -55,7 +74,9 @@ export async function getSendCount(
   address: string
 ): Promise<number> {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  const count = await (api.query as any).messaging.sendCount([era, address]);
+  const messaging = (api.query as any).messaging;
+  if (!messaging?.sendCount) return 0;
+  const count = await messaging.sendCount([era, address]);
   return count.toNumber();
 }
 
diff --git a/web/src/pages/Messaging.tsx b/web/src/pages/Messaging.tsx
index 3d05952a..1f20aee5 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/Messaging.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/Messaging.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { usePezkuwi } from '@/contexts/PezkuwiContext';
 import { useMessaging } from '@/hooks/useMessaging';
@@ -14,12 +15,15 @@ import {
   Loader2,
   Wallet,
   Inbox,
+  AlertTriangle,
 } from 'lucide-react';
 
 export default function Messaging() {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { peopleApi, isPeopleReady, selectedAccount } = usePezkuwi();
   const {
+    palletReady,
     isKeyRegistered,
     isKeyUnlocked,
     decryptedMessages,
@@ -130,7 +134,20 @@ export default function Messaging() {
           </div>
         </div>
 
+        {/* Pallet not available banner */}
+        {!loading && !palletReady && (
+          <Card className="border-orange-500/30 bg-orange-500/5 mb-4">
+            <CardContent className="flex items-center gap-3 p-4">
+              <AlertTriangle className="w-5 h-5 text-orange-400 flex-shrink-0" />
+              <p className="text-sm text-orange-300">
+                {t('messaging.palletNotReady', 'Messaging pallet is not yet available on People Chain. A runtime upgrade is required.')}
+              </p>
+            </CardContent>
+          </Card>
+        )}
+
         {/* Key Setup Banner */}
+        {palletReady && (
         <div className="mb-4">
           <KeySetup
             isKeyRegistered={isKeyRegistered}
@@ -140,6 +157,7 @@ export default function Messaging() {
             onUnlockKey={unlockKey}
           />
         </div>
+        )}
 
         {/* Era / Stats bar */}
         <div className="flex items-center gap-3 text-xs text-gray-500 mb-4 px-1">
@@ -196,6 +214,16 @@ export default function Messaging() {
         onSend={sendMessage}
         sending={sending}
       />
+
+      {/* Back to Home */}
+      <div className="fixed bottom-4 right-4 sm:bottom-8 sm:right-8 z-50">
+        <button
+          onClick={() => navigate('/')}
+          className="bg-green-600 hover:bg-green-700 text-white px-3 py-2 sm:px-6 sm:py-3 text-sm sm:text-base rounded-full shadow-lg flex items-center gap-2 transition-all"
+        >
+          {`← ${t('common.backToHome')}`}
+        </button>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }