diff --git a/src/lib/components/publications/PublicationFeed.svelte b/src/lib/components/publications/PublicationFeed.svelte
index 1e6939c..7dc8b82 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/publications/PublicationFeed.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/publications/PublicationFeed.svelte
@@ -86,6 +86,17 @@
 
     if (newRelays.length === 0) {
       console.debug('[PublicationFeed] No relays available, waiting...');
+      // Set up a retry mechanism when relays become available
+      const unsubscribe = activeInboxRelays.subscribe((relays) => {
+        if (relays.length > 0 && !hasInitialized) {
+          console.debug('[PublicationFeed] Relays now available, retrying initialization');
+          unsubscribe();
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            hasInitialized = true;
+            initializeAndFetch();
+          }, 1000);
+        }
+      });
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/components/util/Profile.svelte b/src/lib/components/util/Profile.svelte
index cc5ff4a..d39c286 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/util/Profile.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/util/Profile.svelte
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   import NDK, { NDKNip46Signer, NDKPrivateKeySigner } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk";
   import { onMount } from "svelte";
   import { getUserMetadata } from "$lib/utils/nostrUtils";
-  import { activeInboxRelays } from "$lib/ndk";
+  import { activeInboxRelays, activeOutboxRelays } from "$lib/ndk";
 
   let { pubkey, isNav = false } = $props<{ pubkey?: string, isNav?: boolean }>();
 
@@ -187,6 +187,23 @@
     try {
       console.log("Refreshing profile for npub:", userState.npub);
       
+      // Check if we have relays available
+      const inboxRelays = get(activeInboxRelays);
+      const outboxRelays = get(activeOutboxRelays);
+      
+      if (inboxRelays.length === 0 && outboxRelays.length === 0) {
+        console.log("Profile: No relays available, will retry when relays become available");
+        // Set up a retry mechanism when relays become available
+        const unsubscribe = activeInboxRelays.subscribe((relays) => {
+          if (relays.length > 0 && !isRefreshingProfile) {
+            console.log("Profile: Relays now available, retrying profile fetch");
+            unsubscribe();
+            setTimeout(() => refreshProfile(), 1000);
+          }
+        });
+        return;
+      }
+      
       // Try using NDK's built-in profile fetching first
       const ndk = get(ndkInstance);
       if (ndk && userState.ndkUser) {
diff --git a/src/lib/stores/userStore.ts b/src/lib/stores/userStore.ts
index df73ab7..1e58f42 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores/userStore.ts
+++ b/src/lib/stores/userStore.ts
@@ -288,14 +288,20 @@ export async function loginWithAmber(amberSigner: NDKSigner, user: NDKUser) {
  */
 export async function loginWithNpub(pubkeyOrNpub: string) {
   const ndk = get(ndkInstance);
-  if (!ndk) throw new Error("NDK not initialized");
-  // Only clear previous login state after successful login
+  if (!ndk) {
+    throw new Error("NDK not initialized");
+  }
+
   let hexPubkey: string;
-  if (pubkeyOrNpub.startsWith("npub")) {
+  if (pubkeyOrNpub.startsWith("npub1")) {
     try {
-      hexPubkey = nip19.decode(pubkeyOrNpub).data as string;
+      const decoded = nip19.decode(pubkeyOrNpub);
+      if (decoded.type !== "npub") {
+        throw new Error("Invalid npub format");
+      }
+      hexPubkey = decoded.data;
     } catch (e) {
-      console.error("Failed to decode hex pubkey from npub:", pubkeyOrNpub, e);
+      console.error("Failed to decode npub:", pubkeyOrNpub, e);
       throw e;
     }
   } else {
@@ -313,6 +319,18 @@ export async function loginWithNpub(pubkeyOrNpub: string) {
   
   const user = ndk.getUser({ npub });
   let profile: NostrProfile | null = null;
+  
+  // First, update relay stores to ensure we have relays available
+  try {
+    console.debug('[userStore.ts] loginWithNpub: Updating relay stores for authenticated user');
+    await updateActiveRelayStores(ndk);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn('[userStore.ts] loginWithNpub: Failed to update relay stores:', error);
+  }
+  
+  // Wait a moment for relay stores to be properly initialized
+  await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+  
   try {
     profile = await getUserMetadata(npub, true); // Force fresh fetch
     console.log("Login with npub - fetched profile:", profile);
@@ -344,14 +362,6 @@ export async function loginWithNpub(pubkeyOrNpub: string) {
   userStore.set(userState);
   userPubkey.set(user.pubkey);
   
-  // Update relay stores with the new user's relays
-  try {
-    console.debug('[userStore.ts] loginWithNpub: Updating relay stores for authenticated user');
-    await updateActiveRelayStores(ndk);
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.warn('[userStore.ts] loginWithNpub: Failed to update relay stores:', error);
-  }
-  
   clearLogin();
   localStorage.removeItem("alexandria/logout/flag");
   persistLogin(user, "npub");
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/nostrUtils.ts b/src/lib/utils/nostrUtils.ts
index c36108f..d3be24d 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils/nostrUtils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils/nostrUtils.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { npubCache } from "./npubCache.ts";
 import NDK, { NDKEvent, NDKRelaySet, NDKUser } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk";
 import type { NDKKind, NostrEvent } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk";
 import type { Filter } from "./search_types.ts";
-import { communityRelays, secondaryRelays } from "../consts.ts";
+import { communityRelays, secondaryRelays, searchRelays } from "../consts.ts";
 import { activeInboxRelays, activeOutboxRelays } from "../ndk.ts";
 import { NDKRelaySet as NDKRelaySetFromNDK } from "@nostr-dev-kit/ndk";
 import { sha256 } from "@noble/hashes/sha2.js";
@@ -446,15 +446,17 @@ export async function fetchEventWithFallback(
   // Use both inbox and outbox relays for better event discovery
   const inboxRelays = get(activeInboxRelays);
   const outboxRelays = get(activeOutboxRelays);
-  const allRelays = [...inboxRelays, ...outboxRelays];
+  let allRelays = [...inboxRelays, ...outboxRelays];
   
   console.log("fetchEventWithFallback: Using inbox relays:", inboxRelays);
   console.log("fetchEventWithFallback: Using outbox relays:", outboxRelays);
   
   // Check if we have any relays available
   if (allRelays.length === 0) {
-    console.warn("fetchEventWithFallback: No relays available for event fetch");
-    return null;
+    console.warn("fetchEventWithFallback: No relays available for event fetch, using fallback relays");
+    // Use fallback relays when no relays are available
+    allRelays = [...secondaryRelays, ...searchRelays];
+    console.log("fetchEventWithFallback: Using fallback relays:", allRelays);
   }
   
   // Create relay set from all available relays