diff --git a/lib/data/db/database.dart b/lib/data/db/database.dart
index e9abf31..c277111 100644
--- a/lib/data/db/database.dart
+++ b/lib/data/db/database.dart
@@ -596,8 +596,10 @@ Future<void> initDatabasePath() async {
 Future<String> _resolveDatabasePath() async {
   if (_dbPath != null) return _dbPath!;
   // initDatabasePath() failed (channel not ready before runApp). Retry now
-  // that the engine is fully initialised, with brief back-off.
-  const delays = [100, 300, 600];
+  // that the engine is fully initialised, with back-off. Some slow Android
+  // devices need several seconds for the Pigeon channel to become ready
+  // (issue #166), so use a longer schedule than the initial attempt.
+  const delays = [200, 500, 1000, 2000];
   for (final ms in delays) {
     try {
       final dir = await getApplicationSupportDirectory();
diff --git a/test/unit/database_path_test.dart b/test/unit/database_path_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad60e4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/database_path_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:path_provider_platform_interface/path_provider_platform_interface.dart';
+import 'package:plugin_platform_interface/plugin_platform_interface.dart';
+
+import 'package:sharedinbox/data/db/database.dart';
+
+// Fake PathProviderPlatform that always throws PlatformException(channel-error)
+// to simulate the Pigeon channel not being ready at startup (issue #166).
+class _UnavailablePathProvider extends Fake
+    with MockPlatformInterfaceMixin
+    implements PathProviderPlatform {
+  @override
+  Future<String?> getApplicationSupportPath() async {
+    throw PlatformException(
+      code: 'channel-error',
+      message: 'Simulated: path_provider channel not ready',
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+void main() {
+  TestWidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
+
+  // Regression test for https://codeberg.org/guettli/sharedinbox/issues/166:
+  // On some slow Android devices the path_provider Pigeon channel is not ready
+  // when initDatabasePath() runs before runApp(). initDatabasePath() must
+  // absorb the PlatformException and let the app start; _resolveDatabasePath()
+  // then retries with back-off on first DB access.
+  test(
+    'initDatabasePath completes without throwing when path_provider is unavailable',
+    () async {
+      final prev = PathProviderPlatform.instance;
+      PathProviderPlatform.instance = _UnavailablePathProvider();
+      addTearDown(() => PathProviderPlatform.instance = prev);
+
+      // Must not throw — the exception is swallowed so the app can continue.
+      await expectLater(initDatabasePath(), completes);
+    },
+  );
+}