diff --git a/lib/core/sync/background_sync.dart b/lib/core/sync/background_sync.dart
index d4c8304..5d17523 100644
--- a/lib/core/sync/background_sync.dart
+++ b/lib/core/sync/background_sync.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:drift/drift.dart';
 import 'package:drift/native.dart';
 import 'package:enough_mail/enough_mail.dart' as imap;
+import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
 import 'package:path_provider/path_provider.dart';
 
@@ -32,14 +33,22 @@ void callbackDispatcher() {
 }
 
 Future<void> registerBackgroundSync() async {
-  await Workmanager().initialize(callbackDispatcher);
-  await Workmanager().registerPeriodicTask(
-    _kTaskName,
-    _kTaskName,
-    frequency: const Duration(minutes: 15),
-    constraints: Constraints(networkType: NetworkType.connected),
-    existingWorkPolicy: ExistingPeriodicWorkPolicy.keep,
-  );
+  try {
+    await Workmanager().initialize(callbackDispatcher);
+    await Workmanager().registerPeriodicTask(
+      _kTaskName,
+      _kTaskName,
+      frequency: const Duration(minutes: 15),
+      constraints: Constraints(networkType: NetworkType.connected),
+      existingWorkPolicy: ExistingPeriodicWorkPolicy.keep,
+    );
+  } on PlatformException {
+    // WorkManager channel unavailable on this device; background sync disabled.
+  } on MissingPluginException {
+    // Plugin not registered on this device; background sync disabled.
+  } catch (_) {
+    // Unexpected initialization failure; background sync disabled.
+  }
 }
 
 Future<void> _doBackgroundSync() async {
diff --git a/test/unit/background_sync_test.dart b/test/unit/background_sync_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c3b273
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/background_sync_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:sharedinbox/core/sync/background_sync.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  TestWidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
+
+  // Regression test for https://codeberg.org/guettli/sharedinbox/issues/149:
+  // On some Android devices the WorkManager platform channel is absent at
+  // startup, throwing PlatformException(channel-error, ...).
+  // registerBackgroundSync() must absorb the failure and let the app continue.
+  test(
+      'registerBackgroundSync completes without throwing when plugin is unavailable',
+      () async {
+    // In the unit-test environment the native WorkManager plugin is not
+    // registered, so Workmanager().initialize() throws a PlatformException or
+    // MissingPluginException.  The fix catches it.  This test fails before the
+    // fix (exception propagates) and passes after it (exception is swallowed).
+    await expectLater(registerBackgroundSync(), completes);
+  });
+}