diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 5747e95d..dae9575d 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ CRITICAL: content_svg MUST be a string with single quotes in SVG attributes. Pat
         const jsonStr = text.replace(/```json/g, '').replace(/```/g, '').trim();
         const data = JSON.parse(jsonStr);
 
+        if (!data.title || !data.sections || !Array.isArray(data.sections)) {
+            throw new Error('Invalid generation format');
+        }
+
         res.json(data);
     } catch (error) {
         console.error('Generation error:', error);
diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index 3e114cd4..64db2b45 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ function App() {
     const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = React.useState(false);
 
     const [history, setHistory] = React.useState([]);
+    const [error, setError] = React.useState(null);
 
     const handleGenerate = async (data) => {
         setIsGenerating(true);
+        setError(null);
         try {
             const response = await fetch('/api/generate', {
                 method: 'POST',
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ function App() {
 
         } catch (error) {
             console.error("Error generating sheet:", error);
-            // Optional: Show error state
+            setError(error.message || "Failed to generate sheet. Please try again.");
         } finally {
             setIsGenerating(false);
         }
@@ -75,6 +77,11 @@ function App() {
 
             {/* Main Content */}
             <main className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4">
+                {error && (
+                    <div className="bg-red-50 border border-red-200 text-red-700 px-4 py-3 rounded-xl mb-6 flex items-center gap-2">
+                        <span className="font-bold">Error:</span> {error}
+                    </div>
+                )}
                 <Hero onGenerate={handleGenerate} generatedSheet={generatedSheet} isGenerating={isGenerating} />
                 <Gallery items={galleryItems} title={galleryTitle} onRestore={handleRestore} />
             </main>
diff --git a/src/components/Hero.jsx b/src/components/Hero.jsx
index 777ca05e..a9894a13 100644
--- a/src/components/Hero.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Hero.jsx
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export const Hero = ({ onGenerate, generatedSheet, isGenerating }) => {
             // since we don't have a separate loading state, we can reuse isGenerating logic or add one.
             // For now, we'll just set the values when they arrive.
 
-            const res = await fetch('http://localhost:3001/api/surprise', { method: 'POST' });
+            const res = await fetch('/api/surprise', { method: 'POST' });
             if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Surprise failed');
 
             const idea = await res.json();
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export const Hero = ({ onGenerate, generatedSheet, isGenerating }) => {
                                         >
                                             <div className="text-[10px] font-bold text-slate-400 uppercase mb-1 w-full text-left">{sec.type}</div>
                                             {/* Handle both new content_svg and legacy content fields */}
-                                            {(sec.content_svg || sec.content || '').trim().startsWith('<svg') ? (
+                                            {(sec.content_svg || sec.content || '').toLowerCase().includes('<svg') ? (
                                                 <div
                                                     className={`w-full flex-1 flex items-center justify-center ${generatedSheet.sections.length === 1 ? 'max-h-full' : ''}`}
                                                     dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: sec.content_svg || sec.content }}