diff --git a/src/lnav.cc b/src/lnav.cc
index 63592850..54e52ea2 100644
--- a/src/lnav.cc
+++ b/src/lnav.cc
@@ -1254,12 +1254,6 @@ looper()
         log_pipe_err(errpipe[0]);
         lnav_behavior lb;
 
-        {
-            log_info("BEGIN loading tzdb");
-            date::get_tzdb();
-            log_info("END loading tzdb");
-        }
-
         ui_periodic_timer::singleton();
 
         auto mouse_i = injector::get<xterm_mouse&>();
@@ -2202,7 +2196,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
     setenv("LNAV_HOME_DIR", lnav::paths::dotlnav().c_str(), 1);
     setenv("LNAV_WORK_DIR", lnav::paths::workdir().c_str(), 1);
 
-    {
+    try {
         auto& safe_options_hier
             = injector::get<lnav::safe_file_options_hier&>();
 
@@ -2239,6 +2233,8 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
             };
         options_hier->foh_path_to_collection.emplace(ghc::filesystem::path("/"),
                                                      options_coll);
+    } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+        log_error("failed to setup tz: %s", e.what());
     }
 
     lnav_data.ld_exec_context.ec_sql_callback = sql_callback;
diff --git a/src/lnav_commands.cc b/src/lnav_commands.cc
index 11f07642..bb6176ce 100644
--- a/src/lnav_commands.cc
+++ b/src/lnav_commands.cc
@@ -409,11 +409,17 @@ com_set_file_timezone(exec_context& ec,
                 lnav::filesystem::write_file(opt_path, coll_str);
             }
         } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
-            auto note = (date::get_tzdb().zones
-                         | lnav::itertools::map(&date::time_zone::name)
-                         | lnav::itertools::similar_to(split_args[1])
-                         | lnav::itertools::fold(symbol_reducer, attr_line_t{}))
-                            .add_header("did you mean one of the following?");
+            attr_line_t note;
+
+            try {
+                note = (date::get_tzdb().zones
+                        | lnav::itertools::map(&date::time_zone::name)
+                        | lnav::itertools::similar_to(split_args[1])
+                        | lnav::itertools::fold(symbol_reducer, attr_line_t{}))
+                           .add_header("did you mean one of the following?");
+            } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+                log_error("unable to get timezones: %s", e.what());
+            }
             auto um = lnav::console::user_message::error(
                           attr_line_t()
                               .append_quoted(split_args[1])
@@ -441,24 +447,28 @@ com_set_file_timezone_prompt(exec_context& ec, const std::string& cmdline)
     if (lss != nullptr && lss->text_line_count() > 0) {
         auto line_pair = lss->find_line_with_file(lss->at(tc->get_selection()));
         if (line_pair) {
-            static auto& safe_options_hier
-                = injector::get<lnav::safe_file_options_hier&>();
+            try {
+                static auto& safe_options_hier
+                    = injector::get<lnav::safe_file_options_hier&>();
 
-            safe::ReadAccess<lnav::safe_file_options_hier> options_hier(
-                safe_options_hier);
-            auto file_zone = date::get_tzdb().current_zone()->name();
-            auto pattern_arg = line_pair->first->get_filename();
-            auto match_res
-                = options_hier->match(line_pair->first->get_filename());
-            if (match_res) {
-                file_zone = match_res->second.fo_default_zone->name();
-                pattern_arg = match_res->first;
-            }
-
-            retval = fmt::format(FMT_STRING("{} {} {}"),
-                                 trim(cmdline),
-                                 date::get_tzdb().current_zone()->name(),
-                                 line_pair->first->get_filename());
+                safe::ReadAccess<lnav::safe_file_options_hier> options_hier(
+                    safe_options_hier);
+                auto file_zone = date::get_tzdb().current_zone()->name();
+                auto pattern_arg = line_pair->first->get_filename();
+                auto match_res
+                    = options_hier->match(line_pair->first->get_filename());
+                if (match_res) {
+                    file_zone = match_res->second.fo_default_zone->name();
+                    pattern_arg = match_res->first;
+                }
+
+                retval = fmt::format(FMT_STRING("{} {} {}"),
+                                     trim(cmdline),
+                                     date::get_tzdb().current_zone()->name(),
+                                     line_pair->first->get_filename());
+            } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+                log_error("cannot get timezones: %s", e.what());
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/yajlpp/yajlpp.cc b/src/yajlpp/yajlpp.cc
index a841a028..45183e29 100644
--- a/src/yajlpp/yajlpp.cc
+++ b/src/yajlpp/yajlpp.cc
@@ -1386,10 +1386,14 @@ json_path_handler_base::report_tz_error(yajlpp_parse_context* ypc,
                        .append(lnav::roles::h2("Available time zones"))
                        .append("\n");
 
-    for (const auto& tz : date::get_tzdb().zones) {
-        help_al.append("    ")
-            .append(lnav::roles::symbol(tz.name()))
-            .append("\n");
+    try {
+        for (const auto& tz : date::get_tzdb().zones) {
+            help_al.append("    ")
+                .append(lnav::roles::symbol(tz.name()))
+                .append("\n");
+        }
+    } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
+        log_error("unable to load timezones: %s", e.what());
     }
 
     ypc->report_error(lnav::console::user_message::error(