diff --git a/src/mainPage/index.ts b/src/mainPage/index.ts
index 8c8b5345..15cf9f9b 100644
--- a/src/mainPage/index.ts
+++ b/src/mainPage/index.ts
@@ -4,16 +4,52 @@
  */
 
 import { LiveStore, NamedNode } from 'rdflib'
+import { authSession, authn } from 'solid-logic'
 import { getOutliner } from '../index'
 import { createHeader } from './header'
 import { createFooter } from './footer'
 
 export default async function initMainPage (store: LiveStore, uri?: string | NamedNode | null) {
   const outliner = getOutliner(document)
-  uri = uri || window.location.href
-  let subject = uri
-  if (typeof uri === 'string') subject = store.sym(uri)
-  outliner.GotoSubject(subject, true, undefined, true, undefined)
+  const hasExplicitUriArg = uri !== undefined && uri !== null
+  const locationUrl = new URL(window.location.href)
+  const explicitUriQuery = locationUrl.searchParams.get('uri')
+  const isLoggedIn = !!(authSession.info && authSession.info.isLoggedIn)
+  const isBareAppRoot = locationUrl.pathname === '/' && !locationUrl.search && !locationUrl.hash
+
+  if (isBareAppRoot && !hasExplicitUriArg && !explicitUriQuery) {
+    // At bare app root, avoid fetching '/' as data. If logged in, land on the user's profile instead.
+    let me = authn.currentUser()
+    if (isLoggedIn && !me) {
+      let webId = await authn.checkUser()
+      if (!webId) {
+        // Some IdP/session states resolve slightly after app bootstrap.
+        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 300))
+        webId = await authn.checkUser()
+      }
+      if (typeof webId === 'string') {
+        me = store.sym(webId)
+      }
+    }
+    if (isLoggedIn && me) {
+      outliner.GotoSubject(me, true, undefined, true, undefined)
+    } else if (isLoggedIn) {
+      // Optional override: set localStorage.solidosSafeLandingUri to a public resource URI.
+      const configuredLandingUri = window.localStorage.getItem('solidosSafeLandingUri')
+      if (configuredLandingUri) {
+        const fallbackUrl = new URL(configuredLandingUri, locationUrl.origin)
+        if (!(fallbackUrl.origin === locationUrl.origin && fallbackUrl.pathname === '/')) {
+          outliner.GotoSubject(store.sym(fallbackUrl.toString()), true, undefined, true, undefined)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    uri = uri || window.location.href
+    let subject = uri
+    if (typeof uri === 'string') subject = store.sym(uri)
+    outliner.GotoSubject(subject, true, undefined, true, undefined)
+  }
+
   const header = await createHeader(store, outliner)
   const footer = createFooter(store)
   return Promise.all([header, footer])
diff --git a/src/outline/manager.js b/src/outline/manager.js
index 767a832e..6a9031ad 100644
--- a/src/outline/manager.js
+++ b/src/outline/manager.js
@@ -2106,11 +2106,16 @@ export default function (context) {
           const existing = p.querySelector('[data-outline-error-for="' + docUri + '"]')
           if (existing) return
         }
+        const detailStr = typeof detail === 'string' ? detail : (detail && detail.message) || ''
+        const errorStatus = (errObj && errObj.status) || (detailStr.match(/status:\s*(\d+)/) || [])[1]
+        const isAuthError = errorStatus === 401 || errorStatus === 403 ||
+          errorStatus === '401' || errorStatus === '403' ||
+          /Unauthorized|Forbidden/.test(detailStr)
         const message = UI.widgets.errorMessageBlock(
           dom,
-          detail,
-          '#fee',
-          errObj instanceof Error ? errObj : undefined
+          isAuthError ? 'You need to log in to see this resource.' : detail,
+          isAuthError ? '#d8d8d8' : '#fee',
+          !isAuthError && errObj instanceof Error ? errObj : undefined
         )
         if (docUri) message.setAttribute('data-outline-error-for', docUri)
         p.appendChild(message)