diff --git a/proto/anki/launcher.proto b/proto/anki/launcher.proto
index e3f2e2eb9..3e4f3cadb 100644
--- a/proto/anki/launcher.proto
+++ b/proto/anki/launcher.proto
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ service LauncherService {
   rpc WindowReady(generic.Empty) returns (generic.Empty);
   rpc ZoomWebview(ZoomWebviewRequest) returns (generic.Empty);
 
+  rpc GetState(generic.Empty) returns (State);
+
   rpc GetAvailableVersions(generic.Empty) returns (Versions);
   rpc GetExistingVersions(generic.Empty) returns (ExistingVersions);
 
@@ -109,3 +111,16 @@ message ExistingVersions {
   optional Version previous = 2;
   bool pyproject_modified_by_user = 3;
 }
+
+message NormalState {
+  Options options = 1;
+}
+
+message State {
+  oneof kind {
+    string os_unsupported = 1;
+    string unknown_error = 2;
+    NormalState normal = 3;
+    google.protobuf.Empty uninstall = 4;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/app.rs b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/app.rs
index 578ae8c32..862f2932e 100644
--- a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/app.rs
+++ b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/app.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use crate::uv;
 pub const PROTOCOL: &str = "anki";
 
 pub fn init() -> Option<State> {
-    let mut state = State::init().unwrap_or_else(State::Error);
+    let mut state = State::init().unwrap_or_else(State::UnknownError);
 
     match state {
         State::Normal(ref mut state) => state.check_versions(),
diff --git a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/commands.rs b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
index faa97330f..21f3ddad8 100644
--- a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
+++ b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/commands.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,16 @@
 use anki_proto::generic;
 use anki_proto::launcher::get_langs_response;
 use anki_proto::launcher::get_mirrors_response;
+use anki_proto::launcher::state::Kind as StateProtoKind;
 use anki_proto::launcher::ChooseVersionRequest;
 use anki_proto::launcher::ChooseVersionResponse;
 use anki_proto::launcher::GetLangsResponse;
 use anki_proto::launcher::GetMirrorsResponse;
 use anki_proto::launcher::I18nResourcesRequest;
 use anki_proto::launcher::Mirror;
+use anki_proto::launcher::NormalState as NormalStateProto;
 use anki_proto::launcher::Options;
+use anki_proto::launcher::State as StateProto;
 use anki_proto::launcher::ZoomWebviewRequest;
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use anyhow::Context;
@@ -88,6 +91,23 @@ pub async fn set_lang<R: Runtime>(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub async fn get_state<R: Runtime>(
+    app: AppHandle<R>,
+    _window: WebviewWindow<R>,
+) -> Result<StateProto> {
+    let state = app.state::<State>();
+    let kind = match &*state {
+        State::LaunchAnki(_) => unreachable!(),
+        State::OsUnsupported(e) => StateProtoKind::OsUnsupported(format!("{e:?}")),
+        State::UnknownError(e) => StateProtoKind::UnknownError(format!("{e:?}")),
+        State::Uninstall(_) => StateProtoKind::Uninstall(()),
+        State::Normal(normal) => StateProtoKind::Normal(NormalStateProto {
+            options: Some((&normal.initial_options).into()),
+        }),
+    };
+    Ok(StateProto { kind: Some(kind) })
+}
+
 pub async fn get_mirrors<R: Runtime>(
     app: AppHandle<R>,
     _window: WebviewWindow<R>,
diff --git a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/state.rs b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/state.rs
index f56a23447..794bb2fab 100644
--- a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/state.rs
+++ b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/state.rs
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ impl From<NormalState> for State {
 
 pub enum State {
     LaunchAnki(Arc<uv::Paths>),
-    #[allow(dead_code)] // TODO: use
-    Error(anyhow::Error),
+    OsUnsupported(anyhow::Error),
+    UnknownError(anyhow::Error),
     Uninstall(Arc<uv::Paths>),
     Normal(NormalState),
 }
diff --git a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/uv.rs b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/uv.rs
index 227bf3f3f..daf33c464 100644
--- a/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/uv.rs
+++ b/qt/launcher-gui/src-tauri/src/uv.rs
@@ -734,7 +734,9 @@ impl crate::state::State {
             let _ = remove_file(&paths.launcher_trigger_file);
         }
 
-        ensure_os_supported()?;
+        if let Err(e) = ensure_os_supported() {
+            return Ok(Self::OsUnsupported(e));
+        }
 
         Ok(Self::Normal(paths.into()))
     }