diff --git a/app/components/toast.gjs b/app/components/toast.gjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7f1a58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/components/toast.gjs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import Component from '@glimmer/component';
+import { service } from '@ember/service';
+
+export default class ToastComponent extends Component {
+  @service toast;
+
+  <template>
+    {{#if this.toast.isVisible}}
+      <div class="toast-notification">
+        {{this.toast.message}}
+      </div>
+    {{/if}}
+  </template>
+}
diff --git a/app/routes/search.js b/app/routes/search.js
index cf876a4..e47eb08 100644
--- a/app/routes/search.js
+++ b/app/routes/search.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export default class SearchRoute extends Route {
   @service mapUi;
   @service storage;
   @service router;
+  @service toast;
 
   queryParams = {
     lat: { refreshModel: true },
@@ -199,8 +200,12 @@ export default class SearchRoute extends Route {
   }
 
   @action
-  error() {
+  error(error, transition) {
     this.mapUi.stopSearch();
-    return true; // Bubble error
+    this.toast.show('Search request failed. Please try again.');
+    if (transition) {
+      transition.abort();
+    }
+    return false; // Prevent bubble and stop transition
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/services/osm.js b/app/services/osm.js
index 9132a2c..e265178 100644
--- a/app/services/osm.js
+++ b/app/services/osm.js
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ out center;
         return [];
       }
       console.error('Category search failed', e);
-      return [];
+      throw e;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/app/services/toast.js b/app/services/toast.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4116944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/services/toast.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import Service from '@ember/service';
+import { tracked } from '@glimmer/tracking';
+
+export default class ToastService extends Service {
+  @tracked message = null;
+  @tracked isVisible = false;
+  timeoutId = null;
+
+  show(message, duration = 3000) {
+    this.message = message;
+    this.isVisible = true;
+
+    if (this.timeoutId) {
+      clearTimeout(this.timeoutId);
+    }
+
+    this.timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+      this.isVisible = false;
+    }, duration);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/styles/app.css b/app/styles/app.css
index 8c53979..f27c8e5 100644
--- a/app/styles/app.css
+++ b/app/styles/app.css
@@ -1321,3 +1321,36 @@ button.create-place {
   cursor: not-allowed;
   pointer-events: none;
 }
+
+/* Toast Notification */
+.toast-notification {
+  position: fixed;
+  bottom: 2rem;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  background-color: rgb(51 51 51 / 85%);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
+  color: white;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  z-index: 9999;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgb(0 0 0 / 15%);
+  animation: fade-in-up 0.3s ease-out forwards;
+  text-align: center;
+  max-width: 90%;
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  font-weight: 500;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+@keyframes fade-in-up {
+  from {
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: translate(-50%, 1rem);
+  }
+
+  to {
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: translate(-50%, 0);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/templates/application.gjs b/app/templates/application.gjs
index 8dae51b..8dfd51b 100644
--- a/app/templates/application.gjs
+++ b/app/templates/application.gjs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { pageTitle } from 'ember-page-title';
 import Map from '#components/map';
 import AppHeader from '#components/app-header';
 import AppMenu from '#components/app-menu/index';
+import Toast from '#components/toast';
 import { service } from '@ember/service';
 import { tracked } from '@glimmer/tracking';
 import { action } from '@ember/object';
@@ -89,6 +90,8 @@ export default class ApplicationComponent extends Component {
       <AppMenu @onClose={{this.closeAppMenu}} />
     {{/if}}
 
+    <Toast />
+
     {{outlet}}
   </template>
 }
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/search-test.js b/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
index c344631..42ecedb 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
+++ b/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
@@ -218,4 +218,56 @@ module('Acceptance | search', function (hooks) {
     // Ensure it shows "Results" not "Nearby"
     assert.dom('.sidebar-header h2').includesText('Results');
   });
+
+  test('search error handling prevents opening empty panel and shows toast', async function (assert) {
+    // Mock Osm Service to throw an error
+    class MockOsmService extends Service {
+      async getCategoryPois() {
+        throw new Error('Overpass request failed');
+      }
+    }
+    this.owner.register('service:osm', MockOsmService);
+
+    class MockStorageService extends Service {
+      savedPlaces = [];
+      findPlaceById() {
+        return null;
+      }
+      isPlaceSaved() {
+        return false;
+      }
+      rs = { on: () => {} };
+      placesInView = [];
+      loadPlacesInBounds() {
+        return Promise.resolve();
+      }
+    }
+    this.owner.register('service:storage', MockStorageService);
+
+    class MockMapService extends Service {
+      getBounds() {
+        return {
+          minLat: 52.5,
+          minLon: 13.4,
+          maxLat: 52.6,
+          maxLon: 13.5,
+        };
+      }
+    }
+    this.owner.register('service:map', MockMapService);
+
+    await visit('/');
+
+    try {
+      await visit('/search?category=coffee&lat=52.52&lon=13.405');
+    } catch {
+      // Aborted transition throws, which is expected
+    }
+
+    assert.dom('.toast-notification').exists('Toast should be visible');
+    assert
+      .dom('.toast-notification')
+      .hasText('Search request failed. Please try again.');
+    assert.dom('.places-sidebar').doesNotExist('Results panel should not open');
+  });
 });