diff --git a/backend/ai_service.py b/backend/ai_service.py
index 2e4d9d9..bab9423 100644
--- a/backend/ai_service.py
+++ b/backend/ai_service.py
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@
     if os.environ.get("ENVIRONMENT") == "production":
          logger.warning("GEMINI_API_KEY not set in production environment!")
 
-genai.configure(api_key=api_key)
+try:
+    genai.configure(api_key=api_key)
+    _GEMINI_CONFIGURED = True
+except Exception as e:
+    logger.error(f"Failed to configure Gemini AI: {e}")
+    _GEMINI_CONFIGURED = False
 
 RESPONSIBILITY_MAP_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__)), "data", "responsibility_map.json")
 
@@ -125,6 +130,10 @@ async def generate_action_plan(issue_description: str, category: str, language:
 
     async def _generate_with_gemini() -> dict:
         """Inner function to generate action plan with Gemini"""
+        if not _GEMINI_CONFIGURED:
+            logger.warning("Gemini AI not configured, returning fallback action plan")
+            return fallback_response
+
         model = genai.GenerativeModel('gemini-1.5-flash')
 
         prompt = f"""
@@ -184,6 +193,9 @@ async def chat_with_civic_assistant(query: str) -> str:
     """
     async def _chat_with_gemini() -> str:
         """Inner function to chat with Gemini"""
+        if not _GEMINI_CONFIGURED:
+            return "I am currently running in offline mode and cannot process complex queries. Please check back later."
+
         model = genai.GenerativeModel('gemini-1.5-flash')
 
         prompt = f"""
diff --git a/backend/gemini_summary.py b/backend/gemini_summary.py
index 64e665a..7bd0cf5 100644
--- a/backend/gemini_summary.py
+++ b/backend/gemini_summary.py
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@
 
 # Configure Gemini (mandatory environment variable)
 api_key = os.environ.get("GEMINI_API_KEY")
+_GEMINI_CONFIGURED = False
 
 if api_key:
-    genai.configure(api_key=api_key)
+    try:
+        genai.configure(api_key=api_key)
+        _GEMINI_CONFIGURED = True
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Failed to configure Gemini AI: {e}")
 else:
     # Gemini disabled (mock/local mode)
     genai = None
@@ -66,6 +71,9 @@ async def generate_mla_summary(
     """
     async def _generate_mla_summary_with_gemini() -> str:
         """Inner function to generate MLA summary with Gemini"""
+        if not _GEMINI_CONFIGURED or not genai:
+            return _get_fallback_summary(mla_name, assembly_constituency, district)
+
         model = genai.GenerativeModel('gemini-1.5-flash')
 
         issue_context = f" particularly regarding {issue_category} issues" if issue_category else ""