diff --git a/components/CMSConnectivityNotice.tsx b/components/CMSConnectivityNotice.tsx
index 3272e799..63b7f592 100644
--- a/components/CMSConnectivityNotice.tsx
+++ b/components/CMSConnectivityNotice.tsx
@@ -4,69 +4,82 @@ import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { AlertCircle, RefreshCw, Database } from 'lucide-react';
 
 export default function CMSConnectivityNotice() {
-    const [status, setStatus] = useState<'checking' | 'ok' | 'error'>('checking');
-    const [errorMsg, setErrorMsg] = useState('');
-    const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<'checking' | 'ok' | 'error'>('checking');
+  const [errorMsg, setErrorMsg] = useState('');
+  const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
 
-    useEffect(() => {
-        // Only show in development or if explicitly checking
-        const checkCMS = async () => {
-            try {
-                const response = await fetch('/api/health/cms');
-                const data = await response.json();
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Only show if we've detected an issue AND we are in a context where we want to see it
+    const checkCMS = async () => {
+      const isDebug = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search).has('cms_debug');
+      const isLocal =
+        window.location.hostname === 'localhost' || window.location.hostname.includes('127.0.0.1');
+      const isStaging =
+        window.location.hostname.includes('staging') ||
+        window.location.hostname.includes('testing');
 
-                if (data.status !== 'ok') {
-                    setStatus('error');
-                    setErrorMsg(data.message);
-                    setIsVisible(true);
-                } else {
-                    setStatus('ok');
-                    setIsVisible(false);
-                }
-            } catch (err) {
-                setStatus('error');
-                setErrorMsg('Could not connect to CMS health endpoint');
-                setIsVisible(true);
-            }
-        };
+      // Only proceed with check if it's developer context
+      if (!isLocal && !isStaging && !isDebug) return;
 
-        checkCMS();
-    }, []);
+      try {
+        const response = await fetch('/api/health/cms');
+        const data = await response.json();
 
-    if (!isVisible) return null;
+        if (data.status !== 'ok') {
+          setStatus('error');
+          setErrorMsg(data.message);
+          setIsVisible(true);
+        } else {
+          setStatus('ok');
+          setIsVisible(false);
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        // If it's a connection error, only show if we are really debugging
+        if (isDebug || isLocal) {
+          setStatus('error');
+          setErrorMsg('Could not connect to CMS health endpoint');
+          setIsVisible(true);
+        }
+      }
+    };
 
-    return (
-        <div className="fixed bottom-4 right-4 z-[9999] animate-slide-up">
-            <div className="bg-red-500/90 backdrop-blur-md border border-red-400 text-white p-4 rounded-2xl shadow-2xl max-w-sm">
-                <div className="flex items-start gap-3">
-                    <div className="bg-white/20 p-2 rounded-lg">
-                        <AlertCircle className="w-5 h-5" />
-                    </div>
-                    <div className="flex-1">
-                        <h4 className="font-bold text-sm mb-1">CMS Issue Detected</h4>
-                        <p className="text-xs opacity-90 leading-relaxed mb-3">
-                            {errorMsg === 'relation "products" does not exist'
-                                ? 'The database schema is missing. Please sync your local data to this environment.'
-                                : errorMsg || 'The application cannot connect to the Directus CMS.'}
-                        </p>
-                        <div className="flex gap-2">
-                            <button
-                                onClick={() => window.location.reload()}
-                                className="bg-white text-red-600 text-[10px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider px-3 py-1.5 rounded-lg flex items-center gap-2 hover:bg-neutral-100 transition-colors"
-                            >
-                                <RefreshCw className="w-3 h-3" />
-                                Retry
-                            </button>
-                            <button
-                                onClick={() => setIsVisible(false)}
-                                className="bg-black/20 text-white text-[10px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider px-3 py-1.5 rounded-lg hover:bg-black/30 transition-colors"
-                            >
-                                Dismiss
-                            </button>
-                        </div>
-                    </div>
-                </div>
+    checkCMS();
+  }, []);
+
+  if (!isVisible) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed bottom-4 right-4 z-[9999] animate-slide-up">
+      <div className="bg-red-500/90 backdrop-blur-md border border-red-400 text-white p-4 rounded-2xl shadow-2xl max-w-sm">
+        <div className="flex items-start gap-3">
+          <div className="bg-white/20 p-2 rounded-lg">
+            <AlertCircle className="w-5 h-5" />
+          </div>
+          <div className="flex-1">
+            <h4 className="font-bold text-sm mb-1">CMS Issue Detected</h4>
+            <p className="text-xs opacity-90 leading-relaxed mb-3">
+              {errorMsg === 'relation "products" does not exist'
+                ? 'The database schema is missing. Please sync your local data to this environment.'
+                : errorMsg || 'The application cannot connect to the Directus CMS.'}
+            </p>
+            <div className="flex gap-2">
+              <button
+                onClick={() => window.location.reload()}
+                className="bg-white text-red-600 text-[10px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider px-3 py-1.5 rounded-lg flex items-center gap-2 hover:bg-neutral-100 transition-colors"
+              >
+                <RefreshCw className="w-3 h-3" />
+                Retry
+              </button>
+              <button
+                onClick={() => setIsVisible(false)}
+                className="bg-black/20 text-white text-[10px] font-bold uppercase tracking-wider px-3 py-1.5 rounded-lg hover:bg-black/30 transition-colors"
+              >
+                Dismiss
+              </button>
             </div>
+          </div>
         </div>
-    );
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
 }
diff --git a/lib/directus.ts b/lib/directus.ts
index f3058b3c..62a74c3f 100644
--- a/lib/directus.ts
+++ b/lib/directus.ts
@@ -93,31 +93,49 @@ export async function getProductBySlug(slug: string, locale: string = 'de') {
 
 export async function checkHealth() {
   try {
-    await ensureAuthenticated();
-
-    // 1. Basic connectivity check
-    await client.request(readCollections());
+    // 1. Connectivity & Auth Check
+    try {
+      await ensureAuthenticated();
+      await client.request(readCollections());
+    } catch (e: any) {
+      console.error('Directus authentication failed during health check:', e);
+      return {
+        status: 'error',
+        message:
+          'Authentication failed. Check your DIRECTUS_ADMIN_EMAIL and DIRECTUS_ADMIN_PASSWORD.',
+        code: 'AUTH_FAILED',
+        details: e.message,
+      };
+    }
 
     // 2. Schema check (does the products table exist?)
     try {
       await client.request(readItems('products', { limit: 1 }));
     } catch (e: any) {
-      if (e.message?.includes('does not exist') || e.code === 'INVALID_PAYLOAD') {
+      if (
+        e.message?.includes('does not exist') ||
+        e.code === 'INVALID_PAYLOAD' ||
+        e.status === 404
+      ) {
         return {
           status: 'error',
-          message: 'The "products" collection is missing. Please sync your data.',
+          message: 'The "products" collection is missing or inaccessible. Please sync your data.',
           code: 'SCHEMA_MISSING',
         };
       }
-      throw e;
+      return {
+        status: 'error',
+        message: `Schema error: ${e.message}`,
+        code: 'SCHEMA_ERROR',
+      };
     }
 
     return { status: 'ok', message: 'Directus is reachable and responding.' };
   } catch (error: any) {
-    console.error('Directus health check failed:', error);
+    console.error('Directus health check failed with unexpected error:', error);
     return {
       status: 'error',
-      message: error.message || 'Unknown error',
+      message: error.message || 'An unexpected error occurred while connecting to the CMS.',
       code: error.code || 'UNKNOWN',
     };
   }