diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index 76686a5e..9afcf463 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+import 'package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_riverpod/flutter_riverpod.dart';
+import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/firebase_options.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/app.dart';
-import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/app_startup.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/localization/string_hardcoded.dart';
 // ignore:depend_on_referenced_packages
 import 'package:flutter_web_plugins/url_strategy.dart';
@@ -14,11 +15,11 @@ Future<void> main() async {
   // * Register error handlers. For more info, see:
   // * https://docs.flutter.dev/testing/errors
   registerErrorHandlers();
+  // * Initialize Firebase
+  await Firebase.initializeApp(options: DefaultFirebaseOptions.currentPlatform);
   // * Entry point of the app
-  runApp(ProviderScope(
-    child: AppStartupWidget(
-      onLoaded: (context) => const MyApp(),
-    ),
+  runApp(const ProviderScope(
+    child: MyApp(),
   ));
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/app_startup.dart b/lib/src/app_startup.dart
index e11bfb3a..4186a687 100644
--- a/lib/src/app_startup.dart
+++ b/lib/src/app_startup.dart
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-import 'package:firebase_core/firebase_core.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_riverpod/flutter_riverpod.dart';
 import 'package:riverpod_annotation/riverpod_annotation.dart';
-import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/firebase_options.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/constants/app_sizes.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/features/onboarding/data/onboarding_repository.dart';
 
@@ -20,12 +18,7 @@ Future<void> appStartup(AppStartupRef ref) async {
     ref.invalidate(onboardingRepositoryProvider);
   });
   // await for all initialization code to be complete before returning
-  await Future.wait([
-    // Firebase init
-    Firebase.initializeApp(options: DefaultFirebaseOptions.currentPlatform),
-    // list of providers to be warmed up
-    ref.watch(onboardingRepositoryProvider.future)
-  ]);
+  await ref.watch(onboardingRepositoryProvider.future);
 }
 
 /// Widget class to manage asynchronous app initialization
@@ -52,11 +45,10 @@ class AppStartupLoadingWidget extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return const MaterialApp(
-      home: Scaffold(
-        body: Center(
-          child: CircularProgressIndicator(),
-        ),
+    return Scaffold(
+      appBar: AppBar(),
+      body: const Center(
+        child: CircularProgressIndicator(),
       ),
     );
   }
@@ -70,20 +62,19 @@ class AppStartupErrorWidget extends StatelessWidget {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return MaterialApp(
-      home: Scaffold(
-        body: Center(
-          child: Column(
-            mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
-            children: [
-              Text(message, style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.headlineSmall),
-              gapH16,
-              ElevatedButton(
-                onPressed: onRetry,
-                child: const Text('Retry'),
-              ),
-            ],
-          ),
+    return Scaffold(
+      appBar: AppBar(),
+      body: Center(
+        child: Column(
+          mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
+          children: [
+            Text(message, style: Theme.of(context).textTheme.headlineSmall),
+            gapH16,
+            ElevatedButton(
+              onPressed: onRetry,
+              child: const Text('Retry'),
+            ),
+          ],
         ),
       ),
     );
diff --git a/lib/src/routing/app_router.dart b/lib/src/routing/app_router.dart
index 84c8a42a..bc225dd0 100644
--- a/lib/src/routing/app_router.dart
+++ b/lib/src/routing/app_router.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:riverpod_annotation/riverpod_annotation.dart';
+import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/app_startup.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/features/authentication/data/firebase_auth_repository.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/features/authentication/presentation/custom_profile_screen.dart';
 import 'package:starter_architecture_flutter_firebase/src/features/authentication/presentation/custom_sign_in_screen.dart';
@@ -40,16 +41,23 @@ enum AppRoute {
 }
 
 @riverpod
-// ignore: unsupported_provider_value
 GoRouter goRouter(GoRouterRef ref) {
+  // rebuild GoRouter when app startup state changes
+  final appStartupState = ref.watch(appStartupProvider);
   final authRepository = ref.watch(authRepositoryProvider);
-  final onboardingRepository =
-      ref.watch(onboardingRepositoryProvider).requireValue;
   return GoRouter(
     initialLocation: '/signIn',
     navigatorKey: _rootNavigatorKey,
     debugLogDiagnostics: true,
     redirect: (context, state) {
+      if (appStartupState.isLoading) {
+        return '/loading';
+      }
+      if (appStartupState.hasError) {
+        return '/error';
+      }
+      final onboardingRepository =
+          ref.read(onboardingRepositoryProvider).requireValue;
       final didCompleteOnboarding = onboardingRepository.isOnboardingComplete();
       final path = state.uri.path;
       if (!didCompleteOnboarding) {
@@ -75,6 +83,21 @@ GoRouter goRouter(GoRouterRef ref) {
     },
     refreshListenable: GoRouterRefreshStream(authRepository.authStateChanges()),
     routes: [
+      GoRoute(
+        path: '/loading',
+        pageBuilder: (context, state) => const NoTransitionPage(
+          child: AppStartupLoadingWidget(),
+        ),
+      ),
+      GoRoute(
+        path: '/error',
+        pageBuilder: (context, state) => NoTransitionPage(
+          child: AppStartupErrorWidget(
+            message: 'App initialization failed',
+            onRetry: () => ref.invalidate(appStartupProvider),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
       GoRoute(
         path: '/onboarding',
         name: AppRoute.onboarding.name,