diff --git a/apps/effectcraft/src/file_dialogs.rs b/apps/effectcraft/src/file_dialogs.rs
index a80387541..6a209cb9d 100644
--- a/apps/effectcraft/src/file_dialogs.rs
+++ b/apps/effectcraft/src/file_dialogs.rs
@@ -141,7 +141,12 @@ pub fn install_pickers(app: &mut EffectcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) -> Receive
 pub fn message(title: &str, description: String) {
     let shown = guarded("message", || rfd::MessageDialog::new().set_level(rfd::MessageLevel::Error).set_title(title).set_description(description).show());
     if let Err(e) = shown {
-        log::error!("{e}");
+        // The diagnostic helper runs before logging is installed.
+        if log::log_enabled!(log::Level::Error) {
+            log::error!("{e}");
+        } else {
+            eprintln!("effectcraft: {e}");
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/effectcraft/src/main.rs b/apps/effectcraft/src/main.rs
index c762d731a..61554858f 100644
--- a/apps/effectcraft/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/effectcraft/src/main.rs
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ fn start_helpers_if_opted_in(session: &mut effectcraft_engine::Session) {
 fn main() -> eframe::Result {
     let args: Vec<_> = std::env::args_os().skip(1).collect();
     if crash_report::maybe_run(&args, |description| {
-        file_dialogs::message("EffectCraft diagnostic report", description);
+        file_dialogs::message("EffectCraft diagnostic report", description.to_owned());
     }) {
         return Ok(());
     }