diff --git a/src/lib/db.ts b/src/lib/db.ts
index 04377d3..c9ffa35 100644
--- a/src/lib/db.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
-import { createClient } from "@libsql/client";
+import { createClient, type Client } from "@libsql/client";
 
-const client = createClient({
-  url: process.env.TURSO_DATABASE_URL!,
-  authToken: process.env.TURSO_AUTH_TOKEN,
-});
+let client: Client | null = null;
+
+function getClient(): Client {
+  if (!client) {
+    if (!process.env.TURSO_DATABASE_URL) {
+      throw new Error("TURSO_DATABASE_URL is not set");
+    }
+    client = createClient({
+      url: process.env.TURSO_DATABASE_URL,
+      authToken: process.env.TURSO_AUTH_TOKEN,
+    });
+  }
+  return client;
+}
 
 interface Release {
   version: string;
@@ -16,14 +26,25 @@ interface Release {
 }
 
 export async function getAnalyzedReleases(): Promise<Release[]> {
-  const result = await client.execute(
-    "SELECT * FROM releases ORDER BY analyzed_at DESC",
-  );
-  // TODO(serhalp) Verify the right turso typing pattern
-  return result.rows.map((row) => ({
-    ...row,
-    relevantPRs: JSON.parse(row.relevantPRs as string),
-  })) as unknown[] as Release[];
+  try {
+    const dbClient = getClient();
+    const timeoutPromise = new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
+      setTimeout(() => reject(new Error("Database query timeout")), 5000);
+    });
+    
+    const result = await Promise.race([
+      dbClient.execute("SELECT * FROM releases ORDER BY analyzed_at DESC"),
+      timeoutPromise,
+    ]);
+    
+    return result.rows.map((row) => ({
+      ...row,
+      relevantPRs: JSON.parse(row.relevantPRs as string),
+    })) as unknown[] as Release[];
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error("Error fetching releases:", error);
+    return [];
+  }
 }
 
 export async function insertAnalyzedRelease(
@@ -34,7 +55,8 @@ export async function insertAnalyzedRelease(
   releaseLink: string,
   relevantPRs: string[],
 ): Promise<void> {
-  await client.execute({
+  const dbClient = getClient();
+  await dbClient.execute({
     sql: "INSERT INTO releases (version, summary, score, relevance, releaseLink, relevantPRs, analyzed_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
     args: [
       version,
diff --git a/src/pages/index.astro b/src/pages/index.astro
index 729456c..e1474c6 100644
--- a/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -40,63 +40,72 @@ Astro.response.headers.set(
     </div>
     <div class="space-y-12">
       {
-        releases.map((release) => (
-          <div
-            class={`card bg-base-200 shadow-xl transition-all hover:shadow-2xl ${
-              release.score > 60 ? "border-l-8 border-error" : ""
-            }`}
-          >
-            <div class="card-body">
-              <h2 class="card-title text-2xl">
-                <a
-                  href={release.releaseLink}
-                  target="_blank"
-                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                  class="hover:underline cursor-pointer"
-                >
-                  {release.version}
-                </a>
-              </h2>
-              <div class="flex justify-between items-center">
-                <div
-                  class="badge badge-lg"
-                  style={`background-color: hsl(${120 - release.score * 1.2}, 100%, 50%); color: ${release.score > 50 ? "white" : "black"};`}
-                >
-                  Impact Score: {release.score}
+        releases.length === 0 ? (
+          <div class="card bg-base-200 shadow-xl">
+            <div class="card-body text-center">
+              <h2 class="card-title text-2xl justify-center">No releases yet</h2>
+              <p class="text-base-content">Check back soon for Next.js release analysis!</p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          releases.map((release) => (
+            <div
+              class={`card bg-base-200 shadow-xl transition-all hover:shadow-2xl ${
+                release.score > 60 ? "border-l-8 border-error" : ""
+              }`}
+            >
+              <div class="card-body">
+                <h2 class="card-title text-2xl">
+                  <a
+                    href={release.releaseLink}
+                    target="_blank"
+                    rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                    class="hover:underline cursor-pointer"
+                  >
+                    {release.version}
+                  </a>
+                </h2>
+                <div class="flex justify-between items-center">
+                  <div
+                    class="badge badge-lg"
+                    style={`background-color: hsl(${120 - release.score * 1.2}, 100%, 50%); color: ${release.score > 50 ? "white" : "black"};`}
+                  >
+                    Impact Score: {release.score}
+                  </div>
+                  <div class="text-sm opacity-70">
+                    {formatDistanceToNow(new Date(release.analyzed_at))} ago
+                  </div>
                 </div>
-                <div class="text-sm opacity-70">
-                  {formatDistanceToNow(new Date(release.analyzed_at))} ago
+                <p class="mt-4 text-base-content">{release.summary}</p>
+                <div class="mt-6">
+                  <h3 class="font-semibold text-lg mb-2">
+                    Relevance to Netlify:
+                  </h3>
+                  <p class="text-base-content">{release.relevance}</p>
                 </div>
+                {release.relevantPRs.length > 0 && (
+                  <div class="mt-4">
+                    <h3 class="font-semibold text-lg mb-2">Relevant PRs:</h3>
+                    <ul class="list-disc list-inside">
+                      {release.relevantPRs.map((pr) => (
+                        <li>
+                          <a
+                            href={pr}
+                            target="_blank"
+                            rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                            class="hover:underline"
+                          >
+                            #{pr.split("/").pop()}
+                          </a>
+                        </li>
+                      ))}
+                    </ul>
+                  </div>
+                )}
               </div>
-              <p class="mt-4 text-base-content">{release.summary}</p>
-              <div class="mt-6">
-                <h3 class="font-semibold text-lg mb-2">
-                  Relevance to Netlify:
-                </h3>
-                <p class="text-base-content">{release.relevance}</p>
-              </div>
-              {release.relevantPRs.length > 0 && (
-                <div class="mt-4">
-                  <h3 class="font-semibold text-lg mb-2">Relevant PRs:</h3>
-                  <ul class="list-disc list-inside">
-                    {release.relevantPRs.map((pr) => (
-                      <li>
-                        <a
-                          href={pr}
-                          target="_blank"
-                          rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                          class="hover:underline"
-                        >
-                          #{pr.split("/").pop()}
-                        </a>
-                      </li>
-                    ))}
-                  </ul>
-                </div>
-              )}
             </div>
-          </div>
-        ))
+          ))
+        )
       }
     </div>
   </main>