diff --git a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/locale/GlobalSettings.java b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/locale/GlobalSettings.java
index 46856fd7a9..339124aab1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/locale/GlobalSettings.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/locale/GlobalSettings.java
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import javafx.beans.property.SimpleObjectProperty;
 
 import java.util.Locale;
 
+import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
+
+@Slf4j
 public class GlobalSettings {
     private static boolean useAnimations = true;
     private static Locale locale;
@@ -32,6 +35,7 @@ public class GlobalSettings {
 
     static {
         locale = Locale.getDefault();
+        log.info("Locale info: {}", locale);
 
         // On some systems there is no country defined, in that case we use en_US
         if (locale.getCountry() == null || locale.getCountry().isEmpty())
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/user/Preferences.java b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/user/Preferences.java
index 1cff31f2e2..dc7e1a0dae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/user/Preferences.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/user/Preferences.java
@@ -277,8 +277,13 @@ public final class Preferences implements PersistedDataHost, BridgeAddressProvid
         prefPayload.setUserLanguage(GlobalSettings.getLocale().getLanguage());
         prefPayload.setUserCountry(CountryUtil.getDefaultCountry());
         GlobalSettings.setLocale(new Locale(prefPayload.getUserLanguage(), prefPayload.getUserCountry().code));
-        TradeCurrency preferredTradeCurrency = checkNotNull(CurrencyUtil.getCurrencyByCountryCode(prefPayload.getUserCountry().code),
-                "preferredTradeCurrency must not be null");
+
+        TradeCurrency preferredTradeCurrency = CurrencyUtil.getCurrencyByCountryCode("US"); // default fallback option
+        try {
+            preferredTradeCurrency = CurrencyUtil.getCurrencyByCountryCode(prefPayload.getUserCountry().code);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ia) {
+            log.warn("Could not determine currency for country {} [{}]", prefPayload.getUserCountry().code, ia.toString());
+        }
         prefPayload.setPreferredTradeCurrency(preferredTradeCurrency);
         setFiatCurrencies(CurrencyUtil.getMainFiatCurrencies());
         setCryptoCurrencies(CurrencyUtil.getMainCryptoCurrencies());