diff --git a/src/context/trackerContext.js b/src/context/trackerContext.js
index 49e280d..fbb9c0f 100644
--- a/src/context/trackerContext.js
+++ b/src/context/trackerContext.js
@@ -603,55 +603,58 @@ function reducer(state, action) {
       const draggedIcons = snapshot.draggedIcons || {};
       const starting_item_claims = snapshot.starting_item_claims || {};
       const unchanged_starting_inventory = snapshot.unchanged_starting_inventory || [];
-
-      if (snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific) {
-        _.set(LogicHelper.settings, "mq_dungeons_specific", snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific);
-        SettingsHelper.settings["mq_dungeons_specific"] = snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific;
-      }
-      if (snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts) {
-        _.set(LogicHelper.settings, "dungeon_shortcuts", snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts);
-        SettingsHelper.settings["dungeon_shortcuts"] = snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts;
-      }
-      SettingsHelper.invalidateCachedSets();
-
       const starting_age_selection = snapshot.starting_age_selection || null;
-      SettingsHelper.setStartingAgeSelection(starting_age_selection);
+      const parsedItems = parseItems(items_list, counters, unchanged_starting_inventory);
 
-      // Rebuild the tooltip caches the restored settings invalidated
-      scheduleTooltipWarm();
+      let restoredLocations = state.locations;
 
-      const locations = _.cloneDeep(state.locations);
+      // The following is only restored with check tracking on.
+      if (!_.isEmpty(state.locations)) {
+        if (snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific) {
+          _.set(LogicHelper.settings, "mq_dungeons_specific", snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific);
+          SettingsHelper.settings["mq_dungeons_specific"] = snapshot.mq_dungeons_specific;
+        }
+        if (snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts) {
+          _.set(LogicHelper.settings, "dungeon_shortcuts", snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts);
+          SettingsHelper.settings["dungeon_shortcuts"] = snapshot.dungeon_shortcuts;
+        }
+        SettingsHelper.invalidateCachedSets();
+        SettingsHelper.setStartingAgeSelection(starting_age_selection);
 
-      // Rebuild each dungeon's location list to match the restored MQ setting.
-      _.forEach(_.keys(locations), regionName => {
-        if (!_.includes(DUNGEONS, regionName)) { return; }
-        const locationKey = SettingsHelper.isMQDungeon(regionName) ? "dungeon_mq" : "dungeon";
-        _.set(locations, regionName, {});
-        _.forEach(Locations.locations[locationKey][regionName], (locationData, locationName) => {
-          if (Locations.isProgressLocation(locationData)) {
-            _.set(locations, [regionName, locationName], { isAvailable: false, isChecked: false });
-          }
+        const locations = _.cloneDeep(state.locations);
+
+        // Rebuild each dungeon's location list to match the restored MQ setting.
+        _.forEach(_.keys(locations), regionName => {
+          if (!_.includes(DUNGEONS, regionName)) { return; }
+          const locationKey = SettingsHelper.isMQDungeon(regionName) ? "dungeon_mq" : "dungeon";
+          _.set(locations, regionName, {});
+          _.forEach(Locations.locations[locationKey][regionName], (locationData, locationName) => {
+            if (Locations.isProgressLocation(locationData)) {
+              _.set(locations, [regionName, locationName], { isAvailable: false, isChecked: false });
+            }
+          });
         });
-      });
 
-      _.forEach(snapshot.checkedLocations || {}, (locationNames, regionName) => {
-        if (!locations[regionName]) { return; }
-        locationNames.forEach(locationName => {
-          if (locations[regionName][locationName]) {
-            _.set(locations, [regionName, locationName, "isChecked"], true);
-          }
+        _.forEach(snapshot.checkedLocations || {}, (locationNames, regionName) => {
+          if (!locations[regionName]) { return; }
+          locationNames.forEach(locationName => {
+            if (locations[regionName][locationName]) {
+              _.set(locations, [regionName, locationName, "isChecked"], true);
+            }
+          });
         });
-      });
 
-      const settingsString = snapshot.settings_string || state.settings_string;
-      const skipRegions = isEFK(settingsString) ? getEFKSkipRegions(settingsString, labelSelections) : new Set();
+        const settingsString = snapshot.settings_string || state.settings_string;
+        const skipRegions = isEFK(settingsString) ? getEFKSkipRegions(settingsString, labelSelections) : new Set();
+        restoredLocations = validateLocations(locations, parsedItems, skipRegions);
 
-      const parsedItems = parseItems(items_list, counters, unchanged_starting_inventory);
-      const validatedLocations = validateLocations(locations, parsedItems, skipRegions);
+        // Rebuild the tooltip caches the restored settings invalidated
+        scheduleTooltipWarm();
+      }
 
       return {
         ...state,
-        locations: validatedLocations,
+        locations: restoredLocations,
         items: parsedItems,
         items_list,
         counters,
diff --git a/src/scenes/TrackerLauncher.js b/src/scenes/TrackerLauncher.js
index 3b54ec8..41c1f19 100644
--- a/src/scenes/TrackerLauncher.js
+++ b/src/scenes/TrackerLauncher.js
@@ -81,7 +81,15 @@ const TrackerLauncher = () => {
     setGeneratorVersionCache(debouncedVersion);
   }, [debouncedVersion, setGeneratorVersionCache]);
 
+  const missingSettingsString = checks && !settingsString.trim();
+  const [launchAttempted, setLaunchAttempted] = useState(false);
+
   const launchTracker = useCallback(() => {
+    if (missingSettingsString) {
+      setLaunchAttempted(true);
+      return;
+    }
+
     let url = `${baseURL}/tracker`;
     if (checks) { url = `${baseURL}/tracker/checks`; }
 
@@ -98,7 +106,7 @@ const TrackerLauncher = () => {
       "HashFrog Tracker",
       `toolbar=0,location=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=0,resizable=0,width=${width},height=${height}`
     );
-  }, [checks, layout, settingsString, generatorVersion, layoutSize]);
+  }, [missingSettingsString, checks, layout, settingsString, generatorVersion, layoutSize]);
 
   // Track whether a saved session exists so the Resume button reacts when one
   // is created in a popup window; refresh on focus when returning to the launcher.
@@ -298,6 +306,11 @@ const TrackerLauncher = () => {
                       }
                     />
                   </InputGroup>
+                  {launchAttempted && missingSettingsString && (
+                    <div className="text-danger small mt-1">
+                      Enter a settings string or pick a preset to launch with check tracking.
+                    </div>
+                  )}
                 </div>
               </div>
 
diff --git a/src/scenes/TrackerLayout.js b/src/scenes/TrackerLayout.js
index 9576500..0ea14ac 100644
--- a/src/scenes/TrackerLayout.js
+++ b/src/scenes/TrackerLayout.js
@@ -1,20 +1,8 @@
-import frog from "../assets/icons/hashfrogsping.gif";
 import { useSessionRestore } from "../context/trackerContext";
-import useLogicInitialization from "../hooks/useLogicInitialization";
 import Layout from "./Layout";
 
 const TrackerLayout = () => {
-  const { isLoading, isInitialized } = useLogicInitialization();
-  useSessionRestore(isInitialized);
-
-  if (isLoading) {
-    return (
-      <div className="w-100 d-flex flex-column align-items-center my-5">
-        <img src={frog} alt="Frog" />
-        <span>Loading...</span>
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
+  useSessionRestore(true);
 
   return (
     <div className="">