diff --git a/composables/users.ts b/composables/users.ts
index 5ffc16ec..36db7d8b 100644
--- a/composables/users.ts
+++ b/composables/users.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ export async function loginTo(masto: ElkMasto, user: Overwrite<UserLogin, { acco
   currentUserHandle.value = me.acct
 }
 
-const accountPreferencesMap = new Map<string, mastodon.v1.Preference>()
+const accountPreferencesMap = new Map<string, Partial<mastodon.v1.Preference>>()
 
 /**
  * @returns `true` when user ticked the preference to always expand posts with content warnings
@@ -193,9 +193,20 @@ export function getHideMediaByDefault(account: mastodon.v1.AccountCredentials) {
 }
 
 export async function fetchAccountInfo(client: mastodon.Client, server: string) {
+  // Try to fetch user preferences if the backend supports it.
+  const fetchPrefs = async (): Promise<Partial<mastodon.v1.Preference>> => {
+    try {
+      return await client.v1.preferences.fetch()
+    }
+    catch (e) {
+      console.warn(`Cannot fetch preferences: ${e}`)
+      return {}
+    }
+  }
+
   const [account, preferences] = await Promise.all([
     client.v1.accounts.verifyCredentials(),
-    client.v1.preferences.fetch(),
+    fetchPrefs(),
   ])
 
   if (!account.acct.includes('@'))