diff --git a/src/app/api/circles/route.ts b/src/app/api/circles/route.ts
index 39c6c17..bf9cac1 100644
--- a/src/app/api/circles/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/circles/route.ts
@@ -34,17 +34,21 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
     return NextResponse.json({ error: "Circle name is required" }, { status: 400 });
   }
 
-  const [circle] = await sql.unsafe(
-    `INSERT INTO circles (name, created_by) VALUES ($1, $2)
-     RETURNING id, name, created_by as "createdBy", created_at as "createdAt"`,
-    [name.trim(), familyId]
-  );
+  try {
+    const [circle] = await sql.unsafe(
+      `INSERT INTO circles (name, created_by) VALUES ($1, $2)
+       RETURNING id, name, created_by as "createdBy", created_at as "createdAt"`,
+      [name.trim(), familyId]
+    );
 
-  // Creator is automatically an admin member
-  await sql.unsafe(
-    `INSERT INTO circle_members (circle_id, family_id, role) VALUES ($1, $2, 'admin')`,
-    [circle.id, familyId]
-  );
+    await sql.unsafe(
+      `INSERT INTO circle_members (circle_id, family_id, role) VALUES ($1, $2, 'admin')`,
+      [circle.id, familyId]
+    );
 
-  return NextResponse.json({ success: true, circle: { ...circle, role: "admin", memberCount: 1 } });
+    return NextResponse.json({ success: true, circle: { ...circle, role: "admin", memberCount: 1 } });
+  } catch (err: unknown) {
+    const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: msg }, { status: 500 });
+  }
 }