diff --git a/backend/core/bootstrap.php b/backend/core/bootstrap.php
index fe995b6..a85cb58 100644
--- a/backend/core/bootstrap.php
+++ b/backend/core/bootstrap.php
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ try {
             $redisLocation = null;
         }
     }
-} catch (Exception $e) {
+} catch (Throwable $e) {
     error_log("[REDIS] Connection failed: " . $e->getMessage());
     $redis = null;
     $redisLocation = null;
diff --git a/backend/loginFirstTime.php b/backend/loginFirstTime.php
index 972a051..06d8fe4 100644
--- a/backend/loginFirstTime.php
+++ b/backend/loginFirstTime.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ try {
         'expires_in' => 150,
     ]);
 
-} catch (Exception $e) {
+} catch (Throwable $e) {
     securityLog("LoginFirstTime Error", ['msg' => $e->getMessage()]);
-    jsonError('Server error', 500);
+    jsonError('Server error: ' . $e->getMessage(), 500);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/test_api.php b/backend/test_api.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4d3025
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/test_api.php
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+<?php
+require_once __DIR__ . '/core/bootstrap.php';
+$redis->flushAll();
+
+$ch = curl_init('https://jordan-siro.intaleqapp.com/backend/loginFirstTime.php');
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HEADER, true);
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, 'id=new&password=unknown&aud=passenger-app:ios');
+$response = curl_exec($ch);
+curl_close($ch);
+
+echo "RAW RESPONSE:\n";
+echo $response;