diff --git a/.changeset/catch-initial-background-load.md b/.changeset/catch-initial-background-load.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f26d4ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/catch-initial-background-load.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@livekit/track-processors': patch
+---
+
+Log a failing background image passed to the processor's constructor, instead of raising an unhandled promise rejection
diff --git a/e2e/README.md b/e2e/README.md
index 84c78e7..99ce1f1 100644
--- a/e2e/README.md
+++ b/e2e/README.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Seventeen cases across eleven concerns.
 | `capability.spec.ts` | A1, A1b, A3, A4 | Support predicates; both pipelines selected and working |
 | `lifecycle.spec.ts` | B1, B2 | Attach produces blurred frames; detach restores them |
 | `modes.spec.ts` | C1, C1b, C3 | Switching lands correctly, publishes no intermediate frame, and `disabled` is true passthrough |
-| `background.spec.ts` | D1, D5 | Image composited behind the subject; fetched once |
+| `background.spec.ts` | D1, D5, D6 | Image composited behind the subject; fetched once; a failing image at construction is logged |
 | `geometry.spec.ts` | E1 | Output dimensions follow the source at three resolutions |
 | `performance.spec.ts` | G1 | `onFrameProcessed` timings are coherent at a usable frame rate |
 
diff --git a/e2e/specs/background.spec.ts b/e2e/specs/background.spec.ts
index 688bda3..4827a0e 100644
--- a/e2e/specs/background.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/specs/background.spec.ts
@@ -110,4 +110,28 @@ test.describe('virtual background', () => {
     // this asserts only about repeated switches within a single processor session.
     expect(requests, `bg-solid.png was fetched ${requests} times`).toBe(1);
   });
+
+  test('D6: an image that fails to load at construction is logged, not thrown', async ({ app }) => {
+    const { page } = app;
+
+    let requests = 0;
+    await page.route('**/missing-bg.png', (route) => {
+      requests += 1;
+      return route.fulfill({ status: 404 });
+    });
+
+    // `mode` and `bg` are read when the harness constructs the processor, so the failing image
+    // goes through the constructor rather than switchTo().
+    await app.goto({ mode: 'virtual-background', bg: '/missing-bg.png', backdrop: 'flat' });
+    await startCamera(page);
+    await attachProcessor(page);
+
+    // The failure must actually have happened, or a clean page would be trivially true.
+    expect(requests, 'missing-bg.png was never requested').toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    // Regression guard for #141. A rejection from the constructor reaches the page as an
+    // uncaught error with no message.
+    expect(app.pageErrors, 'uncaught page errors').toEqual([]);
+    expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.harness.lastError()), 'harness logged an error').toBeNull();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/transformers/BackgroundTransformer.ts b/src/transformers/BackgroundTransformer.ts
index adb1ea3..8c8823a 100644
--- a/src/transformers/BackgroundTransformer.ts
+++ b/src/transformers/BackgroundTransformer.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ export default class BackgroundProcessor extends VideoTransformer<BackgroundOpti
   constructor(opts: BackgroundOptions) {
     super();
     this.options = opts;
-    this.update(opts);
+    this.update(opts).catch((err) =>
+      this.log.error('Error while applying initial processor options: ', err),
+    );
   }
 
   async init({ outputCanvas, inputElement: inputVideo }: VideoTransformerInitOptions) {