diff --git a/src/backend/history/cosmosdbservice.py b/src/backend/history/cosmosdbservice.py
index 9add46ea2..c245a2a37 100644
--- a/src/backend/history/cosmosdbservice.py
+++ b/src/backend/history/cosmosdbservice.py
@@ -25,9 +25,10 @@ def __init__(
             )
         except exceptions.CosmosHttpResponseError as e:
             if e.status_code == 401:
-                raise ValueError("Invalid credentials") from e
+                raise ValueError("Unauthorized") from e
             else:
-                raise ValueError("Invalid CosmosDB endpoint") from e
+                logging.error("Cosmos error: %s", e)
+                raise ValueError("Something went wrong!") from e
 
         try:
             self.database_client = self.cosmosdb_client.get_database_client(
@@ -35,6 +36,9 @@ def __init__(
             )
         except exceptions.CosmosResourceNotFoundError:
             raise ValueError("Invalid CosmosDB database name")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.error("Unexpected error while accessing CosmosDB database: %s", e)
+            raise
 
         try:
             self.container_client = self.database_client.get_container_client(
@@ -42,6 +46,8 @@ def __init__(
             )
         except exceptions.CosmosResourceNotFoundError:
             raise ValueError("Invalid CosmosDB container name")
+        except:
+            pass
 
     async def ensure(self):
         if (
@@ -49,7 +55,7 @@ async def ensure(self):
             or not self.database_client
             or not self.container_client
         ):
-            return False, "CosmosDB client not initialized correctly"
+            return False, "client not initialized"
         try:
             await self.database_client.read()
         except Exception:
@@ -73,7 +79,13 @@ async def create_conversation(self, user_id, title=""):
             "updatedAt": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
             "userId": user_id,
             "title": title,
+            # Metadata field for storing additional information about the conversation.
+            # This field is currently an empty dictionary but can be extended in the future.
+            # Metadata field for storing additional information about the conversation.
+            # This field is currently an empty dictionary but can be extended in the future.
+            "metadata": {}
         }
+        validate_metadata(conversation["metadata"])
         # TODO: add some error handling based on the output of the upsert_item call
         resp = await self.container_client.upsert_item(conversation)
         if resp: