diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
index dbe042d68..f956f60dc 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
@@ -327,21 +327,12 @@ class LightningRepo @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     /**Updates the shouldBlockLightning state and returns the current value*/
-    @Suppress("TooGenericExceptionCaught")
     private suspend fun updateGeoBlockState(): Boolean {
-        return try {
-            val shouldBlock = coreService.shouldBlockLightning()
-            _lightningState.update {
-                it.copy(shouldBlockLightning = shouldBlock)
-            }
-            shouldBlock
-        } catch (e: NetworkException) {
-            Logger.warn("Failed to check geo block status due to network, assuming not blocked", e, context = TAG)
-            false
-        } catch (e: Exception) {
-            Logger.error("Failed to check geo block status", e, context = TAG)
-            false
+        val shouldBlock = coreService.shouldBlockLightning()
+        _lightningState.update {
+            it.copy(shouldBlockLightning = shouldBlock)
         }
+        return shouldBlock
     }
 
     fun setInitNodeLifecycleState() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepo.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepo.kt
index fd9ae9a0b..257af9359 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepo.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepo.kt
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class WalletRepo @Inject constructor(
         return@withContext try {
             if (!_walletState.value.receiveOnSpendingBalance) return@withContext Result.success(false)
 
-            if (coreService.checkGeoStatus() == true) return@withContext Result.success(false)
+            if (coreService.shouldBlockLightning()) return@withContext Result.success(false)
 
             val channels = lightningRepo.lightningState.value.channels
             val inboundBalanceSats = channels.sumOf { it.inboundCapacityMsat / 1000u }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/services/CoreService.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/services/CoreService.kt
index 5023236af..4464dcca6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/services/CoreService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/services/CoreService.kt
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class CoreService @Inject constructor(
      * Returns true if geo blocked, false if allowed, null if unable to check
      */
     @Suppress("InstanceOfCheckForException", "TooGenericExceptionCaught")
-    suspend fun checkGeoStatus(): Boolean? {
+    private suspend fun isGeoBlocked(): Boolean? {
         return try {
             ServiceQueue.CORE.background {
                 Logger.verbose("Checking geo status…", context = "GeoCheck")
@@ -177,37 +177,13 @@ class CoreService @Inject constructor(
     suspend fun hasExternalNode() = getConnectedPeers().any { connectedPeer -> connectedPeer !in getLspPeers() }
 
     suspend fun shouldBlockLightning(): Boolean {
-        return try {
-            val geoStatus = checkGeoStatus()
-
-            when (geoStatus) {
-                true -> {
-                    // Geo blocked - check if user has external nodes
-                    val hasExternal = hasExternalNode()
-                    val shouldBlock = !hasExternal
-                    Logger.info(
-                        "Geo blocked region, has external node: $hasExternal, blocking: $shouldBlock",
-                        context = "GeoCheck"
-                    )
-                    shouldBlock
-                }
-
-                false -> {
-                    // Geo allowed
-                    Logger.debug("Geo allowed region", context = "GeoCheck")
-                    false
-                }
+        if (hasExternalNode()) return false
 
-                null -> {
-                    // Unable to check (network error) - use safe default
-                    Logger.warn("Unable to check geo status, defaulting to not blocked", context = "GeoCheck")
-                    false // Safe default: don't block if we can't verify
-                }
+        return runCatching { isGeoBlocked() ?: false }
+            .onFailure {
+                Logger.error("Error in shouldBlockLightning, defaulting to not blocked", context = "GeoCheck")
             }
-        } catch (e: Exception) {
-            Logger.error("Error in shouldBlockLightning, defaulting to not blocked", e, context = "GeoCheck")
-            false // Safe default: don't block on any error
-        }
+            .getOrDefault(false)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
index ff9c8804c..3ff463fb8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ class AppViewModel @Inject constructor(
     private fun checkGeoStatus() {
         viewModelScope.launch {
             try {
-                isGeoBlocked = coreService.checkGeoStatus()
+                isGeoBlocked = coreService.shouldBlockLightning()
             } catch (e: Throwable) {
                 Logger.error("Failed to check geo status: ${e.message}", e, context = TAG)
             }
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepoTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepoTest.kt
index c227e3eee..49dd0e6e6 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepoTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/WalletRepoTest.kt
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ class WalletRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     @Test
     fun `shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity should return false when receiveOnSpendingBalance is false`() = test {
         // Given
-        whenever(coreService.checkGeoStatus()).thenReturn(false)
+        whenever(coreService.shouldBlockLightning()).thenReturn(false)
         sut.toggleReceiveOnSpendingBalance() // Set to false (initial is true)
 
         // When
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ class WalletRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     @Test
     fun `shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity should return false when geo status is true`() = test {
         // Given
-        whenever(coreService.checkGeoStatus()).thenReturn(true)
+        whenever(coreService.shouldBlockLightning()).thenReturn(true)
 
         // When
         val result = sut.shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity()
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class WalletRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     @Test
     fun `shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity should return true when amount exceeds inbound capacity`() = test {
         // Given
-        whenever(coreService.checkGeoStatus()).thenReturn(false)
+        whenever(coreService.shouldBlockLightning()).thenReturn(false)
         val testChannels = listOf(
             mock<ChannelDetails> {
                 on { inboundCapacityMsat } doReturn 500_000u // 500 sats
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ class WalletRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     @Test
     fun `shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity should return false when amount is less than inbound capacity`() = test {
         // Given
-        whenever(coreService.checkGeoStatus()).thenReturn(false)
+        whenever(coreService.shouldBlockLightning()).thenReturn(false)
         val testChannels = listOf(
             mock<ChannelDetails> {
                 on { inboundCapacityMsat } doReturn 500_000u // 500 sats
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ class WalletRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     @Test
     fun `shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity should return failure when exception occurs`() = test {
         // Given
-        whenever(coreService.checkGeoStatus()).thenThrow(RuntimeException("Test error"))
+        whenever(coreService.shouldBlockLightning()).thenThrow(RuntimeException("Test error"))
 
         // When
         val result = sut.shouldRequestAdditionalLiquidity()