diff --git a/devtools/client/storage/panel.js b/devtools/client/storage/panel.js
index 8187e3f1c98..149e4adc093 100644
--- a/devtools/client/storage/panel.js
+++ b/devtools/client/storage/panel.js
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ StoragePanel.prototype = {
       this.emit("ready");
 
       return this;
-    }).catch(this.destroy);
+    }).catch(e => {
+      console.log("error while opening storage panel", e);
+      this.destroy();
+    });
   },
 
   /**
diff --git a/devtools/client/storage/test/head.js b/devtools/client/storage/test/head.js
index af918583746..b5a11da9f9a 100644
--- a/devtools/client/storage/test/head.js
+++ b/devtools/client/storage/test/head.js
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ function* selectTreeItem(ids) {
 
   let selector = "[data-id='" + JSON.stringify(ids) + "'] > .tree-widget-item";
   let target = gPanelWindow.document.querySelector(selector);
+  ok(target, "tree item found with ids " + JSON.stringify(ids));
 
   let updated = gUI.once("store-objects-updated");
 
@@ -506,6 +507,7 @@ function* selectTreeItem(ids) {
 function* selectTableItem(id) {
   let selector = ".table-widget-cell[data-id='" + id + "']";
   let target = gPanelWindow.document.querySelector(selector);
+  ok(target, "table item found with ids " + id);
 
   yield click(target);
   yield gUI.once("sidebar-updated");
diff --git a/devtools/client/storage/ui.js b/devtools/client/storage/ui.js
index 797bfd477a8..3b625f65ef6 100644
--- a/devtools/client/storage/ui.js
+++ b/devtools/client/storage/ui.js
@@ -341,11 +341,16 @@ StorageUI.prototype = {
   populateStorageTree: function(storageTypes) {
     this.storageTypes = {};
     for (let type in storageTypes) {
+      // Ignore `from` field, which is just a protocol.js implementation artifact
       if (type === "from") {
         continue;
       }
-
-      let typeLabel = L10N.getStr("tree.labels." + type);
+      let typeLabel = type;
+      try {
+        typeLabel = L10N.getStr("tree.labels." + type);
+      } catch(e) {
+        console.error("Unable to localize tree label type:" + type);
+      }
       this.tree.add([{id: type, label: typeLabel, type: "store"}]);
       if (!storageTypes[type].hosts) {
         continue;
@@ -568,7 +573,12 @@ StorageUI.prototype = {
       if (!uniqueKey) {
         this.table.uniqueId = uniqueKey = key;
       }
-      columns[key] = L10N.getStr("table.headers." + type + "." + key);
+      columns[key] = key;
+      try {
+        columns[key] = L10N.getStr("table.headers." + type + "." + key);
+      } catch(e) {
+        console.error("Unable to localize table header type:" + type + " key:" + key);
+      }
     }
     this.table.setColumns(columns, null, HIDDEN_COLUMNS);
     this.shouldResetColumns = false;