diff --git a/android/build.gradle b/android/build.gradle
index b900087..3bf2605 100644
--- a/android/build.gradle
+++ b/android/build.gradle
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ dependencies {
 
   implementation platform('com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:34.10.0')
   implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore'
+  implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-auth'
 
   natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-arm64-v8a"
   natives "com.badlogicgames.gdx:gdx-platform:$gdxVersion:natives-armeabi-v7a"
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/AndroidLauncher.java b/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/AndroidLauncher.java
index efee2c9..cb4ea59 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/AndroidLauncher.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/AndroidLauncher.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import com.badlogic.gdx.backends.android.AndroidApplication;
 import com.badlogic.gdx.backends.android.AndroidApplicationConfiguration;
 import com.google.firebase.firestore.FirebaseFirestore;
+import com.google.firebase.auth.FirebaseAuth;
 import group07.beatbattle.BeatBattle;
 import group07.beatbattle.android.firebase.AndroidFirebaseGateway;
 import group07.beatbattle.firebase.FirebaseGateway;
@@ -15,16 +16,23 @@ public class AndroidLauncher extends AndroidApplication {
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
-
         AndroidApplicationConfiguration configuration = new AndroidApplicationConfiguration();
         configuration.useImmersiveMode = true;
 
         FirebaseFirestore firestore = FirebaseFirestore.getInstance();
         FirestoreSessionRepository sessionRepository = new FirestoreSessionRepository(firestore);
-        FirebaseGateway firebaseGateway = new AndroidFirebaseGateway(sessionRepository);
+        AndroidFirebaseGateway firebaseGateway = new AndroidFirebaseGateway(sessionRepository);
 
+        // Initialize LibGDX immediately so onResume() works
         BeatBattle game = new BeatBattle(firebaseGateway);
         game.setServices(new DeezerMusicService(), new AndroidAudioPlayer(this));
         initialize(game, configuration);
+
+        // Sign in anonymously in the background — Firestore calls won't happen
+        // until the user actually creates/joins a session anyway
+        FirebaseAuth.getInstance().signInAnonymously()
+            .addOnFailureListener(e ->
+                android.util.Log.e("AndroidLauncher", "Anonymous sign-in failed: " + e.getMessage())
+            );
     }
 }
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/firebase/FirestoreSessionRepository.java b/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/firebase/FirestoreSessionRepository.java
index d3554d2..3722644 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/firebase/FirestoreSessionRepository.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/group07/beatbattle/android/firebase/FirestoreSessionRepository.java
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ public void createSession(
         firestore.collection(SESSIONS)
             .add(session)
             .addOnSuccessListener(docRef -> callback.onSuccess(docRef.getId()))
-            .addOnFailureListener(callback::onFailure);
+            .addOnFailureListener(e -> {
+                android.util.Log.e("Firestore", "createSession failed: " + e.getMessage());
+                callback.onFailure(e);
+            });
     }
 
     public void addHostToPlayers(