diff --git a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.spec.ts b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.spec.ts
index 461d1ba9c3..38b1881dad 100644
--- a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/message_channel.spec.ts
@@ -1260,7 +1260,14 @@ describe("MessageChannel", function () {
     });
   });
 
-  describe("Default localStorage persistence", () => {
+  describe("localStorage persistence", function () {
+    // LocalStorage specific tests (browser)
+    before(function () {
+      if (typeof localStorage === "undefined") {
+        this.skip();
+      }
+    });
+
     it("should restore messages from localStorage on channel recreation", async () => {
       const persistentChannelId = "persistent-channel";
 
diff --git a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/persistent_history.ts b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/persistent_history.ts
index 7806476592..d575e1e3e7 100644
--- a/packages/sds/src/message_channel/persistent_history.ts
+++ b/packages/sds/src/message_channel/persistent_history.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import { bytesToHex, hexToBytes } from "@noble/hashes/utils";
+import { Logger } from "@waku/utils";
 
 import { ILocalHistory, MemLocalHistory } from "./mem_local_history.js";
 import { ChannelId, ContentMessage, HistoryEntry } from "./message.js";
 
+const log = new Logger("sds:persistent-history");
+
 export interface HistoryStorage {
   getItem(key: string): string | null;
   setItem(key: string, value: string): void;
@@ -48,6 +51,13 @@ export class PersistentHistory implements ILocalHistory {
     this.memory = new MemLocalHistory();
     this.storage = options.storage ?? DEFAULT_HISTORY_STORAGE;
     this.storageKey = `${HISTORY_STORAGE_PREFIX}${options.channelId}`;
+
+    if (!this.storage) {
+      log.warn(
+        "Storage backend unavailable (localStorage not found). Falling back to in-memory history. Messages will not persist across sessions."
+      );
+    }
+
     this.load();
   }