diff --git a/src/bench.cpp b/src/bench.cpp
index 53f6f1d..55cfd65 100644
--- a/src/bench.cpp
+++ b/src/bench.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,14 @@ Bench::Results Bench::bench(int hashSize, int depth, int cores, bool verbose)
 
     // ensure TBs and NNUE are initialized
     globals::delayedInit();
+    if (!globals::nnueInitDone) {
+        std::cout << "info string ERROR: no network loaded, bench not run" << std::endl;
+        globals::options.search.hash_table_size = tmp_hash;
+        globals::options.search.ncpus = tmp_cores;
+        globals::options.book.book_enabled = tmp_book;
+        globals::options.book.eco_enabled = tmp_eco;
+        return Results();
+    }
 
     SearchController *searcher = new SearchController();
     searcher->updateSearchOptions();
diff --git a/src/globals.cpp b/src/globals.cpp
index 373bb27..422ff88 100644
--- a/src/globals.cpp
+++ b/src/globals.cpp
@@ -311,9 +311,15 @@ void globals::delayedInit(bool verbose) {
                       << std::endl;
         }
         if (!nnueInitDone) {
+#ifdef RAMA_NO_EXIT_WITHOUT_NET
+            // Rama Chess Android build: no exit, the app sets the net with
+            // "setoption name NNUE file value <absolute path>"; go answers bestmove 0000 until then
+            std::cout << "info string ERROR: failed to load network, use setoption name NNUE file value <path>" << std::endl;
+#else
             // This is now a fatal error
             std::cerr << "failed to load network, terminating." << std::endl;
             exit(-1);
+#endif
         }
     }
     // also initialize the book here
diff --git a/src/protocol.cpp b/src/protocol.cpp
index d9e852f..f85d11d 100644
--- a/src/protocol.cpp
+++ b/src/protocol.cpp
@@ -2256,6 +2256,11 @@ bool Protocol::do_command(const std::string &cmd, Board &board) {
         // not initialized. Make sure they are before we execute
         // "go:"
         globals::delayedInit();
+        if (!globals::nnueInitDone) {
+            std::cout << "info string ERROR: no network loaded, use setoption name NNUE file value <path>" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "bestmove 0000" << std::endl;
+            return true;
+        }
         if (do_ponder) {
             ponder<true>(board,NullMove,NullMove);
             // We should not send the move unless we have received a