diff --git a/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/CoroutineHelpers.kt b/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/CoroutineHelpers.kt
index 2497234d9ba2..aa1e0b3fad8e 100644
--- a/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/CoroutineHelpers.kt
+++ b/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/CoroutineHelpers.kt
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ import androidx.annotation.StringRes
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog
 import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment
 import androidx.fragment.app.FragmentActivity
+import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.coroutineScope
+import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import anki.collection.Progress
 import com.ichi2.anki.CollectionManager.TR
 import com.ichi2.anki.CollectionManager.withCol
@@ -41,6 +43,46 @@ import timber.log.Timber
 import kotlin.coroutines.resume
 import kotlin.coroutines.suspendCoroutine
 
+/**
+ * Runs a suspend function that catches any uncaught errors and reports them to the user.
+ * Errors from the backend contain localized text that is often suitable to show to the user as-is.
+ * Other errors should ideally be handled in the block.
+ */
+fun CoroutineScope.launchCatching(
+    block: suspend () -> Unit,
+    dispatcher: CoroutineDispatcher = Dispatchers.Default,
+    errorMessageHandler: suspend (String) -> Unit
+): Job {
+    return launch(dispatcher) {
+        try {
+            block.invoke()
+        } catch (cancellationException: CancellationException) {
+            // CancellationException should be re-thrown to propagate it to the parent coroutine
+            throw cancellationException
+        } catch (backendException: BackendException) {
+            Timber.w(backendException)
+            val message = backendException.localizedMessage ?: backendException.toString()
+            errorMessageHandler.invoke(message)
+        } catch (exception: Exception) {
+            Timber.w(exception)
+            errorMessageHandler.invoke(exception.toString())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+@Suppress("UNCHECKED_CAST")
+fun <T> ViewModel.launchCatching(
+    block: suspend T.() -> Unit,
+    dispatcher: CoroutineDispatcher = Dispatchers.Default,
+    errorMessageHandler: suspend (String) -> Unit
+): Job {
+    return viewModelScope.launchCatching(
+        { block.invoke(this as T) },
+        dispatcher,
+        errorMessageHandler
+    )
+}
+
 /**
  * Runs a suspend function that catches any uncaught errors and reports them to the user.
  * Errors from the backend contain localized text that is often suitable to show to the user as-is.
diff --git a/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/previewer/PreviewerViewModel.kt b/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/previewer/PreviewerViewModel.kt
index f5bd3a17401c..768994f2be02 100644
--- a/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/previewer/PreviewerViewModel.kt
+++ b/AnkiDroid/src/main/java/com/ichi2/anki/previewer/PreviewerViewModel.kt
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package com.ichi2.anki.previewer
 import android.content.Context
 import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProvider
-import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import androidx.lifecycle.viewmodel.initializer
 import androidx.lifecycle.viewmodel.viewModelFactory
 import com.google.android.material.color.MaterialColors.getColor
@@ -26,20 +25,19 @@ import com.ichi2.anki.AnkiDroidApp
 import com.ichi2.anki.CollectionManager.withCol
 import com.ichi2.anki.Flag
 import com.ichi2.anki.LanguageUtils
+import com.ichi2.anki.launchCatching
 import com.ichi2.anki.servicelayer.MARKED_TAG
 import com.ichi2.anki.servicelayer.NoteService
 import com.ichi2.libanki.Card
 import com.ichi2.libanki.addPlayButtons
 import com.ichi2.themes.Themes
 import com.ichi2.utils.toRGBHex
-import kotlinx.coroutines.CancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
-import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import kotlinx.serialization.encodeToString
 import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json
-import net.ankiweb.rsdroid.BackendException
 import org.intellij.lang.annotations.Language
 import timber.log.Timber
 
@@ -169,21 +167,9 @@ class PreviewerViewModel(mediaDir: String, private val selectedCardIds: LongArra
         showAnswerOrDisplayCard(currentIndex.value + 1)
     }
 
-    fun launchCatching(block: suspend PreviewerViewModel.() -> Unit) {
-        viewModelScope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
-            try {
-                block.invoke(this@PreviewerViewModel)
-            } catch (cancellationException: CancellationException) {
-                // CancellationException should be re-thrown to propagate it to the parent coroutine
-                throw cancellationException
-            } catch (backendException: BackendException) {
-                Timber.w(backendException)
-                val message = backendException.localizedMessage ?: backendException.toString()
-                onError.emit(message)
-            } catch (exception: Exception) {
-                Timber.w(exception)
-                onError.emit(exception.toString())
-            }
+    fun launchCatching(block: suspend PreviewerViewModel.() -> Unit): Job {
+        return launchCatching(block, Dispatchers.IO) { message ->
+            onError.emit(message)
         }
     }