diff --git a/packages/clerk_flutter/lib/src/widgets/control/clerk_error_listener.dart b/packages/clerk_flutter/lib/src/widgets/control/clerk_error_listener.dart
index ed23e62..9b27fd0 100644
--- a/packages/clerk_flutter/lib/src/widgets/control/clerk_error_listener.dart
+++ b/packages/clerk_flutter/lib/src/widgets/control/clerk_error_listener.dart
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import 'package:clerk_flutter/clerk_flutter.dart';
 import 'package:clerk_flutter/src/utils/localization_extensions.dart';
 import 'package:clerk_flutter/src/widgets/ui/style/colors.dart';
 import 'package:clerk_flutter/src/widgets/ui/style/text_style.dart';
-import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart' show kDebugMode;
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
 /// Clerk Error Handler
@@ -24,35 +23,31 @@ class ClerkErrorListener extends StatefulWidget {
   /// Construct a [ClerkErrorListener] widget
   const ClerkErrorListener({
     super.key,
-    this.handler = defaultErrorHandler,
+    this.handler,
     required this.child,
   });
 
   /// Implement this function to handle errors
-  final ClerkErrorHandler handler;
+  final ClerkErrorHandler? handler;
 
   /// Child to wrap
   final Widget child;
 
-  /// Default Error Handler
-  static Future<void> defaultErrorHandler(
-    BuildContext context,
-    AuthError error,
-  ) async {
-    final localizations = ClerkAuth.localizationsOf(context);
-    final message = error.localizedMessage(localizations);
+  @override
+  State<ClerkErrorListener> createState() => _ClerkErrorListenerState();
+}
 
-    final messenger = ScaffoldMessenger.maybeOf(context);
-    if (messenger == null) {
-      if (kDebugMode) {
-        debugPrint(
-          'Warning: no ScaffoldMessenger found '
-          'to display error: $message',
-        );
-      }
-      return;
+class _ClerkErrorListenerState extends State<ClerkErrorListener> {
+  StreamSubscription<void>? _errorSub;
+
+  Future<void> _errorHandler(AuthError error) async {
+    if (widget.handler case ClerkErrorHandler handler) {
+      return handler(context, error);
     }
 
+    final messenger = ScaffoldMessenger.of(context);
+    final localizations = ClerkAuth.localizationsOf(context);
+    final message = error.localizedMessage(localizations);
     final controller = messenger.showSnackBar(
       SnackBar(
         shape: const RoundedRectangleBorder(
@@ -74,32 +69,25 @@ class ClerkErrorListener extends StatefulWidget {
   }
 
   @override
-  State<ClerkErrorListener> createState() => _ClerkErrorListenerState();
-}
-
-class _ClerkErrorListenerState extends State<ClerkErrorListener> {
-  late StreamSubscription<void> _errorSub;
-
-  @override
-  void initState() {
-    super.initState();
-    _errorSub = ClerkAuth.errorStreamOf(context)
-        .asyncMap((error) => widget.handler(context, error))
-        .listen(null);
+  void didChangeDependencies() {
+    super.didChangeDependencies();
+    if (_errorSub == null) {
+      assert(
+        widget.handler != null || ScaffoldMessenger.maybeOf(context) != null,
+        'ClerkErrorListener must be placed beneath a ScaffoldMessenger '
+        'in the widget tree, or a handler provided',
+      );
+      _errorSub =
+          ClerkAuth.errorStreamOf(context).asyncMap(_errorHandler).listen(null);
+    }
   }
 
   @override
   void dispose() {
-    _errorSub.cancel();
+    _errorSub?.cancel();
     super.dispose();
   }
 
   @override
-  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    assert(
-      ScaffoldMessenger.maybeOf(context) != null,
-      'ClerkErrorListener must be placed beneath a ScaffoldMessenger in the widget tree',
-    );
-    return widget.child;
-  }
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) => widget.child;
 }