diff --git a/backend/src/routes/contacts.js b/backend/src/routes/contacts.js
index 3a7a246..db4080b 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/contacts.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/contacts.js
@@ -6,92 +6,145 @@ import { requireAuth } from '../middleware/auth.js';
 const router = Router();
 
 const getDealParticipants = async (dealId) => {
-  const [rows] = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT d.id, hr.requester_id, o.helper_id
-     FROM deals d
-     JOIN help_requests hr ON hr.id = d.request_id
-     JOIN offers o ON o.id = d.offer_id
-     WHERE d.id = ? LIMIT 1`,
-    [dealId]
-  );
+  try {
+    const [rows] = await pool.query(
+      `SELECT d.id, hr.requester_id, o.helper_id
+       FROM deals d
+       JOIN help_requests hr ON hr.id = d.request_id
+       JOIN offers o ON o.id = d.offer_id
+       WHERE d.id = ? LIMIT 1`,
+      [dealId]
+    );
 
-  return rows[0] || null;
+    return rows[0] || null;
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error('Database error while fetching deal participants');
+  }
 };
 
 router.post('/request', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
-  const parsed = z.object({ dealId: z.number().int().positive(), targetUserId: z.number().int().positive() }).safeParse(req.body);
-  if (!parsed.success) return res.status(400).json({ error: parsed.error.flatten() });
+  try {
+    const parsed = z.object({ 
+      dealId: z.number().int().positive(), 
+      targetUserId: z.number().int().positive() 
+    }).safeParse(req.body);
+    
+    if (!parsed.success) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid input data', details: parsed.error.flatten() });
+    }
 
-  const { dealId, targetUserId } = parsed.data;
-  const deal = await getDealParticipants(dealId);
-  if (!deal) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Deal not found' });
+    const { dealId, targetUserId } = parsed.data;
+    const deal = await getDealParticipants(dealId);
+    
+    if (!deal) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Deal not found' });
+    }
 
-  const participants = [deal.requester_id, deal.helper_id];
-  if (!participants.includes(req.user.userId) || !participants.includes(targetUserId) || req.user.userId === targetUserId) {
-    return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    const participants = [deal.requester_id, deal.helper_id];
+    
+    if (!participants.includes(req.user.userId) || !participants.includes(targetUserId) || req.user.userId === targetUserId) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    }
+
+    const [existing] = await pool.query(
+      `SELECT id FROM contact_exchange_requests
+       WHERE deal_id = ? AND requester_id = ? AND target_id = ? LIMIT 1`,
+      [dealId, req.user.userId, targetUserId]
+    );
+    
+    if (existing.length) {
+      return res.status(409).json({ error: 'Request already exists' });
+    }
+
+    const [result] = await pool.query(
+      `INSERT INTO contact_exchange_requests (deal_id, requester_id, target_id, accepted)
+       VALUES (?, ?, ?, FALSE)`,
+      [dealId, req.user.userId, targetUserId]
+    );
+
+    res.status(201).json({ id: result.insertId });
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error in contacts request route:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server error' });
   }
-
-  const [existing] = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT id FROM contact_exchange_requests
-     WHERE deal_id = ? AND requester_id = ? AND target_id = ? LIMIT 1`,
-    [dealId, req.user.userId, targetUserId]
-  );
-  if (existing.length) return res.status(409).json({ error: 'Request already exists' });
-
-  const [result] = await pool.query(
-    `INSERT INTO contact_exchange_requests (deal_id, requester_id, target_id, accepted)
-     VALUES (?, ?, ?, FALSE)`,
-    [dealId, req.user.userId, targetUserId]
-  );
-
-  res.status(201).json({ id: result.insertId });
 });
 
 router.post('/respond', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
-  const parsed = z.object({ requestId: z.number().int().positive(), accept: z.boolean() }).safeParse(req.body);
-  if (!parsed.success) return res.status(400).json({ error: parsed.error.flatten() });
+  try {
+    const parsed = z.object({ 
+      requestId: z.number().int().positive(), 
+      accept: z.boolean() 
+    }).safeParse(req.body);
+    
+    if (!parsed.success) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid input data', details: parsed.error.flatten() });
+    }
 
-  const { requestId, accept } = parsed.data;
-  const [rows] = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT id, target_id FROM contact_exchange_requests WHERE id = ? LIMIT 1`,
-    [requestId]
-  );
+    const { requestId, accept } = parsed.data;
+    const [rows] = await pool.query(
+      `SELECT id, target_id FROM contact_exchange_requests WHERE id = ? LIMIT 1`,
+      [requestId]
+    );
 
-  const row = rows[0];
-  if (!row) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Request not found' });
-  if (row.target_id !== req.user.userId) return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    const row = rows[0];
+    
+    if (!row) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Request not found' });
+    }
+    
+    if (row.target_id !== req.user.userId) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    }
 
-  if (accept) {
-    await pool.query('UPDATE contact_exchange_requests SET accepted = TRUE WHERE id = ?', [requestId]);
-    return res.json({ status: 'accepted' });
+    if (accept) {
+      await pool.query('UPDATE contact_exchange_requests SET accepted = TRUE WHERE id = ?', [requestId]);
+      return res.json({ status: 'accepted' });
+    }
+
+    await pool.query('DELETE FROM contact_exchange_requests WHERE id = ?', [requestId]);
+    res.json({ status: 'rejected' });
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error in contacts respond route:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server error' });
   }
-
-  await pool.query('DELETE FROM contact_exchange_requests WHERE id = ?', [requestId]);
-  res.json({ status: 'rejected' });
 });
 
 router.get('/deal/:dealId', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
-  const dealId = Number(req.params.dealId);
-  if (Number.isNaN(dealId)) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid dealId' });
+  try {
+    const dealId = Number(req.params.dealId);
+    
+    if (Number.isNaN(dealId)) {
+      return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid dealId' });
+    }
 
-  const deal = await getDealParticipants(dealId);
-  if (!deal) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Deal not found' });
+    const deal = await getDealParticipants(dealId);
+    
+    if (!deal) {
+      return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Deal not found' });
+    }
 
-  const participants = [deal.requester_id, deal.helper_id];
-  if (!participants.includes(req.user.userId)) return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    const participants = [deal.requester_id, deal.helper_id];
+    
+    if (!participants.includes(req.user.userId)) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
+    }
 
-  const [rows] = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT cer.id, cer.requester_id, cer.target_id, cer.accepted,
-            ru.phone_encrypted AS requester_phone_encrypted,
-            tu.phone_encrypted AS target_phone_encrypted
-     FROM contact_exchange_requests cer
-     JOIN users ru ON ru.id = cer.requester_id
-     JOIN users tu ON tu.id = cer.target_id
-     WHERE cer.deal_id = ? AND cer.accepted = TRUE`,
-    [dealId]
-  );
+    const [rows] = await pool.query(
+      `SELECT cer.id, cer.requester_id, cer.target_id, cer.accepted,
+              ru.phone_encrypted AS requester_phone_encrypted,
+              tu.phone_encrypted AS target_phone_encrypted
+       FROM contact_exchange_requests cer
+       JOIN users ru ON ru.id = cer.requester_id
+       JOIN users tu ON tu.id = cer.target_id
+       WHERE cer.deal_id = ? AND cer.accepted = TRUE`,
+      [dealId]
+    );
 
-  res.json(rows);
+    res.json(rows);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error in contacts deal route:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server error' });
+  }
 });
 
-export default router;
+export default router;
\ No newline at end of file