diff --git a/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/activities/EmulationActivity.kt b/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/activities/EmulationActivity.kt
index bef01f156..164e85b49 100644
--- a/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/activities/EmulationActivity.kt
+++ b/src/android/app/src/main/java/org/citron/citron_emu/activities/EmulationActivity.kt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package org.citron.citron_emu.activities
 
 import android.annotation.SuppressLint
+import android.app.AlertDialog
 import android.app.PendingIntent
 import android.app.PictureInPictureParams
 import android.app.RemoteAction
@@ -80,6 +81,19 @@ class EmulationActivity : AppCompatActivity(), SensorEventListener {
 
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
 
+        // Check if firmware is available
+        if (!NativeLibrary.isFirmwareAvailable() || !NativeLibrary.checkFirmwarePresence()) {
+            AlertDialog.Builder(this)
+                .setTitle(R.string.firmware_missing_title)
+                .setMessage(R.string.firmware_missing_message)
+                .setPositiveButton(R.string.ok) { _, _ ->
+                    finish()
+                }
+                .setCancelable(false)
+                .show()
+            return
+        }
+
         // Add license verification at the start
         LicenseVerifier.verifyLicense(this)
 
diff --git a/src/android/app/src/main/jni/native_library.cpp b/src/android/app/src/main/jni/native_library.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41152ef41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/android/app/src/main/jni/native_library.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#include "core/crypto/key_manager.h"
+#include "core/hle/service/am/am.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/registered_cache.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/content_archive.h"
+#include "core/system.h"
+
+extern "C" {
+
+JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_citron_citron_1emu_NativeLibrary_isFirmwareAvailable(
+    JNIEnv* env, jobject obj) {
+    return Core::Crypto::KeyManager::Instance().IsFirmwareAvailable();
+}
+
+JNIEXPORT jboolean JNICALL Java_org_citron_citron_1emu_NativeLibrary_checkFirmwarePresence(
+    JNIEnv* env, jobject obj) {
+    constexpr u64 MiiEditId = 0x0100000000001009; // Mii Edit applet ID
+    constexpr u64 QLaunchId = 0x0100000000001000; // Home Menu applet ID
+
+    auto& system = Core::System::GetInstance();
+    auto bis_system = system.GetFileSystemController().GetSystemNANDContents();
+    if (!bis_system) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    auto mii_applet_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(MiiEditId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+    auto qlaunch_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(QLaunchId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+
+    return (mii_applet_nca != nullptr && qlaunch_nca != nullptr);
+}
+
+} // extern "C"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/src/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index ce2b21bf1..355384ab4 100644
--- a/src/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/src/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
     <string name="keys">Keys</string>
     <string name="keys_description">Select your &lt;b>prod.keys&lt;/b> file with the button below.</string>
     <string name="select_keys">Select Keys</string>
+    <string name="firmware_missing_title">Missing Firmware</string>
+    <string name="firmware_missing_message">Firmware is required to launch games.\n\nPlease install firmware by placing your Switch firmware files in the appropriate location.</string>
+    <string name="ok">OK</string>
     <string name="games">Games</string>
     <string name="games_description">Select your &lt;b>Games&lt;/b> folder with the button below.</string>
     <string name="done">Done</string>
diff --git a/src/citron/main.cpp b/src/citron/main.cpp
index cb6cedd19..d4ff764a8 100644
--- a/src/citron/main.cpp
+++ b/src/citron/main.cpp
@@ -4787,19 +4787,24 @@ void GMainWindow::OnCheckFirmwareDecryption() {
 }
 
 bool GMainWindow::CheckFirmwarePresence() {
-    constexpr u64 MiiEditId = static_cast<u64>(Service::AM::AppletProgramId::MiiEdit);
+    constexpr u64 MiiEditId = 0x0100000000001009; // Mii Edit applet ID
+    constexpr u64 QLaunchId = 0x0100000000001000; // Home Menu applet ID
 
     auto bis_system = system->GetFileSystemController().GetSystemNANDContents();
     if (!bis_system) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    // Check for essential system applets
     auto mii_applet_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(MiiEditId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
-    if (!mii_applet_nca) {
+    auto qlaunch_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(QLaunchId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+
+    if (!mii_applet_nca || !qlaunch_nca) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    return true;
+    // Also check for essential keys
+    return Core::Crypto::KeyManager::Instance().IsFirmwareAvailable();
 }
 
 void GMainWindow::SetFirmwareVersion() {
diff --git a/src/core/crypto/key_manager.cpp b/src/core/crypto/key_manager.cpp
index e61a59fc9..eb5dd8cb1 100644
--- a/src/core/crypto/key_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/crypto/key_manager.cpp
@@ -1290,4 +1290,31 @@ bool KeyManager::AddTicket(const Ticket& ticket) {
     SetKey(S128KeyType::Titlekey, key.value(), rights_id[1], rights_id[0]);
     return true;
 }
+
+bool KeyManager::IsFirmwareAvailable() const {
+    // Check for essential keys that would only be present with firmware
+    if (!HasKey(S128KeyType::Master, 0)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Check for at least one titlekek
+    bool has_titlekek = false;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < CURRENT_CRYPTO_REVISION; ++i) {
+        if (HasKey(S128KeyType::Titlekek, i)) {
+            has_titlekek = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!has_titlekek) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Check for header key
+    if (!HasKey(S256KeyType::Header)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
 } // namespace Core::Crypto
diff --git a/src/core/crypto/key_manager.h b/src/core/crypto/key_manager.h
index 0adf3701f..2a5f0c093 100644
--- a/src/core/crypto/key_manager.h
+++ b/src/core/crypto/key_manager.h
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ public:
     void ReloadKeys();
     bool AreKeysLoaded() const;
 
+    // Check if firmware is installed by verifying essential keys
+    bool IsFirmwareAvailable() const;
+
 private:
     KeyManager();
 
diff --git a/src/core/file_sys/content_manager.cpp b/src/core/file_sys/content_manager.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd53978fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/file_sys/content_manager.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#include "core/system.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/registered_cache.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/content_archive.h"
+#include "core/crypto/key_manager.h"
+
+bool ContentManager::IsFirmwareAvailable() {
+    constexpr u64 MiiEditId = 0x0100000000001009; // Mii Edit applet ID
+    constexpr u64 QLaunchId = 0x0100000000001000; // Home Menu applet ID
+
+    auto& system = Core::System::GetInstance();
+    auto bis_system = system.GetFileSystemController().GetSystemNANDContents();
+    if (!bis_system) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    auto mii_applet_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(MiiEditId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+    auto qlaunch_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(QLaunchId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+
+    if (!mii_applet_nca || !qlaunch_nca) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Also check for essential keys
+    return Core::Crypto::KeyManager::Instance().IsFirmwareAvailable();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/loader/loader.cpp b/src/core/loader/loader.cpp
index b6e355622..0135d6f81 100644
--- a/src/core/loader/loader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/loader/loader.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 #include "core/loader/nso.h"
 #include "core/loader/nsp.h"
 #include "core/loader/xci.h"
+#include "core/hle/service/am/am.h"
+#include "core/hle/service/filesystem/filesystem.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/registered_cache.h"
+#include "core/file_sys/content_archive.h"
 
 namespace Loader {
 
@@ -250,6 +254,20 @@ std::unique_ptr<AppLoader> GetLoader(Core::System& system, FileSys::VirtualFile
         return nullptr;
     }
 
+    // Check if firmware is available
+    constexpr u64 MiiEditId = 0x0100000000001009; // Mii Edit applet ID
+    auto bis_system = system.GetFileSystemController().GetSystemNANDContents();
+    if (bis_system) {
+        auto mii_applet_nca = bis_system->GetEntry(MiiEditId, FileSys::ContentRecordType::Program);
+        if (!mii_applet_nca) {
+            LOG_ERROR(Loader, "Firmware is required to launch games but is not available");
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+    } else {
+        LOG_ERROR(Loader, "System NAND contents not available");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
     FileType type = IdentifyFile(file);
     const FileType filename_type = GuessFromFilename(file->GetName());