diff --git a/web_interface/app.py b/web_interface/app.py
index 97287119..bfb29bf7 100644
--- a/web_interface/app.py
+++ b/web_interface/app.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 import queue
+import shutil
 import sys
 import subprocess
 import threading
@@ -24,6 +25,9 @@ from src.plugin_system.state_manager import PluginStateManager
 from src.plugin_system.operation_history import OperationHistory
 from src.plugin_system.health_monitor import PluginHealthMonitor
 
+_JOURNALCTL = shutil.which('journalctl')
+_SYSTEMCTL = shutil.which('systemctl')
+
 # Create Flask app
 app = Flask(__name__)
 app.secret_key = os.urandom(24)
@@ -492,12 +496,13 @@ def system_status_generator():
             # Check if display service is running (cached to avoid per-client subprocess forks)
             now = time.time()
             if (now - _ledmatrix_service_cache['timestamp']) >= _LEDMATRIX_SERVICE_CACHE_TTL:
-                try:
-                    result = subprocess.run(['systemctl', 'is-active', 'ledmatrix'],
-                                            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=2)
-                    _ledmatrix_service_cache['active'] = result.stdout.strip() == 'active'
-                except (subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
-                    pass
+                if _SYSTEMCTL:
+                    try:
+                        result = subprocess.run([_SYSTEMCTL, 'is-active', 'ledmatrix'],
+                                                capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=2)
+                        _ledmatrix_service_cache['active'] = result.stdout.strip() == 'active'
+                    except (subprocess.SubprocessError, OSError):
+                        pass
                 _ledmatrix_service_cache['timestamp'] = now
             service_active = _ledmatrix_service_cache['active']
             
@@ -589,8 +594,13 @@ def logs_generator():
             # Get recent logs from journalctl (simplified version)
             # Note: User should be in systemd-journal group to read logs without sudo
             try:
+                if not _JOURNALCTL:
+                    yield {'timestamp': time.time(), 'logs': 'journalctl not found; cannot read logs'}
+                    time.sleep(60)
+                    continue
                 result = subprocess.run(
-                    ['journalctl', '-u', 'ledmatrix.service', '-n', '50', '--no-pager'],
+                    [_JOURNALCTL, '-u', 'ledmatrix.service', '-u', 'ledmatrix-web.service',
+                     '-n', '50', '--no-pager', '--output=short-iso'],
                     capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5
                 )
 
@@ -606,7 +616,7 @@ def logs_generator():
                         # No logs available
                         logs_data = {
                             'timestamp': time.time(),
-                            'logs': 'No logs available from ledmatrix service'
+                            'logs': 'No logs available from ledmatrix or ledmatrix-web service'
                         }
                         yield logs_data
                 else:
diff --git a/web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py b/web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py
index d434afc2..e2f5d1fc 100644
--- a/web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py
+++ b/web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import os
 import re
 import stat
 import sys
+import shutil
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import time
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ from src.web_interface.validators import (
 )
 from src.error_aggregator import get_error_aggregator
 
+_SUDO = shutil.which('sudo')
+_JOURNALCTL = shutil.which('journalctl')
+
 # Will be initialized when blueprint is registered
 config_manager = None
 plugin_manager = None
@@ -1459,10 +1463,16 @@ def execute_system_action():
                 result = subprocess.run(['sudo', 'systemctl', 'start', 'ledmatrix'],
                                      capture_output=True, text=True)
                 logger.info("start_display (%s) returned code %d", mode, result.returncode)
-                return jsonify({
+                if result.returncode != 0 and result.stderr:
+                    logger.error("start_display (%s) stderr: %s", mode, result.stderr.strip())
+                resp = {
                     'status': 'success' if result.returncode == 0 else 'error',
                     'message': 'Display started' if result.returncode == 0 else 'Failed to start display',
-                })
+                }
+                if result.returncode != 0:
+                    resp['returncode'] = result.returncode
+                    resp['stderr'] = result.stderr.strip()
+                return jsonify(resp)
             else:
                 result = subprocess.run(['sudo', 'systemctl', 'start', 'ledmatrix'],
                                      capture_output=True, text=True)
@@ -1564,10 +1574,16 @@ def execute_system_action():
             return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'Unknown action'}), 400
 
         logger.info("system action '%s' returncode=%d", action, result.returncode)
-        return jsonify({
+        if result.returncode != 0 and result.stderr:
+            logger.error("system action '%s' stderr: %s", action, result.stderr.strip())
+        resp = {
             'status': 'success' if result.returncode == 0 else 'error',
             'message': 'Action completed' if result.returncode == 0 else 'Action failed; check logs for details',
-        })
+        }
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            resp['returncode'] = result.returncode
+            resp['stderr'] = result.stderr.strip()
+        return jsonify(resp)
 
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error("execute_system_action failed: %s", e, exc_info=True)
@@ -6425,9 +6441,12 @@ def list_plugin_assets():
 def get_logs():
     """Get system logs from journalctl"""
     try:
+        if not _SUDO or not _JOURNALCTL:
+            return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'sudo or journalctl not found on this system'}), 503
         # Get recent logs from journalctl
         result = subprocess.run(
-            ['sudo', 'journalctl', '-u', 'ledmatrix.service', '-n', '100', '--no-pager'],
+            [_SUDO, _JOURNALCTL, '-u', 'ledmatrix.service', '-u', 'ledmatrix-web.service',
+             '-n', '100', '--no-pager', '--output=short-iso'],
             capture_output=True,
             text=True,
             timeout=5
@@ -6438,7 +6457,7 @@ def get_logs():
             return jsonify({
                 'status': 'success',
                 'data': {
-                    'logs': logs_text if logs_text else 'No logs available from ledmatrix service'
+                    'logs': logs_text if logs_text else 'No logs available from ledmatrix or ledmatrix-web service'
                 }
             })
         else: