diff --git a/app/_layout.tsx b/app/_layout.tsx
index 8e60189e..05249d46 100644
--- a/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Slot, SplashScreen } from 'expo-router';
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { AuthProvider } from '../contexts/AuthContext';
 import { UserProfileProvider } from '../contexts/UserProfileContext';
-import { getAnalyticsInstance } from '../lib/firebase';
+import { activateAnalytics } from '../lib/analytics';
 import "../global.css";
 
 export default function RootLayout() {
@@ -13,14 +13,9 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
     console.log('[RootLayout] Root layout effect running - hiding splash screen');
     SplashScreen.hideAsync();
     
-    // Initialize Firebase Analytics lazily
-    const analytics = getAnalyticsInstance();
-    if (analytics) {
-      console.log('[Analytics] Firebase Analytics initialized');
-    } else {
-      console.log('[Analytics] Firebase Analytics not available (likely not web platform)');
-    }
-  }, []);
+    // Kick off the safe, asynchronous activation of the real analytics.
+    activateAnalytics();
+  }, []); // Run only once
   
   console.log('[RootLayout] Rendering providers and slot');
   return (
diff --git a/lib/analytics-proxy.ts b/lib/analytics-proxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ceb455b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/analytics-proxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/**
+ * A completely safe, inert analytics proxy.
+ * These functions do nothing and are used during app startup to prevent crashes.
+ */
+export const logAnalyticsEvent = async (eventName: string, eventParams?: { [key: string]: any }): Promise<void> => Promise.resolve();
+export const setAnalyticsUserProperties = async (properties: { [key: string]: any }): Promise<void> => Promise.resolve();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/analytics-real.ts b/lib/analytics-real.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39f1ae0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/analytics-real.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { getFirebaseApp } from './firebase';
+import type { Analytics } from 'firebase/analytics';
+
+let analyticsInstance: Analytics | null = null;
+let initializationPromise: Promise<Analytics | null> | null = null;
+
+const getAnalyticsInstance = (): Promise<Analytics | null> => {
+  if (initializationPromise) return initializationPromise;
+
+  initializationPromise = (async () => {
+    if (analyticsInstance) return analyticsInstance;
+    if (typeof window === 'undefined') return null;
+
+    try {
+      const { getAnalytics, isSupported } = await import('firebase/analytics');
+      if (!(await isSupported())) return null;
+
+      const app = await getFirebaseApp();
+      if (!app) return null;
+      
+      const instance = getAnalytics(app);
+      
+      analyticsInstance = instance;
+      return instance;
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('[Analytics REAL] CRITICAL: Real initialization failed.', error);
+      return null;
+    }
+  })();
+  
+  return initializationPromise;
+};
+
+export const logAnalyticsEvent = async (eventName: string, eventParams?: { [key: string]: any }): Promise<void> => {
+  const instance = await getAnalyticsInstance();
+  if (!instance) return;
+  const { logEvent } = await import('firebase/analytics');
+  logEvent(instance, eventName, eventParams);
+};
+
+export const setAnalyticsUserProperties = async (properties: { [key: string]: any }): Promise<void> => {
+  const instance = await getAnalyticsInstance();
+  if (!instance) return;
+  const { setUserProperties } = await import('firebase/analytics');
+  setUserProperties(instance, properties);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/analytics.ts b/lib/analytics.ts
index c326a513..9ae19817 100644
--- a/lib/analytics.ts
+++ b/lib/analytics.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-import { logEvent, setUserProperties } from 'firebase/analytics';
-import { getAnalyticsInstance } from './firebase';
+import * as Decoy from './analytics-proxy';
 
 // Custom event names as defined in the issue
 export const ANALYTICS_EVENTS = {
@@ -58,34 +57,44 @@ export const USER_PROPERTIES = {
   USER_SEGMENT: 'user_segment', // Derived from profile settings
 } as const;
 
-// Helper function to safely log analytics events
-export const logAnalyticsEvent = (eventName: string, parameters?: Record<string, any>) => {
-  const analytics = getAnalyticsInstance();
-  if (analytics) {
-    try {
-      logEvent(analytics, eventName, parameters);
-      console.log(`[Analytics] Event logged: ${eventName}`, parameters);
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error(`[Analytics] Failed to log event ${eventName}:`, error);
-    }
-  } else {
-    console.log(`[Analytics] Analytics not available, would log: ${eventName}`, parameters);
-  }
+let isActivationStarted = false;
+
+// Function type definitions
+type LogEventFunction = (eventName: string, eventParams?: { [key: string]: any }) => Promise<void>;
+type SetPropertiesFunction = (properties: { [key: string]: any }) => Promise<void>;
+
+// By default, all exports point to the safe decoy functions.
+let _logAnalyticsEvent: LogEventFunction = Decoy.logAnalyticsEvent;
+let _setAnalyticsUserProperties: SetPropertiesFunction = Decoy.setAnalyticsUserProperties;
+
+/**
+ * Call this ONCE from the root of the app after it has stabilized.
+ * It will load the real analytics module and hot-swap the functions.
+ */
+export const activateAnalytics = () => {
+  if (isActivationStarted) return;
+  isActivationStarted = true;
+
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    import('./analytics-real')
+      .then(RealAnalytics => {
+        _logAnalyticsEvent = RealAnalytics.logAnalyticsEvent;
+        _setAnalyticsUserProperties = RealAnalytics.setAnalyticsUserProperties;
+        console.log('[Analytics Controller] ✅ Analytics ACTIVATED. Real functions are now live.');
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        console.error('[Analytics Controller] ❌ FAILED TO ACTIVATE ANALYTICS. App will continue safely with decoy.', error);
+      });
+  }, 500); // Generous delay to ensure app is stable
 };
 
-// Helper function to safely set user properties
-export const setAnalyticsUserProperties = (properties: Record<string, any>) => {
-  const analytics = getAnalyticsInstance();
-  if (analytics) {
-    try {
-      setUserProperties(analytics, properties);
-      console.log(`[Analytics] User properties set:`, properties);
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error(`[Analytics] Failed to set user properties:`, error);
-    }
-  } else {
-    console.log(`[Analytics] Analytics not available, would set properties:`, properties);
-  }
+// Export wrapper functions that call the swappable implementations.
+export const logAnalyticsEvent = async (eventName: string, parameters?: Record<string, any>): Promise<void> => {
+  return await _logAnalyticsEvent(eventName, parameters);
+};
+
+export const setAnalyticsUserProperties = async (properties: Record<string, any>): Promise<void> => {
+  return await _setAnalyticsUserProperties(properties);
 };
 
 // Helper function to set personalization user properties from profile
diff --git a/lib/firebase.ts b/lib/firebase.ts
index 868fd008..9589d67e 100644
--- a/lib/firebase.ts
+++ b/lib/firebase.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { initializeApp, FirebaseApp } from "firebase/app";
 import { getAuth, Auth } from "firebase/auth";
-import { getAnalytics, Analytics } from "firebase/analytics";
 import { getFirestore, Firestore } from "firebase/firestore";
 import Constants from "expo-constants";
 
@@ -19,9 +18,8 @@ const firebaseConfig = Constants.expoConfig?.extra?.firebase || {
 let app: FirebaseApp | undefined = undefined;
 let authInstance: Auth | undefined = undefined;
 let dbInstance: Firestore | undefined = undefined;
-let analyticsInstance: Analytics | undefined = undefined;
 
-const getFirebaseApp = (): FirebaseApp => {
+export const getFirebaseApp = (): FirebaseApp => {
   if (!app) {
     try {
       console.log('[Firebase] Initializing Firebase app...');
@@ -40,6 +38,10 @@ const getFirebaseApp = (): FirebaseApp => {
   return app;
 };
 
+export const getFullFirebaseConfig = () => {
+  return firebaseConfig;
+};
+
 export const getAuthInstance = (): Auth => {
   if (!authInstance) {
     try {
@@ -68,31 +70,6 @@ export const getDbInstance = (): Firestore => {
   return dbInstance;
 };
 
-export const getAnalyticsInstance = (): Analytics | undefined => {
-  if (typeof window === "undefined") {
-    console.log('[Firebase] Analytics not available - not in browser environment');
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  
-  if (!analyticsInstance) {
-    try {
-      console.log('[Firebase] Initializing Firebase Analytics...');
-      analyticsInstance = getAnalytics(getFirebaseApp());
-      console.log('[Firebase] Firebase Analytics initialized successfully');
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error('[Firebase] Analytics initialization failed:', error);
-      console.error('[Firebase] Analytics error details:', {
-        message: error?.message,
-        stack: error?.stack,
-        name: error?.name
-      });
-      return undefined;
-    }
-  }
-  
-  return analyticsInstance;
-};
-
 // For backward compatibility, provide auth and db as getters
 // These will initialize on first access rather than at module load time
 export const auth = new Proxy({} as Auth, {