diff --git a/src/lib/detect.ts b/src/lib/detect.ts
index c67fbe602..40a912e48 100644
--- a/src/lib/detect.ts
+++ b/src/lib/detect.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,31 @@ import {
 } from './constants';
 import { NextApiRequestCollect } from 'pages/api/send';
 
-let lookup;
+
+// 1. Initialize lookup OUTSIDE any function, but make it a Promise.
+let lookupPromise: any = null;
+
+// 2. Create an initialization function.
+async function initializeMaxmind() {
+  if (!lookupPromise) {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+    console.log('debug: loading GeoLite2-City.mmdb');
+    const dir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'geo');
+    const dbPath = path.resolve(dir, 'GeoLite2-City.mmdb');
+
+    // Use try/catch for error handling during DB loading
+    try {
+      lookupPromise = maxmind.open(dbPath);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error("Error loading GeoLite2 database:", error);
+      //  CRITICAL:  You MUST handle the error here.  Throwing an error
+      //  will cause the server to crash, which is better than running
+      //  without the database.
+      throw error;  // Re-throw to prevent the app from starting.
+    }
+  }
+  return lookupPromise;
+}
 
 export function getIpAddress(req: NextApiRequestCollect) {
   const customHeader = String(process.env.CLIENT_IP_HEADER).toLowerCase();
@@ -107,17 +131,11 @@ export async function getLocation(ip: string, req: NextApiRequestCollect) {
     };
   }
 
-  // Database lookup
-  if (!lookup) {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    console.log('debug: loading GeoLite2-City.mmdb');
-    const dir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'geo');
-
-    lookup = await maxmind.open(path.resolve(dir, 'GeoLite2-City.mmdb'));
+  const lookup = await lookupPromise;
+  if (!lookup) { // This check is likely unnecessary, but good for safety.
+    throw new Error("Maxmind database not loaded.");
   }
 
-  const result = lookup.get(ip);
-
   if (result) {
     const country = result.country?.iso_code ?? result?.registered_country?.iso_code;
     const subdivision1 = result.subdivisions?.[0]?.iso_code;