diff --git a/assets/images/pp/4b8bd95296e082031c8ae8c4b35fed88.png b/assets/images/pp/4b8bd95296e082031c8ae8c4b35fed88.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ec285db
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/pp/4b8bd95296e082031c8ae8c4b35fed88.png differ
diff --git a/assets/images/pp/cc83c3045d2b41073f0939f298d06459.jpg b/assets/images/pp/cc83c3045d2b41073f0939f298d06459.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..309a0f73
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/pp/cc83c3045d2b41073f0939f298d06459.jpg differ
diff --git a/src/pages/other/account_settings.php b/src/pages/other/account_settings.php
index 2fad3432..e99b3114 100644
--- a/src/pages/other/account_settings.php
+++ b/src/pages/other/account_settings.php
@@ -175,11 +175,11 @@ $user = $result->fetch_assoc();
                     }
 
                     if (response.status === 'success') {
-                        // Update the profile picture source with cache-busting query string
-                        // Reload the current page
-                        window.location.reload();
-
                         $('#responseMessage').html('<div class="alert alert-success">' + response.message + '</div>');
+                        // Reload the current page after a short delay
+                        setTimeout(function() {
+                            window.location.reload();
+                        }, 1500);
                     } else {
                         $('#responseMessage').html('<div class="alert alert-danger">' + response.message + '</div>');
                     }
diff --git a/src/processors/upload_profile_picture.php b/src/processors/upload_profile_picture.php
index 775ea2a9..e31a4f56 100644
--- a/src/processors/upload_profile_picture.php
+++ b/src/processors/upload_profile_picture.php
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 <?php
 session_start();
 $rootPath = dirname(dirname(__DIR__));
+require_once($rootPath . "/src/config/env.php");
+require_once($rootPath . "/src/config/session.php");
 include_once($rootPath . '/src/config/connection.php');
 require_once($rootPath . "/src/config/functions.php");
-require_once($rootPath . "/src/config/env.php");
+
+// Check database connection
+if (!isset($conn) || $conn === null) {
+    die(json_encode(['status' => 'error', 'message' => 'Database connection failed']));
+}
 
 $response = array('status' => 'error', 'message' => 'Something went wrong');
 
@@ -69,11 +75,11 @@ if (isset($_FILES['profile_picture']) && $_FILES['profile_picture']['error'] !=
             // Log the action
             auditLog($user_id, 'PROFILE_PIC_UPLOAD', 'users', $user_id, ['filename' => $randomFilename]);
         } else {
-            $response['message'] = 'Failed to update profile picture in the database';
+            $response['message'] = 'Failed to update profile picture in the database: ' . $stmt->error;
         }
         $stmt->close();
     } else {
-        $response['message'] = 'Failed to move uploaded file.';
+        $response['message'] = 'Failed to move uploaded file. Error code: ' . $_FILES['profile_picture']['error'];
     }
 } else {
     $response['message'] = 'No file uploaded or file error.';