diff --git a/app/services/booking_service.py b/app/services/booking_service.py
index 2894287..d4816ef 100644
--- a/app/services/booking_service.py
+++ b/app/services/booking_service.py
@@ -185,11 +185,14 @@ async def admin_update_booking(
     if email:
         slot = await db.fetchrow("SELECT date, start_time FROM time_slots WHERE id = $1", str(booking["slot_id"]))
         if slot:
-            from app.services import email_service
-            if status == "confirmed":
-                await email_service.send_booking_confirmed(email, str(slot["date"]), _fmt_time(slot["start_time"]))
-            elif status == "cancelled":
-                await email_service.send_booking_cancelled(email, str(slot["date"]), _fmt_time(slot["start_time"]))
+            try:
+                from app.services import email_service
+                if status == "confirmed":
+                    await email_service.send_booking_confirmed(email, str(slot["date"]), _fmt_time(slot["start_time"]))
+                elif status == "cancelled":
+                    await email_service.send_booking_cancelled(email, str(slot["date"]), _fmt_time(slot["start_time"]))
+            except Exception:
+                pass  # Email failure must not block the status update
 
     await _log(db, actor_id, f"booking.{status}", "booking", booking_id)
     return await get_booking(db, booking_id)