diff --git a/pkg/display/scheme.go b/pkg/display/scheme.go
index b55d2c55..70e1a4a3 100644
--- a/pkg/display/scheme.go
+++ b/pkg/display/scheme.go
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ func (s *Service) registerDefaultSchemes() {
 func (s *Service) resolveCoreRoute(ctx context.Context, route string, query url.Values) core.Result {
 	segment, subpath := splitCoreRoute(route)
 	if segment == "" {
-		segment = "settings"
+		return core.Result{
+			Value: coreerr.E("display.resolveCoreRoute", "core route is required", nil),
+			OK:    false,
+		}
 	}
 
 	switch segment {
diff --git a/pkg/display/scheme_test.go b/pkg/display/scheme_test.go
index ce61f3e8..7798f78e 100644
--- a/pkg/display/scheme_test.go
+++ b/pkg/display/scheme_test.go
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ func TestScheme_ResolveScheme_Bad(t *testing.T) {
 	malformedResult := svc.ResolveScheme(context.Background(), "://bad-url")
 	require.False(t, malformedResult.OK)
 
+	rootResult := svc.ResolveScheme(context.Background(), "core://")
+	require.False(t, rootResult.OK)
+
 	noHandlerResult := svc.ResolveScheme(context.Background(), "core://store")
 	require.False(t, noHandlerResult.OK)
 }