diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
index 1d2f0c76b..14ff82693 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application.android.ts
@@ -131,9 +131,8 @@ let mainEntry: NavigationEntry;
 let started = false;
 // NOTE: for backwards compatibility. Remove for 4.0.0.
 const createRootFrame = { value: true };
-export function start(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
-    console.log("application.start() is deprecated; use application.run() instead");
 
+function _start(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
     if (started) {
         throw new Error("Application is already started.");
     }
@@ -146,13 +145,18 @@ export function start(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
     }
 }
 
+export function start(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
+    console.log("application.start() is deprecated; use application.run() instead");
+    _start(entry);
+}
+
 export function shouldCreateRootFrame(): boolean {
     return createRootFrame.value;
 }
 
 export function run(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
     createRootFrame.value = false;
-    start(entry);
+    _start(entry);
 }
 
 const CALLBACKS = "_callbacks";
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts b/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
index 4d05f90bf..c776fdcf4 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/application/application.ios.ts
@@ -275,16 +275,15 @@ function createRootView(v?: View) {
     let rootView = v;
     if (!rootView) {
         // try to navigate to the mainEntry (if specified)
-        if (mainEntry) {
+        if (!mainEntry) {
+            throw new Error("Main entry is missing. App cannot be started. Verify app bootstrap.");
+        } else {
             if (createRootFrame.value) {
                 const frame = rootView = new Frame();
                 frame.navigate(mainEntry);
             } else {
                 rootView = createViewFromEntry(mainEntry);
             }
-        } else {
-            // TODO: Throw an exception?
-            throw new Error("A Frame must be used to navigate to a Page.");
         }
     }
 
@@ -302,9 +301,7 @@ export function getRootView() {
 // NOTE: for backwards compatibility. Remove for 4.0.0.
 const createRootFrame = { value: true };
 let started: boolean = false;
-export function start(entry?: string | NavigationEntry) {
-    console.log("application.start() is deprecated; use application.run() instead");
-
+function _start(entry?: string | NavigationEntry) {
     mainEntry = typeof entry === "string" ? { moduleName: entry } : entry;
     started = true;
 
@@ -336,9 +333,14 @@ export function start(entry?: string | NavigationEntry) {
     }
 }
 
+export function start(entry?: string | NavigationEntry) {
+    console.log("application.start() is deprecated; use application.run() instead");
+    _start(entry);
+}
+
 export function run(entry?: string | NavigationEntry) {
     createRootFrame.value = false;
-    start(entry);
+    _start(entry);
 }
 
 export function _resetRootView(entry?: NavigationEntry | string) {
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/ui/frame/frame.android.ts b/tns-core-modules/ui/frame/frame.android.ts
index 387c9b193..f3f2decbe 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/ui/frame/frame.android.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/ui/frame/frame.android.ts
@@ -1174,39 +1174,47 @@ class ActivityCallbacksImplementation implements AndroidActivityCallbacks {
             const intent = activity.getIntent();
 
             if (fireLaunchEvent) {
+                // entry point for Angular and Vue frameworks
                 rootView = notifyLaunch(intent, savedInstanceState);
             }
 
-            if (shouldCreateRootFrame) {
-                const extras = intent.getExtras();
-                let frameId = -1;
-
-                // We have extras when we call - new Frame().navigate();
-                // savedInstanceState is used when activity is recreated.
-                // NOTE: On API 23+ we get extras on first run.
-                // Check changed - first try to get frameId from Extras if not from saveInstanceState.
-                if (extras) {
-                    frameId = extras.getInt(INTENT_EXTRA, -1);
+            if (!rootView) {
+                // entry point for NS Core
+                if (!mainEntry) {
+                    // Also handles scenarios with Angular and Vue where the notifyLaunch didn't return a root view.
+                    throw new Error("Main entry is missing. App cannot be started. Verify app bootstrap.");
                 }
 
-                if (savedInstanceState && frameId < 0) {
-                    frameId = savedInstanceState.getInt(INTENT_EXTRA, -1);
-                }
-
-                if (!rootView) {
-                    // If we have frameId from extras - we are starting a new activity from navigation (e.g. new Frame().navigate()))
-                    // Then we check if we have frameId from savedInstanceState - this happens when Activity is destroyed but app was not (e.g. suspend)
-                    rootView = getFrameByNumberId(frameId) || new Frame();
-                }
-
-                if (rootView instanceof Frame) {
-                    rootView.navigate(mainEntry);
+                if (shouldCreateRootFrame) {
+                    const extras = intent.getExtras();
+                    let frameId = -1;
+    
+                    // We have extras when we call - new Frame().navigate();
+                    // savedInstanceState is used when activity is recreated.
+                    // NOTE: On API 23+ we get extras on first run.
+                    // Check changed - first try to get frameId from Extras if not from saveInstanceState.
+                    if (extras) {
+                        frameId = extras.getInt(INTENT_EXTRA, -1);
+                    }
+    
+                    if (savedInstanceState && frameId < 0) {
+                        frameId = savedInstanceState.getInt(INTENT_EXTRA, -1);
+                    }
+    
+                    if (!rootView) {
+                        // If we have frameId from extras - we are starting a new activity from navigation (e.g. new Frame().navigate()))
+                        // Then we check if we have frameId from savedInstanceState - this happens when Activity is destroyed but app was not (e.g. suspend)
+                        rootView = getFrameByNumberId(frameId) || new Frame();
+                    }
+    
+                    if (rootView instanceof Frame) {
+                        rootView.navigate(mainEntry);
+                    } else {
+                        throw new Error("A Frame must be used to navigate to a Page.");
+                    }
                 } else {
-                    throw new Error("A Frame must be used to navigate to a Page.");
+                    rootView = createViewFromEntry(mainEntry);
                 }
-            } else {
-                // Create the root view if the notifyLaunch didn't return it
-                rootView = rootView || createViewFromEntry(mainEntry);
             }
 
             this._rootView = rootView;