diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 3d586c2..93e0c7c 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
 		<section id="screen-forest" class="screen">
 			<div class="forest">
 				<h1 class="forest__title">Dein Zauberwald</h1>
+				<div id="forest-greeting" class="companion-area" style="display:none">
+					<img id="forest-greeting-avatar" class="companion-area__avatar" src="" alt="">
+					<p id="forest-greeting-text" class="companion-area__text"></p>
+				</div>
 				<div class="forest__level-map" id="level-map">
 					<!-- Level cards rendered dynamically -->
 				</div>
@@ -39,6 +43,10 @@
 		<section id="screen-lesson" class="screen">
 			<div class="lesson">
 				<button class="lesson__back-btn" id="lesson-back-btn">&#x2190; Zurueck</button>
+				<div id="lesson-companion" class="companion-area" style="display:none">
+					<img id="lesson-companion-avatar" class="companion-area__avatar" src="" alt="">
+					<p id="lesson-companion-text" class="companion-area__text"></p>
+				</div>
 				<div class="lesson__letter-area" id="letter-area">
 					<!-- Current letter appears here -->
 				</div>
diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 6681f52..a648ac7 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import type { ScreenName } from "./types";
 import { openDB, getProgress, saveProgress } from "./storage/db";
 import { initWelcomeScreen, initLessonScreen } from "./ui/screens";
 import { initForestScreen } from "./forest/scene";
+import { getGreeting } from "./companion/companion";
+import { companions } from "./companion/characters";
 
 let db: IDBDatabase;
 let lessonCleanup: (() => void) | null = null;
@@ -89,6 +91,27 @@ export async function initApp(): Promise<void> {
 		// Returning user -- init forest and go there
 		await initForestScreen(db, startLessonFromForest);
 		showScreen("forest");
+
+		// Show companion greeting (per COMP-01, D-14)
+		const companion = companions.find(
+			(c) => c.type === progress.selectedCharacter,
+		);
+		if (companion) {
+			const greetingEl = document.getElementById("forest-greeting")!;
+			const avatarEl = document.getElementById(
+				"forest-greeting-avatar",
+			) as HTMLImageElement;
+			const textEl = document.getElementById("forest-greeting-text")!;
+
+			avatarEl.src = companion.avatarUrl;
+			avatarEl.alt = companion.name;
+			greetingEl.style.display = "flex";
+
+			// Fetch greeting async (shows immediately with avatar, text fills in)
+			getGreeting(progress.selectedCharacter, db).then((text) => {
+				textEl.textContent = text;
+			});
+		}
 	} else {
 		// First time -- show welcome, then forest after setup
 		initWelcomeScreen(db, async (screen: ScreenName) => {
diff --git a/src/companion/fallbacks.ts b/src/companion/fallbacks.ts
index bbcff6c..c652ea9 100644
--- a/src/companion/fallbacks.ts
+++ b/src/companion/fallbacks.ts
@@ -163,12 +163,12 @@ export function getRandomFallbackGreeting(timeOfDay: TimeOfDay): string {
 		(g) => g.timeOfDay === timeOfDay || g.timeOfDay === "any",
 	);
 	const index = Math.floor(Math.random() * matching.length);
-	return matching[index].text;
+	return matching[index]?.text ?? "Willkommen im Zauberwald!";
 }
 
 export function getRandomFallbackForestComment(): string {
 	const index = Math.floor(Math.random() * fallbackForestComments.length);
-	return fallbackForestComments[index];
+	return fallbackForestComments[index] ?? "Schau mal, was im Wald passiert!";
 }
 
 export function getFallbackLetterIntro(
diff --git a/src/ui/screens.ts b/src/ui/screens.ts
index 1de9bf4..48664b9 100644
--- a/src/ui/screens.ts
+++ b/src/ui/screens.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import type {
 	Progress,
 } from "../types";
 import { companions } from "../companion/characters";
-import { saveProgress } from "../storage/db";
+import { saveProgress, getProgress } from "../storage/db";
 import {
 	createExerciseState,
 	handleKeyPress,
@@ -88,6 +88,22 @@ export function initLessonScreen(
 	const backBtn = document.getElementById("lesson-back-btn") as HTMLButtonElement;
 	const state = createExerciseState(level);
 
+	// Show companion avatar (per ASST-04)
+	getProgress(_db).then((progress) => {
+		if (!progress) return;
+		const companion = companions.find(
+			(c) => c.type === progress.selectedCharacter,
+		);
+		if (!companion) return;
+		const area = document.getElementById("lesson-companion")!;
+		const avatar = document.getElementById(
+			"lesson-companion-avatar",
+		) as HTMLImageElement;
+		avatar.src = companion.avatarUrl;
+		avatar.alt = companion.name;
+		area.style.display = "flex";
+	});
+
 	// Render keyboard
 	renderKeyboard(keyboardContainer, layout, level);