diff --git a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.cpp b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.cpp
index 24ca00ff..e57e97d8 100644
--- a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.cpp
+++ b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include "MplabPickit4.hpp"
 
+#include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp"
+#include "src/Services/PathService.hpp"
+
 namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
 {
     MplabPickit4::MplabPickit4()
@@ -9,4 +12,31 @@ namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
             MplabPickit4::CMSIS_HID_INTERFACE_NUMBER
         )
     {}
+
+    void MplabPickit4::init() {
+        using Exceptions::DeviceNotFound;
+
+        try {
+            EdbgDevice::init();
+
+        } catch (const DeviceNotFound& exception) {
+            /*
+             * The MPLAB PICkit 4 could be connected but not in AVR mode - if this is the case, inform the user and
+             * direct them to the AVR mode article.
+             */
+            const auto nonEdbgDevices = this->findMatchingDevices(
+                MplabPickit4::NON_EDBG_USB_VENDOR_ID,
+                MplabPickit4::NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID
+            );
+
+            if (!nonEdbgDevices.empty()) {
+                throw DeviceNotFound(
+                    "The connected MPLAB PICkit 4 device is not in \"AVR mode\". Please follow the instructions at "
+                        + Services::PathService::homeDomainName() + "/docs/avr-mode"
+                );
+            }
+
+            throw exception;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.hpp b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.hpp
index 63ca1f8a..a8ca45f4 100644
--- a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.hpp
+++ b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabPickit4/MplabPickit4.hpp
@@ -26,10 +26,15 @@ namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
         static const inline std::uint16_t USB_PRODUCT_ID = 0x2177;
         static const inline std::uint8_t CMSIS_HID_INTERFACE_NUMBER = 0;
 
+        static const inline std::uint16_t NON_EDBG_USB_VENDOR_ID = 0x04d8;
+        static const inline std::uint16_t NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID = 0x9012;
+
         MplabPickit4();
 
         std::string getName() override {
             return "MPLAB PICkit 4";
         }
+
+        void init() override;
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.cpp b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.cpp
index b513c847..3a0e747f 100644
--- a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.cpp
+++ b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include "MplabSnap.hpp"
 
+#include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp"
+#include "src/Services/PathService.hpp"
+
 namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
 {
     MplabSnap::MplabSnap()
@@ -9,4 +12,39 @@ namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
             MplabSnap::CMSIS_HID_INTERFACE_NUMBER
         )
     {}
+
+    void MplabSnap::init() {
+        using Exceptions::DeviceNotFound;
+
+        try {
+            EdbgDevice::init();
+
+        } catch (const DeviceNotFound& exception) {
+            /*
+             * The MPLAB Snap could be connected but not in AVR mode - if this is the case, inform the user and direct
+             * them to the AVR mode article.
+             */
+            auto nonEdbgDevices = this->findMatchingDevices(
+                MplabSnap::NON_EDBG_USB_VENDOR_ID,
+                MplabSnap::NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID
+            );
+
+            if (nonEdbgDevices.empty()) {
+                // The MPLAB Snap sometimes uses another product ID when not in AVR mode.
+                nonEdbgDevices = this->findMatchingDevices(
+                    MplabSnap::NON_EDBG_USB_VENDOR_ID,
+                    MplabSnap::NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID_ALTERNATIVE
+                );
+            }
+
+            if (!nonEdbgDevices.empty()) {
+                throw DeviceNotFound(
+                    "The connected MPLAB Snap device is not in \"AVR mode\". Please follow the instructions at "
+                        + Services::PathService::homeDomainName() + "/docs/avr-mode"
+                );
+            }
+
+            throw exception;
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.hpp b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.hpp
index 4518cdc0..e541829c 100644
--- a/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.hpp
+++ b/src/DebugToolDrivers/Microchip/MplabSnap/MplabSnap.hpp
@@ -28,10 +28,16 @@ namespace Bloom::DebugToolDrivers
         static const inline std::uint16_t USB_PRODUCT_ID = 0x2180;
         static const inline std::uint8_t CMSIS_HID_INTERFACE_NUMBER = 0;
 
+        static const inline std::uint16_t NON_EDBG_USB_VENDOR_ID = 0x04d8;
+        static const inline std::uint16_t NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID = 0x9018;
+        static const inline std::uint16_t NON_EDBG_USB_PRODUCT_ID_ALTERNATIVE = 0x9017;
+
         MplabSnap();
 
         std::string getName() override {
             return "MPLAB Snap";
         }
+
+        void init() override;
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/DebugToolDrivers/USB/UsbDevice.cpp b/src/DebugToolDrivers/USB/UsbDevice.cpp
index 26f2c4c6..7ab0419b 100644
--- a/src/DebugToolDrivers/USB/UsbDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/DebugToolDrivers/USB/UsbDevice.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "src/Logger/Logger.hpp"
 #include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceInitializationFailure.hpp"
+#include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp"
 
 namespace Bloom::Usb
 {
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ namespace Bloom::Usb
         auto devices = this->findMatchingDevices(this->vendorId, this->productId);
 
         if (devices.empty()) {
-            throw DeviceInitializationFailure(
+            throw DeviceNotFound(
                 "Failed to find USB device with matching vendor and product ID. Please examine the debug tool's USB "
                 "connection, as well as the selected environment's debug tool configuration, in bloom.yaml"
             );
diff --git a/src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp b/src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90aaf0d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceNotFound.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "src/Exceptions/Exception.hpp"
+
+namespace Bloom::Exceptions
+{
+    class DeviceNotFound: public Exception
+    {
+    public:
+        explicit DeviceNotFound(const std::string& message): Exception(message) {
+            this->message = message;
+        }
+
+        explicit DeviceNotFound(const char* message): Exception(message) {
+            this->message = std::string(message);
+        }
+    };
+}
diff --git a/src/TargetController/TargetControllerComponent.cpp b/src/TargetController/TargetControllerComponent.cpp
index 4a1b24c6..305e34fb 100644
--- a/src/TargetController/TargetControllerComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/TargetController/TargetControllerComponent.cpp
@@ -9,9 +9,6 @@
 #include "src/Services/ProcessService.hpp"
 #include "src/Logger/Logger.hpp"
 
-#include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/DeviceFailure.hpp"
-#include "src/TargetController/Exceptions/TargetOperationFailure.hpp"
-#include "src/Exceptions/TargetControllerStartupFailure.hpp"
 #include "src/Exceptions/InvalidConfig.hpp"
 
 namespace Bloom::TargetController
@@ -97,14 +94,6 @@ namespace Bloom::TargetController
                 }
             }
 
-        } catch (const TargetControllerStartupFailure& exception) {
-            Logger::error("TargetController failed to start up. See below for errors:");
-            Logger::error(exception.getMessage());
-
-        } catch (const Exception& exception) {
-            Logger::error("The TargetController encountered a fatal error. See below for errors:");
-            Logger::error(exception.getMessage());
-
         } catch (const std::exception& exception) {
             Logger::error("The TargetController encountered a fatal error. See below for errors:");
             Logger::error(std::string(exception.what()));