diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerBanner.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerBanner.ts
index 84767376..a9b86279 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerBanner.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ServerBanner.ts
@@ -67,3 +67,21 @@ export function createServerBanner(): ServerBannerControl {
 
   return { element: root, showRestart, showReconnecting, showDisconnected, hide, destroy };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Apply a store connection status to the banner (UX spec §3 table):
+ * reconnecting → "Reconnecting...", disconnected → "Disconnected",
+ * connected → hidden.
+ */
+export function applyConnectionStatus(
+  banner: ServerBannerControl,
+  status: "connected" | "reconnecting" | "disconnected",
+): void {
+  if (status === "reconnecting") {
+    banner.showReconnecting();
+  } else if (status === "disconnected") {
+    banner.showDisconnected();
+  } else {
+    banner.hide();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/dispatcher.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/dispatcher.ts
index 2cf46da5..1dc766b6 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/dispatcher.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/dispatcher.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 // Each server message type maps to one or more store actions.
 
 import type { WsClient } from "./ws";
+import { toConnectionStatus } from "./ws";
 import { authStore, setAuth, clearAuth } from "@stores/auth.store";
-import { setTransientError } from "@stores/ui.store";
+import { setTransientError, setConnectionStatus } from "@stores/ui.store";
 import {
   setChannels,
   setRoles,
@@ -85,6 +86,16 @@ function mapDmPayload(p: DmChannelPayload): DmChannel {
 /** Unsubscribe all listeners. */
 export type DispatcherCleanup = () => void;
 
+/**
+ * The single writer for ui.store.connectionStatus (UX spec §3): collapses the
+ * ws client's internal state machine onto the 3-state status. Wired once at
+ * startup and kept for the app's lifetime — deliberately separate from
+ * wireDispatcher, whose listeners are torn down per connection.
+ */
+export function wireConnectionStatus(ws: Pick<WsClient, "onStateChange">): () => void {
+  return ws.onStateChange((s) => setConnectionStatus(toConnectionStatus(s)));
+}
+
 /**
  * Wire a WsClient to all domain stores.
  * Returns a cleanup function that removes all listeners.
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/main.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/main.ts
index a31cfdd6..cb80f535 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/main.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/main.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ import "@styles/theme-neon-glow.css";
 import { installGlobalErrorHandlers, safeMount } from "@lib/safe-render";
 import { createRouter } from "@lib/router";
 import { createApiClient } from "@lib/api";
-import { createWsClient, toConnectionStatus } from "@lib/ws";
-import { wireDispatcher } from "@lib/dispatcher";
+import { createWsClient } from "@lib/ws";
+import { wireDispatcher, wireConnectionStatus } from "@lib/dispatcher";
 import { authStore, clearAuth } from "@stores/auth.store";
-import { setTransientError, setConnectionStatus } from "@stores/ui.store";
+import { setTransientError } from "@stores/ui.store";
 import { voiceStore, leaveVoiceChannel } from "@stores/voice.store";
 import { leaveVoice as voiceSessionLeave } from "@lib/livekitSession";
 import { createConnectPage } from "@pages/ConnectPage";
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ const ws = createWsClient();
 // live controls read ui.store.connectionStatus reactively instead of wiring
 // their own ws.onStateChange. Lifecycle plumbing that needs the exact internal
 // transition (the connected overlay below) stays on ws.onStateChange.
-ws.onStateChange((s) => setConnectionStatus(toConnectionStatus(s)));
+wireConnectionStatus(ws);
 const profileManager = createProfileManager(createTauriBackend());
 let dispatcherCleanup: (() => void) | null = null;
 let connectedOverlay: ConnectedOverlayControl | null = null;
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/MainPage.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/MainPage.ts
index 36ce5698..76c39214 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/MainPage.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/MainPage.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { ApiClient } from "@lib/api";
 import { createLogger } from "@lib/logger";
 import { createRateLimiterSet } from "@lib/rate-limiter";
 import type { VideoGridComponent } from "@components/VideoGrid";
-import { createServerBanner } from "@components/ServerBanner";
+import { createServerBanner, applyConnectionStatus } from "@components/ServerBanner";
 import type { ServerBannerControl } from "@components/ServerBanner";
 import { createSettingsOverlay } from "@components/SettingsOverlay";
 import { createToastContainer } from "@components/Toast";
@@ -205,19 +205,18 @@ export function createMainPage(options: MainPageOptions): MountableComponent {
         (status) => {
           try {
             if (banner === null) return;
-            if (status === "reconnecting") {
-              banner.showReconnecting();
-            } else if (status === "disconnected") {
-              banner.showDisconnected();
-            } else {
-              banner.hide();
-            }
+            applyConnectionStatus(banner, status);
           } catch (err) {
             log.error("Connection status handler error", err);
           }
         },
       ),
     );
+    // Synchronous initial sync: the selector subscription baselines on the
+    // current value and only fires on change, so a MainPage mounted mid-outage
+    // (status already "reconnecting") would otherwise never show the banner —
+    // the whole retry cycle maps to the same 3-state value.
+    applyConnectionStatus(banner, uiStore.getState().connectionStatus);
 
     unsubscribers.push(
       ws.on("server_restart", (payload) => {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/ChannelController.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/ChannelController.ts
index 5aea690c..c625b0ff 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/ChannelController.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/ChannelController.ts
@@ -319,7 +319,9 @@ export function createChannelController(opts: ChannelControllerOptions): Channel
     // server still enforces block/permission and a refused send shows as a
     // failed row.
     const computeComposerReason = (): string | null => {
-      if (uiStore.getState().connectionStatus !== "connected") return "Reconnecting…";
+      const status = uiStore.getState().connectionStatus;
+      if (status === "reconnecting") return "Reconnecting…";
+      if (status === "disconnected") return "Not connected";
       const ch = channelsStore.getState().channels.get(channelId);
       if (ch === undefined) return null;
       if (!ch.canSend) {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/MessageController.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/MessageController.ts
index e3d62643..6c6fff28 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/MessageController.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/MessageController.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,12 @@ export function createMessageController(opts: MessageControllerOptions): Message
         // Inline section error + Retry in the message region (UX spec §2) —
         // a toast would vanish and leave the region silently empty.
         setChannelLoadError(channelId);
+        // The inline region only renders when the channel has no rows; live
+        // broadcasts or an optimistic send may already have populated it, in
+        // which case the failure must still be surfaced (no silent drop).
+        if (getChannelMessages(channelId).length > 0) {
+          showError("Failed to load message history");
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/channel-controller.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/channel-controller.test.ts
index b58e8c00..cdd2c898 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/channel-controller.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/channel-controller.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const {
   mockSetReplyTo,
   mockStartEdit,
   mockScrollToMessage,
+  mockSetDisabled,
 } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   mockMessageListMount: vi.fn(),
   mockMessageListDestroy: vi.fn(),
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ const {
   mockSetReplyTo: vi.fn(),
   mockStartEdit: vi.fn(),
   mockScrollToMessage: vi.fn(() => true),
+  mockSetDisabled: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("@lib/logger", () => ({
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ vi.mock("@components/MessageInput", () => ({
       startEdit: mockStartEdit,
       clearReply: vi.fn(),
       cancelEdit: vi.fn(),
-      setDisabled: vi.fn(),
+      setDisabled: mockSetDisabled,
     };
   }),
 }));
@@ -366,6 +368,68 @@ describe("createChannelController", () => {
       expect(mockMarkSendFailed).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(String), "OFFLINE");
     });
 
+    it("composer disable reason distinguishes reconnecting from disconnected", () => {
+      const opts = makeOpts();
+      setConnectionStatus("reconnecting");
+      const ctrl = createChannelController(opts);
+      ctrl.mountChannel(42, "general");
+      expect(mockSetDisabled).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith("Reconnecting…");
+
+      ctrl.destroyChannel();
+      setConnectionStatus("disconnected");
+      ctrl.mountChannel(43, "general-2");
+      expect(mockSetDisabled).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith("Not connected");
+    });
+
+    it("onRetryLoad re-invokes loadMessages for the mounted channel", () => {
+      const opts = makeOpts();
+      const ctrl = createChannelController(opts);
+      ctrl.mountChannel(42, "general");
+      (opts.msgCtrl.loadMessages as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockClear();
+
+      capturedMessageListOpts.onRetryLoad();
+
+      expect(opts.msgCtrl.loadMessages).toHaveBeenCalledWith(42, expect.any(AbortSignal));
+    });
+
+    it("onRetry re-sends the failed draft with a fresh correlation id", () => {
+      const opts = makeOpts();
+      let n = 0;
+      (opts.ws.send as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(() => `cid-${++n}`);
+      const ctrl = createChannelController(opts);
+      ctrl.mountChannel(42, "general");
+
+      // cid-1 is channel_focus; the chat_send gets cid-2.
+      capturedMessageInputOpts.onSend("hello", null, []);
+      expect(mockAddOptimistic).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ correlationId: "cid-2", content: "hello" }),
+      );
+
+      capturedMessageListOpts.onRetry("cid-2");
+
+      // The old row is discarded and the draft re-sent under a new id.
+      expect(mockRemoveOptimistic).toHaveBeenCalledWith("cid-2");
+      expect(mockAddOptimistic).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ correlationId: "cid-3", content: "hello" }),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it("onDeleteDraft discards the failed row without re-sending", () => {
+      const opts = makeOpts();
+      let n = 0;
+      (opts.ws.send as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(() => `cid-${++n}`);
+      const ctrl = createChannelController(opts);
+      ctrl.mountChannel(42, "general");
+
+      capturedMessageInputOpts.onSend("hello", null, []);
+      const sendCalls = (opts.ws.send as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mock.calls.length;
+
+      capturedMessageListOpts.onDeleteDraft("cid-2");
+
+      expect(mockRemoveOptimistic).toHaveBeenCalledWith("cid-2");
+      expect((opts.ws.send as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mock.calls.length).toBe(sendCalls);
+    });
+
     it("onTyping sends typing_start via ws", () => {
       const opts = makeOpts();
       const ctrl = createChannelController(opts);
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/dispatcher.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/dispatcher.test.ts
index a61a3e26..d38e86d9 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/dispatcher.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/dispatcher.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { wireDispatcher } from "../../src/lib/dispatcher";
+import { wireDispatcher, wireConnectionStatus } from "../../src/lib/dispatcher";
+import { createMockWsClient } from "../helpers/mock-ws";
 import { authStore, clearAuth } from "../../src/stores/auth.store";
 import { channelsStore } from "../../src/stores/channels.store";
 import {
@@ -1254,3 +1255,30 @@ describe("WS Dispatcher", () => {
     expect(messagesStore.getState().messagesByChannel.get(1)).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe("wireConnectionStatus", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    uiStore.setState((prev) => ({ ...prev, connectionStatus: "disconnected" }));
+  });
+
+  it("writes ws state changes into ui.store.connectionStatus via the 5→3 mapping", () => {
+    const mockWs = createMockWsClient();
+    const unsub = wireConnectionStatus(mockWs);
+
+    mockWs.simulateStateChange("connecting");
+    expect(uiStore.getState().connectionStatus).toBe("reconnecting");
+
+    mockWs.simulateStateChange("authenticating");
+    expect(uiStore.getState().connectionStatus).toBe("reconnecting");
+
+    mockWs.simulateStateChange("connected");
+    expect(uiStore.getState().connectionStatus).toBe("connected");
+
+    mockWs.simulateStateChange("disconnected");
+    expect(uiStore.getState().connectionStatus).toBe("disconnected");
+
+    unsub();
+    mockWs.simulateStateChange("connected");
+    expect(uiStore.getState().connectionStatus).toBe("disconnected");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/message-controller.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/message-controller.test.ts
index 5d89bb00..b38f363c 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/message-controller.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/message-controller.test.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,22 @@ describe("createMessageController", () => {
       expect(showError).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
+    it("falls back to a toast on failure when the channel already has rows", async () => {
+      // Live broadcasts or an optimistic send can populate a channel before
+      // history loads; the inline region won't render then, so the failure
+      // must surface as a toast instead of silently.
+      mockGetChannelMessages.mockReturnValue([{ id: 5, content: "live row" }]);
+      const api = makeApi({
+        getMessages: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("network error")),
+      });
+      const ctrl = createMessageController({ api, showError });
+
+      await ctrl.loadMessages(42, makeAbort().signal);
+
+      expect(mockSetChannelLoadError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(42);
+      expect(showError).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Failed to load message history");
+    });
+
     it("does not mark an error when aborted before failure", async () => {
       const { signal, abort } = makeAbort();
       abort();
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-banner.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-banner.test.ts
index 6e2ea243..c80daef6 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-banner.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/server-banner.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { createServerBanner } from "@components/ServerBanner";
+import { createServerBanner, applyConnectionStatus } from "@components/ServerBanner";
 
 describe("ServerBanner", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -47,6 +47,33 @@ describe("ServerBanner", () => {
     banner.destroy();
   });
 
+  it('showDisconnected adds visible class with "Disconnected" text', () => {
+    const banner = createServerBanner();
+    banner.showDisconnected();
+
+    expect(banner.element.classList.contains("visible")).toBe(true);
+    expect(banner.element.textContent).toBe("Disconnected");
+
+    banner.destroy();
+  });
+
+  it("applyConnectionStatus maps each store status to the right banner state", () => {
+    const banner = createServerBanner();
+
+    applyConnectionStatus(banner, "reconnecting");
+    expect(banner.element.classList.contains("visible")).toBe(true);
+    expect(banner.element.textContent).toBe("Reconnecting...");
+
+    applyConnectionStatus(banner, "disconnected");
+    expect(banner.element.classList.contains("visible")).toBe(true);
+    expect(banner.element.textContent).toBe("Disconnected");
+
+    applyConnectionStatus(banner, "connected");
+    expect(banner.element.classList.contains("visible")).toBe(false);
+
+    banner.destroy();
+  });
+
   it("countdown decrements every second", () => {
     const banner = createServerBanner();
     banner.showRestart(3);
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/sidebar-area.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/sidebar-area.test.ts
index d6ae3c2d..2d7c5a78 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/sidebar-area.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/sidebar-area.test.ts
@@ -1104,6 +1104,18 @@ describe("SidebarArea", () => {
       cleanup(result);
     });
 
+    it("passes the ws client to the user bar (presence picker send path)", () => {
+      const opts = defaultOpts();
+      const result = createSidebarArea(opts);
+      container.appendChild(result.sidebarWrapper);
+
+      // Without ws, the status picker is permanently disabled and
+      // presence_update can never be sent — this pins the fix.
+      expect(createUserBar).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ ws: opts.ws }));
+
+      cleanup(result);
+    });
+
     it("voice widget and user bar are included in children", () => {
       const result = createSidebarArea(defaultOpts());
       expect(result.children.length).toBe(2);
diff --git a/docs/architecture/ux/README.md b/docs/architecture/ux/README.md
index abd443f6..6d464252 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/ux/README.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/ux/README.md
@@ -85,14 +85,16 @@ source of truth in `ui.store.connectionStatus`
 > the internal 5-state machine onto the 3-state status (`connecting` /
 > `authenticating` read as `reconnecting`, since a reconnect cycle passes
 > through them). Consumers subscribe to the store instead of wiring ad-hoc
-> callbacks: the reconnect banner (`MainPage`, which now also shows
-> "Disconnected" instead of going stale), the composer gating
-> (`ChannelController`), and the presence picker (`UserBar` — previously dead in
-> production because `SidebarArea` never passed it a `ws`; it now gates on the
-> store and receives the `ws` send path). The one-shot connected-overlay wiring
-> in `main.ts` stays on `ws.onStateChange` deliberately — it needs the exact
-> internal transition. Voice controls remain independent: LiveKit reconnection
-> "retries underneath" per the table below.
+> callbacks: the reconnect banner (`MainPage`, synced at mount and now also
+> showing "Disconnected" instead of going stale), the composer gating
+> (`ChannelController`, "Reconnecting…" / "Not connected" per the table), and
+> the presence picker (`UserBar` — previously dead in production because
+> `SidebarArea` never passed it a `ws`; it now gates on the store and receives
+> the `ws` send path). The one-shot connected-overlay wiring in `main.ts` stays
+> on `ws.onStateChange` deliberately — it needs the exact internal transition.
+> **Remaining gap:** the table's voice column. Voice controls are not yet
+> frozen during a WS reconnect — LiveKit reconnection retries underneath, but
+> join/leave controls stay enabled and would send over the down socket.
 
 | Status | Composer / send | Voice controls | Presence picker | Reconnect banner |
 |--------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
diff --git a/docs/architecture/ux/messaging.md b/docs/architecture/ux/messaging.md
index 2c67736b..ef990fe0 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/ux/messaging.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/ux/messaging.md
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ stateDiagram-v2
 | `enabled` | Editable textarea, attach + pickers active | — |
 | `read-only` (announcement, no MANAGE_MESSAGES) | Textarea replaced by a disabled bar | "Only moderators can post in announcement channels." |
 | `no-permission` | Disabled bar | "You don't have permission to send messages here." |
-| `offline` | Disabled, "Reconnecting…" | connection status (README §3) |
+| `offline` | Disabled — "Reconnecting…" while retrying, "Not connected" when disconnected | connection status (README §3) |
 | `slow-mode` | Disabled with a live countdown | "Slow mode: wait Ns." |
 | `uploading` | Send disabled until uploads settle (already `MessageInput.ts:138-141`) | per-attachment spinner |
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ sequenceDiagram
         SRV-->>WS: error{code}  %% SLOW_MODE / RATE_LIMITED / FORBIDDEN / INVALID_INPUT
         WS->>S: markSendFailed(correlationId, code)  %% row → "failed", Retry
     else transport drop
-        WS-->>S: markSendFailed(correlationId, "NETWORK")  %% ws_send channel-full/closed
+        WS-->>S: markSendFailed(correlationId, code)  %% channel full → "NETWORK"; closed/not-open → "OFFLINE"
     end
 ```