diff --git a/client/src/App.vue b/client/src/App.vue
index 1afbd619a..42a4ad743 100644
--- a/client/src/App.vue
+++ b/client/src/App.vue
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import ChangePasswordDialog from '@/features/auth/ChangePasswordDialog.vue'
 import WhatsNewDialog from '@/features/whats-new/WhatsNewDialog.vue'
 import { useWhatsNew } from '@/features/whats-new/composables/useWhatsNew'
 import { useAuth } from '@/features/auth/composables/useAuth'
+import { useSessionBootstrap } from '@/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap'
+import ServerReconnectScreen from '@/features/auth/components/ServerReconnectScreen.vue'
 import TtsMiniPlayer from '@/features/tts/components/TtsMiniPlayer.vue'
 import MediaOverlayMiniPlayer from '@/features/reader/media-overlay/components/MediaOverlayMiniPlayer.vue'
 import PodcastMiniPlayer from '@/features/podcast/components/PodcastMiniPlayer.vue'
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ const chartTokens = useChartTokens()
 
 const route = useRoute()
 const { user } = useAuth()
+const { unreachable: serverUnreachable } = useSessionBootstrap()
 const { popupOpen, evaluate, syncPopup } = useWhatsNew()
 const podcastPlayer = APP_FEATURES.podcasts ? usePodcastPlayer() : null
 const podcastDownloads = APP_FEATURES.podcasts ? usePodcastDownloadBatches() : null
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@ provide(
 
 <template>
   <TooltipProvider :delay-duration="0">
+    <ServerReconnectScreen v-if="serverUnreachable" />
     <router-view v-slot="{ Component, route: activeRoute }">
       <Transition name="page" mode="out-in">
         <component :is="Component" :key="resolveRouteViewKey(activeRoute)" />
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/components/ServerReconnectScreen.vue b/client/src/features/auth/components/ServerReconnectScreen.vue
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8265f5113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/components/ServerReconnectScreen.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { ref } from 'vue'
+import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
+import { ServerOff } from '@lucide/vue'
+import { useSessionBootstrap } from '../composables/useSessionBootstrap'
+import AuthAlert from './AuthAlert.vue'
+import AuthPlate from './AuthPlate.vue'
+import AuthSubmit from './AuthSubmit.vue'
+
+const { t } = useI18n()
+const { retryNow } = useSessionBootstrap()
+
+const retrying = ref(false)
+
+async function handleRetry() {
+  retrying.value = true
+  try {
+    await retryNow()
+  } finally {
+    retrying.value = false
+  }
+}
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <AuthPlate :heading="t('auth.reconnect.heading')">
+    <form class="flex flex-col gap-4" @submit.prevent="handleRetry">
+      <AuthAlert tone="notice" :icon="ServerOff">{{ t('auth.reconnect.description') }}</AuthAlert>
+      <AuthSubmit :label="t('auth.reconnect.retry')" :loading-label="t('auth.reconnect.retrying')" :loading="retrying" />
+    </form>
+  </AuthPlate>
+</template>
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/components/__tests__/ServerReconnectScreen.spec.ts b/client/src/features/auth/components/__tests__/ServerReconnectScreen.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68a3ed9da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/components/__tests__/ServerReconnectScreen.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { flushPromises, mount } from '@vue/test-utils'
+
+import ServerReconnectScreen from '../ServerReconnectScreen.vue'
+
+const retryNowMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>())
+
+vi.mock('../../composables/useSessionBootstrap', () => ({
+  useSessionBootstrap: () => ({ retryNow: retryNowMock }),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../AuthAppearanceToolbar.vue', () => ({
+  default: { name: 'AuthAppearanceToolbar', template: '<div />' },
+}))
+
+describe('ServerReconnectScreen', () => {
+  it('names the wait and announces why', () => {
+    const wrapper = mount(ServerReconnectScreen)
+
+    expect(wrapper.get('h1').text()).toBe('Waiting for the server')
+    expect(wrapper.get('[role="status"]').text()).toContain("can't reach its server")
+  })
+
+  it('asks the server again on demand and shows the attempt in progress', async () => {
+    let finish!: () => void
+    retryNowMock.mockReturnValueOnce(
+      new Promise((resolve) => {
+        finish = resolve
+      }),
+    )
+    const wrapper = mount(ServerReconnectScreen)
+
+    await wrapper.get('form').trigger('submit')
+
+    expect(retryNowMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(wrapper.get('button').attributes('aria-busy')).toBe('true')
+    finish()
+    await flushPromises()
+    expect(wrapper.get('button').attributes('aria-busy')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useAuth.spec.ts b/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useAuth.spec.ts
index 755f7bef3..3033da80f 100644
--- a/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useAuth.spec.ts
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useAuth.spec.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ const cancelPendingDisplaySettingsSyncMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<VoidFn>())
 const disconnectAuthorEnrichmentSocketMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<VoidFn>())
 const disconnectBookMetadataFetchSocketMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<VoidFn>())
 const currentRouteMock = vi.hoisted(() => ({ value: { query: {}, meta: {} as { public?: boolean } } }))
+const initThemeSyncMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<VoidFn>())
+// Stands in for the real class, which pulls in i18n; identity survives vi.resetModules().
+const NetworkErrorMock = vi.hoisted(() => class NetworkError extends Error {})
 
 vi.mock('@/router', () => ({
   default: {
@@ -27,6 +30,8 @@ vi.mock('@/router', () => ({
 vi.mock('@/lib/api', () => ({
   api: apiMock,
   fetchWithAuthProxyRecovery: (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => fetch(input, { ...init, redirect: 'manual' }),
+  isServerUnavailableStatus: (status: number) => status >= 500 || status === 408 || status === 429,
+  NetworkError: NetworkErrorMock,
   refreshAccessToken: refreshAccessTokenMock,
   setAccessToken: setAccessTokenMock,
   setOnAuthFailure: setOnAuthFailureMock,
@@ -34,10 +39,16 @@ vi.mock('@/lib/api', () => ({
 
 vi.mock('@/composables/useThemeSync', () => ({
   cancelPendingThemeSync: cancelPendingThemeSyncMock,
-  initThemeSync: vi.fn<VoidFn>(),
+  initThemeSync: initThemeSyncMock,
   loadFromServer: vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>(),
 }))
 
+vi.mock('@/composables/useLocaleSync', () => ({
+  cancelPendingLocaleSync: vi.fn<VoidFn>(),
+  hydrateLocalePreference: vi.fn<() => Promise<void>>(async () => {}),
+  initLocaleSync: vi.fn<VoidFn>(),
+}))
+
 vi.mock('@/composables/useDisplaySettingsSync', () => ({
   cancelPendingDisplaySettingsSync: cancelPendingDisplaySettingsSyncMock,
   initDisplaySettingsSync: vi.fn<VoidFn>(),
@@ -90,6 +101,7 @@ describe('useAuth', () => {
     cancelPendingDisplaySettingsSyncMock.mockReset()
     disconnectAuthorEnrichmentSocketMock.mockReset()
     disconnectBookMetadataFetchSocketMock.mockReset()
+    initThemeSyncMock.mockReset()
     currentRouteMock.value = { query: {}, meta: {} }
     vi.stubGlobal(
       'fetch',
@@ -157,6 +169,43 @@ describe('useAuth', () => {
     expect(routerPushMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/login')
   })
 
+  describe('init', () => {
+    it('reports an unreachable server instead of an anonymous visitor', async () => {
+      refreshAccessTokenMock.mockRejectedValue(new NetworkErrorMock('refresh answered 500'))
+      const { useAuth } = await import('../useAuth')
+
+      await expect(useAuth().init()).resolves.toBe('unreachable')
+      expect(useAuth().user.value).toBeNull()
+      // A later attempt starts the syncs, so they must not start twice.
+      expect(initThemeSyncMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('reports an unreachable server when the profile request is answered by a proxy', async () => {
+      refreshAccessTokenMock.mockResolvedValue('token')
+      apiMock.mockResolvedValue(new Response('', { status: 502 }))
+      const { useAuth } = await import('../useAuth')
+
+      await expect(useAuth().init()).resolves.toBe('unreachable')
+    })
+
+    it('reports an anonymous visitor when the refresh is refused', async () => {
+      refreshAccessTokenMock.mockRejectedValue(new Error('refresh failed'))
+      const { useAuth } = await import('../useAuth')
+
+      await expect(useAuth().init()).resolves.toBe('anonymous')
+      expect(initThemeSyncMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    it('reports an authenticated reader once the profile loads', async () => {
+      refreshAccessTokenMock.mockResolvedValue('token')
+      apiMock.mockResolvedValue(new Response(JSON.stringify({ id: 7, settings: {} }), { status: 200 }))
+      const { useAuth } = await import('../useAuth')
+
+      await expect(useAuth().init()).resolves.toBe('authenticated')
+      expect(useAuth().user.value).toMatchObject({ id: 7 })
+    })
+  })
+
   it('stays on a public page when the session is rejected', async () => {
     currentRouteMock.value = { query: {}, meta: { public: true } }
     await import('../useAuth')
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useSessionBootstrap.spec.ts b/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useSessionBootstrap.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae011e175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/composables/__tests__/useSessionBootstrap.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { flushPromises } from '@vue/test-utils'
+
+import type { SessionOutcome } from '../useAuth'
+
+const { initMock, fetchSetupStatusMock, setupState } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  initMock: vi.fn<() => Promise<SessionOutcome>>(),
+  fetchSetupStatusMock: vi.fn<() => Promise<boolean>>(),
+  setupState: { needsSetup: { value: null as boolean | null } },
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../useAuth', () => ({ useAuth: () => ({ init: initMock }) }))
+
+vi.mock('../useSetupStatus', () => ({
+  useSetupStatus: () => ({ needsSetup: setupState.needsSetup, fetchSetupStatus: fetchSetupStatusMock }),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../useLoginOptions', () => ({
+  useLoginOptions: () => ({ fetchLoginOptions: vi.fn<() => Promise<object>>(async () => ({})) }),
+}))
+
+/** Module state is the point of this composable, so every test gets a fresh copy. */
+async function loadBootstrap() {
+  return import('../useSessionBootstrap')
+}
+
+function track(promise: Promise<void>) {
+  const state = { settled: false }
+  void promise.then(() => {
+    state.settled = true
+  })
+  return state
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.resetModules()
+  // setImmediate stays real so flushPromises can drain the retry chain between timer steps.
+  vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['setTimeout', 'clearTimeout'] })
+  initMock.mockReset()
+  fetchSetupStatusMock.mockReset().mockResolvedValue(false)
+  setupState.needsSetup.value = false
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers()
+})
+
+describe('bootstrapSession', () => {
+  it('lets the router through at once when the server answers', async () => {
+    initMock.mockResolvedValue('anonymous')
+    const boot = await loadBootstrap()
+
+    await boot.bootstrapSession()
+
+    expect(boot.useSessionBootstrap().unreachable.value).toBe(false)
+    await expect(boot.whenSessionResolved()).resolves.toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('skips the session check while the server still needs setup', async () => {
+    setupState.needsSetup.value = true
+    const boot = await loadBootstrap()
+
+    await boot.bootstrapSession()
+
+    expect(initMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(boot.useSessionBootstrap().unreachable.value).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('holds the router and keeps asking, backing off, while the server is unreachable', async () => {
+    initMock.mockResolvedValueOnce('unreachable').mockResolvedValueOnce('unreachable').mockResolvedValue('authenticated')
+    const boot = await loadBootstrap()
+
+    await boot.bootstrapSession()
+    const resolved = track(boot.whenSessionResolved())
+    expect(boot.useSessionBootstrap().unreachable.value).toBe(true)
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1_000)
+    await flushPromises()
+    expect(initMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(resolved.settled).toBe(false)
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1_999)
+    await flushPromises()
+    expect(initMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1)
+    await flushPromises()
+    expect(initMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    expect(resolved.settled).toBe(true)
+    expect(boot.useSessionBootstrap().unreachable.value).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('asks again at once on request and drops the scheduled attempt', async () => {
+    initMock.mockResolvedValueOnce('unreachable').mockResolvedValue('anonymous')
+    const boot = await loadBootstrap()
+    await boot.bootstrapSession()
+
+    await boot.useSessionBootstrap().retryNow()
+
+    expect(initMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    await expect(boot.whenSessionResolved()).resolves.toBeUndefined()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(30_000)
+    await flushPromises()
+    expect(initMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/composables/useAuth.ts b/client/src/features/auth/composables/useAuth.ts
index ccc48cd03..55815cb50 100644
--- a/client/src/features/auth/composables/useAuth.ts
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/composables/useAuth.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 import { ref } from 'vue'
 import type { AuthUser, AuthResponse } from '@bookorbit/types'
-import { api, fetchWithAuthProxyRecovery, refreshAccessToken, setAccessToken, setOnAuthFailure } from '@/lib/api'
+import {
+  api,
+  fetchWithAuthProxyRecovery,
+  isServerUnavailableStatus,
+  NetworkError,
+  refreshAccessToken,
+  setAccessToken,
+  setOnAuthFailure,
+} from '@/lib/api'
 import router from '@/router'
 import { cancelPendingDisplaySettingsSync, initDisplaySettingsSync, loadDisplaySettingsFromServer } from '@/composables/useDisplaySettingsSync'
 import { cancelPendingThemeSync, initThemeSync, loadFromServer } from '@/composables/useThemeSync'
@@ -18,6 +26,9 @@ import { clearReleaseSearchCache } from '@/features/book-requests/composables/us
 
 const SESSION_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000
 
+/** `unreachable` is no answer about the session at all, which is not the same as having none. */
+export type SessionOutcome = 'authenticated' | 'anonymous' | 'unreachable'
+
 const user = ref<AuthUser | null>(null)
 const isLoading = ref(false)
 let sessionRefreshTimer: number | null = null
@@ -81,7 +92,7 @@ setOnAuthFailure(() => {
 
 async function me(): Promise<void> {
   const res = await api('/api/v1/auth/me')
-  if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to load user')
+  if (!res.ok) throw isServerUnavailableStatus(res.status) ? new NetworkError(`me answered ${res.status}`) : new Error('Failed to load user')
   user.value = await res.json()
 }
 
@@ -121,21 +132,26 @@ export class LoginError extends Error {
 }
 
 export function useAuth() {
-  async function init(): Promise<void> {
+  async function init(): Promise<SessionOutcome> {
     isLoading.value = true
+    let outcome: SessionOutcome = 'authenticated'
     try {
       await refreshAccessToken()
       await me()
       await hydratePreferences()
       startSessionRefresh()
-    } catch {
-      // no valid session
+    } catch (reason) {
+      if (!user.value) outcome = reason instanceof NetworkError ? 'unreachable' : 'anonymous'
     } finally {
-      initThemeSync()
-      initDisplaySettingsSync()
-      initLocaleSync()
+      // An unreachable server is asked again, so the syncs start once, with whichever answer comes back.
+      if (outcome !== 'unreachable') {
+        initThemeSync()
+        initDisplaySettingsSync()
+        initLocaleSync()
+      }
       isLoading.value = false
     }
+    return outcome
   }
 
   async function login(username: string, password: string): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/client/src/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap.ts b/client/src/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b68f1349d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { readonly, ref } from 'vue'
+import { useAuth } from './useAuth'
+import { useLoginOptions } from './useLoginOptions'
+import { useSetupStatus } from './useSetupStatus'
+
+const RETRY_BASE_DELAY_MS = 1_000
+const RETRY_MAX_DELAY_MS = 10_000
+
+const unreachable = ref(false)
+let checking = false
+let resolved: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve()
+let markResolved: (() => void) | null = null
+let retryTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+let failedRetries = 0
+
+/** True once the server has answered, whatever the answer was. */
+async function askServer(): Promise<boolean> {
+  const { fetchSetupStatus, needsSetup } = useSetupStatus()
+  try {
+    await Promise.all([fetchSetupStatus(), useLoginOptions().fetchLoginOptions()])
+  } catch {
+    // The session check below decides whether the server is there at all.
+  }
+  if (needsSetup.value === true) return true
+  return (await useAuth().init()) !== 'unreachable'
+}
+
+function scheduleRetry(): void {
+  const delay = Math.min(RETRY_BASE_DELAY_MS * 2 ** failedRetries, RETRY_MAX_DELAY_MS)
+  failedRetries += 1
+  retryTimer = setTimeout(() => void retryNow(), delay)
+}
+
+async function retryNow(): Promise<void> {
+  if (!unreachable.value || checking) return
+  if (retryTimer !== null) {
+    clearTimeout(retryTimer)
+    retryTimer = null
+  }
+  checking = true
+  const answered = await askServer().catch(() => false)
+  checking = false
+  if (!answered) {
+    scheduleRetry()
+    return
+  }
+  unreachable.value = false
+  markResolved?.()
+  markResolved = null
+}
+
+/**
+ * Settles setup status and the session before the router's first decision. When the server cannot be
+ * reached (a restart, a dropped connection) the session is unknown rather than absent, so this keeps
+ * asking in the background and the auth guard waits, instead of sending a signed-in reader to sign in.
+ */
+export async function bootstrapSession(): Promise<void> {
+  if (await askServer()) return
+  unreachable.value = true
+  resolved = new Promise((resolve) => {
+    markResolved = resolve
+  })
+  scheduleRetry()
+}
+
+/** Settles once the server has said whether there is a session. */
+export function whenSessionResolved(): Promise<void> {
+  return resolved
+}
+
+export function useSessionBootstrap() {
+  return { unreachable: readonly(unreachable), retryNow }
+}
diff --git a/client/src/lib/__tests__/api.spec.ts b/client/src/lib/__tests__/api.spec.ts
index 49f04db91..865c67dca 100644
--- a/client/src/lib/__tests__/api.spec.ts
+++ b/client/src/lib/__tests__/api.spec.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,53 @@ describe('api wrapper', () => {
     expect(onFail).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
 
+  describe('server unavailable during a refresh', () => {
+    it.each([500, 502, 503, 504, 429])('keeps the session when the refresh after a 401 is answered with %i', async (status) => {
+      globalThis.fetch = vi.fn<typeof fetch>((input: RequestInfo | URL) =>
+        Promise.resolve(new Response('', { status: urlOf(input).endsWith('/api/v1/auth/refresh') ? status : 401 })),
+      ) as never
+      const onFail = vi.fn<() => void>()
+      setOnAuthFailure(onFail)
+
+      await expect(api('/api/v1/books/1')).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NetworkError)
+      expect(onFail).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('keeps the session when the refresh after a 401 cannot connect at all', async () => {
+      globalThis.fetch = vi.fn<typeof fetch>((input: RequestInfo | URL) =>
+        urlOf(input).endsWith('/api/v1/auth/refresh')
+          ? Promise.reject(new TypeError('Failed to fetch'))
+          : Promise.resolve(new Response('', { status: 401 })),
+      ) as never
+      const onFail = vi.fn<() => void>()
+      setOnAuthFailure(onFail)
+
+      await expect(api('/api/v1/books/1')).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NetworkError)
+      expect(onFail).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('still ends the session when the refresh is refused', async () => {
+      globalThis.fetch = vi.fn<typeof fetch>((input: RequestInfo | URL) =>
+        Promise.resolve(new Response('', { status: urlOf(input).endsWith('/api/v1/auth/refresh') ? 403 : 401 })),
+      ) as never
+      const onFail = vi.fn<() => void>()
+      setOnAuthFailure(onFail)
+
+      await expect(api('/api/v1/books/1')).rejects.toThrow('Session expired')
+      expect(onFail).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    it('reports an unavailable refresh as a NetworkError and a refused one as a plain failure', async () => {
+      globalThis.fetch = vi.fn<typeof fetch>(() => Promise.resolve(new Response('', { status: 502 }))) as never
+      await expect(refreshAccessToken()).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(NetworkError)
+
+      globalThis.fetch = vi.fn<typeof fetch>(() => Promise.resolve(new Response('', { status: 401 }))) as never
+      const refused = await refreshAccessToken().catch((reason: unknown) => reason)
+      expect(refused).toBeInstanceOf(Error)
+      expect(refused).not.toBeInstanceOf(NetworkError)
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('expiry awareness', () => {
     it('renews an expired token before the request, so the server never sees it', async () => {
       const calls: { url: string; auth: string | null }[] = []
diff --git a/client/src/lib/api.ts b/client/src/lib/api.ts
index 7549659f6..f2a53ba47 100644
--- a/client/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/client/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export function setOnAuthFailure(fn: () => void): void {
  * `fetch` rejects these with a `TypeError` whose message is the browser's own untranslated English,
  * "Failed to fetch", and plenty of call sites render `reason.message` straight into a toast. The
  * rejection is retagged here, at the one place every request passes through, so no caller can leak it.
+ * Session checks also raise it for a status that only means the server could not answer.
  */
 export class NetworkError extends Error {
   /** The browser's own wording. Useful in a log line, never in the interface. */
@@ -113,6 +114,15 @@ export class NetworkError extends Error {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * A status that says nothing about the session: the server is restarting, or a proxy with nothing
+ * behind it answered instead (the Vite dev proxy reports a refused connection as a bare 500).
+ * Reading one of these as "signed out" strands a signed-in reader on the login page.
+ */
+export function isServerUnavailableStatus(status: number): boolean {
+  return status >= 500 || status === 408 || status === 429
+}
+
 /**
  * True when a same-origin request came back redirected elsewhere. With `redirect: 'manual'` this is
  * how an edge auth proxy (Cloudflare Access, an OAuth2 gateway) shows up once its session cookie has
@@ -166,7 +176,7 @@ async function rawFetch(input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit): Promise<R
 
 async function attemptRefresh(): Promise<string> {
   const res = await rawFetch('/api/v1/auth/refresh', { method: 'POST' })
-  if (!res.ok) throw new Error('refresh failed')
+  if (!res.ok) throw isServerUnavailableStatus(res.status) ? new NetworkError(`refresh answered ${res.status}`) : new Error('refresh failed')
   const data: RefreshResponse = await res.json()
   const recovered = _sawAuthFailure
   setAccessToken(data.accessToken)
@@ -201,7 +211,9 @@ export async function api(input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit & { _isRe
 
   try {
     await refreshAccessToken()
-  } catch {
+  } catch (reason) {
+    // The refresh never got an answer, so the session may well be intact. Keep it.
+    if (reason instanceof NetworkError) throw reason
     _onAuthFailure?.()
     throw new Error('Session expired')
   }
diff --git a/client/src/locales/en.json b/client/src/locales/en.json
index e82e6d09f..b744b85c2 100644
--- a/client/src/locales/en.json
+++ b/client/src/locales/en.json
@@ -5714,6 +5714,12 @@
       "errors": {
         "noToken": "No token provided"
       }
+    },
+    "reconnect": {
+      "heading": "Waiting for the server",
+      "description": "BookOrbit can't reach its server right now. This page continues on its own as soon as the server answers.",
+      "retry": "Try again now",
+      "retrying": "Trying again..."
     }
   },
   "author": {
diff --git a/client/src/main.ts b/client/src/main.ts
index fbfdf1032..19a4cac35 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,7 @@ import App from './App.vue'
 import router from './router'
 import { i18n } from './i18n'
 import { useLocaleStore } from './stores/locale'
-import { useAuth } from './features/auth/composables/useAuth'
-import { useSetupStatus } from './features/auth/composables/useSetupStatus'
-import { useLoginOptions } from './features/auth/composables/useLoginOptions'
+import { bootstrapSession } from './features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap'
 
 // Chrome 124+ blocks aria-hidden from being applied to an element that contains
 // a focused descendant. Reka UI's dialog uses the aria-hidden package which sets
@@ -48,17 +46,7 @@ await localeStore.setLocale(localeStore.locale)
 
 // Resolve setup status/auth before installing router.
 // app.use(router) triggers initial navigation and guard execution.
-const { fetchSetupStatus, needsSetup } = useSetupStatus()
-try {
-  await Promise.all([fetchSetupStatus(), useLoginOptions().fetchLoginOptions()])
-} catch {
-  // If setup-status check fails, continue with normal auth bootstrap.
-}
-
-const { init } = useAuth()
-if (needsSetup.value !== true) {
-  await init()
-}
+await bootstrapSession()
 
 app.use(router)
 app.mount('#app')
diff --git a/client/src/router/__tests__/auth.guard.spec.ts b/client/src/router/__tests__/auth.guard.spec.ts
index 468711268..15f80813c 100644
--- a/client/src/router/__tests__/auth.guard.spec.ts
+++ b/client/src/router/__tests__/auth.guard.spec.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,17 @@ import { createMemoryHistory, createRouter } from 'vue-router'
 
 import { registerAuthGuard } from '../guards/auth.guard'
 
-const { authState, statusState, openChangePasswordMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+const { authState, statusState, sessionGate, openChangePasswordMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   authState: { user: null as Record<string, unknown> | null },
   statusState: { needsSetup: false, allowRegistration: false, passwordLoginEnabled: true },
+  sessionGate: { resolved: Promise.resolve() },
   openChangePasswordMock: vi.fn<(force: boolean) => void>(),
 }))
 
+vi.mock('@/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap', () => ({
+  whenSessionResolved: () => sessionGate.resolved,
+}))
+
 vi.mock('@/features/auth/composables/useAuth', () => ({
   useAuth: () => ({ user: ref(authState.user) }),
 }))
@@ -67,6 +72,27 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   statusState.needsSetup = false
   statusState.allowRegistration = false
   statusState.passwordLoginEnabled = true
+  sessionGate.resolved = Promise.resolve()
+})
+
+describe('auth guard: unreachable server at boot', () => {
+  it('waits for the session instead of reading "no answer yet" as signed out', async () => {
+    let release!: () => void
+    sessionGate.resolved = new Promise((resolve) => {
+      release = resolve
+    })
+    const router = makeRouter()
+
+    const navigation = router.push('/requests')
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0))
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.name).toBeUndefined()
+
+    authState.user = { id: 1, isDefaultPassword: false, permissions: [], settings: {} }
+    release()
+    await navigation
+
+    expect(router.currentRoute.value.name).toBe('book-requests')
+  })
 })
 
 describe('auth guard: hidden book requests', () => {
diff --git a/client/src/router/guards/auth.guard.ts b/client/src/router/guards/auth.guard.ts
index c3263cf7d..84d4bf158 100644
--- a/client/src/router/guards/auth.guard.ts
+++ b/client/src/router/guards/auth.guard.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { useAuth } from '@/features/auth/composables/useAuth'
 import { useChangePasswordDialog } from '@/composables/useChangePasswordDialog'
 import { useSetupStatus } from '@/features/auth/composables/useSetupStatus'
 import { useLoginOptions } from '@/features/auth/composables/useLoginOptions'
+import { whenSessionResolved } from '@/features/auth/composables/useSessionBootstrap'
 
 const PASSWORD_ONLY_PUBLIC_PATHS = new Set(['/forgot-password', '/reset-password'])
 
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ function permissionFallback(name: string | undefined) {
 
 export function registerAuthGuard(router: Router): void {
   router.beforeEach(async (to) => {
+    // No user while the server is unreachable means "not known yet", not "signed out".
+    await whenSessionResolved()
     const { fetchSetupStatus } = useSetupStatus()
     const { fetchLoginOptions, loginOptions } = useLoginOptions()
     let requiresSetup = false