diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de/errors.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de/errors.json
index 799a006..8b09923 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de/errors.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de/errors.json
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
   "generic": "Der Server konnte die Aktion nicht ausführen. Bitte erneut versuchen.",
   "server": "Serverfehler",
   "ok": "OK",
+  "offline": {
+    "title": "Verbindung verloren",
+    "body": "Server nicht erreichbar — er startet möglicherweise gerade neu. Dieser Hinweis verschwindet, sobald die Verbindung wieder steht."
+  },
   "boundary": {
     "title": "Etwas ist schiefgelaufen.",
     "subtitle": "Die App ist auf einen unerwarteten Fehler gestoßen.",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/errors.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/errors.json
index f22b32a..56f38c7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/errors.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en/errors.json
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
   "generic": "The server couldn't carry out that action. Please try again.",
   "server": "Server error",
   "ok": "OK",
+  "offline": {
+    "title": "Connection lost",
+    "body": "Couldn't reach the server — it may be restarting. This notice will clear once the connection is back."
+  },
   "boundary": {
     "title": "Something went wrong.",
     "subtitle": "The app hit an unexpected error.",
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hu/errors.json b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hu/errors.json
index b3c7bc3..43f5311 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hu/errors.json
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hu/errors.json
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
   "generic": "A szerver nem tudta végrehajtani a műveletet. Próbáld újra.",
   "server": "Szerverhiba",
   "ok": "OK",
+  "offline": {
+    "title": "Megszakadt a kapcsolat",
+    "body": "Nem sikerült elérni a szervert — lehet, hogy épp újraindul. Ez az üzenet eltűnik, amint helyreáll a kapcsolat."
+  },
   "boundary": {
     "title": "Hiba történt.",
     "subtitle": "Az alkalmazás váratlan hibába ütközött.",
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/api.ts b/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
index 06ca59c..be31fd8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { notify } from "./notifications";
+import { notify, remove } from "./notifications";
 import i18n from "../i18n";
 import { reportError } from "./errorDialog";
 
@@ -163,14 +163,24 @@ class HttpError extends Error {
   }
 }
 
-// Collapse bursts of connection failures (e.g. while the server restarts) into a
-// single notification rather than one per failed request.
-let lastErrorNotifiedAt = 0;
-function notifyErrorThrottled(title: string, message: string): void {
-  const now = Date.now();
-  if (now - lastErrorNotifiedAt < 30_000) return;
-  lastErrorNotifiedAt = now;
-  notify({ level: "error", title, message });
+// A single, self-resolving "connection lost" status: while the server is unreachable we
+// show one sticky, transient (non-persisted) notice; the moment any request reaches the
+// server again we remove it. This makes good on its "clears once it's back" copy and keeps
+// bursts of concurrent failures from stacking up — there's only ever one live handle.
+let connectivityNotifId: number | null = null;
+function markConnectivityLost(): void {
+  if (connectivityNotifId !== null) return;
+  connectivityNotifId = notify({
+    level: "error",
+    title: i18n.t("errors.offline.title"),
+    message: i18n.t("errors.offline.body"),
+    transient: true,
+  });
+}
+function markConnectivityRestored(): void {
+  if (connectivityNotifId === null) return;
+  remove(connectivityNotifId);
+  connectivityNotifId = null;
 }
 
 // Gateway statuses that mean "the upstream connection failed", not "the app rejected the
@@ -206,10 +216,7 @@ async function req(url: string, opts: RequestInit = {}, cfg: ReqConfig = {}): Pr
         await delay(250);
         continue;
       }
-      notifyErrorThrottled(
-        "Connection lost",
-        "Couldn't reach the server — it may be restarting. This will clear once it's back."
-      );
+      markConnectivityLost();
       throw e;
     }
 
@@ -221,6 +228,10 @@ async function req(url: string, opts: RequestInit = {}, cfg: ReqConfig = {}): Pr
       continue;
     }
 
+    // The server answered (anything that isn't a gateway error means it's reachable) —
+    // clear a standing "connection lost" status if one is showing.
+    if (!RETRIABLE_GATEWAY.has(r.status)) markConnectivityRestored();
+
     if (!r.ok) {
       // Capture the server's reason (FastAPI returns `{ detail }`) so callers can react.
       let detail: string | undefined;
@@ -236,10 +247,7 @@ async function req(url: string, opts: RequestInit = {}, cfg: ReqConfig = {}): Pr
       // A genuine 500 (real fault, carries a JSON detail) still gets the modal, as do
       // 400/409/422 (validation/conflict). 401/403/404 are caller-handled control flow.
       if (RETRIABLE_GATEWAY.has(r.status)) {
-        notifyErrorThrottled(
-          "Connection lost",
-          "Couldn't reach the server — it may be restarting. This will clear once it's back."
-        );
+        markConnectivityLost();
       } else if (r.status >= 500) {
         reportError(detail || `${i18n.t("errors.server")} (${r.status})`);
       } else if (r.status === 400 || r.status === 409 || r.status === 422) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/notifications.ts b/frontend/src/lib/notifications.ts
index 184d708..717533b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/notifications.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/notifications.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ export interface Notification {
   ts: number;
   read: boolean;
   dismissed: boolean; // transient toast surface closed (still kept in history)
+  // Live session-only status (e.g. "connection lost"): sticky toast (no auto-dismiss
+  // timer) that the producer removes itself when the condition resolves. Never persisted
+  // to history, so a reload can't orphan it with no live handle to clear it.
+  transient: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface NotifyInput {
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ export interface NotifyInput {
   meta?: NotifMeta;
   requiresInteraction?: boolean;
   sound?: boolean; // force the alert tone (when sound is enabled) even for an info toast
+  transient?: boolean; // live status: sticky toast, not persisted (see Notification.transient)
 }
 
 const HISTORY_KEY = "subfeed.notifications";
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ function load(): Notification[] {
     // resurrect as active toasts on reload — their auto-dismiss timers aren't
     // re-armed across a reload, so otherwise they'd stick forever. Also drop the
     // live `action` callback, which can't survive serialization.
-    return raw.map((n) => ({ ...n, action: undefined, dismissed: true }) as Notification);
+    return raw.map((n) => ({ ...n, action: undefined, dismissed: true, transient: false }) as Notification);
   } catch {
     return [];
   }
@@ -130,7 +135,9 @@ function load(): Notification[] {
 
 function persist() {
   try {
-    const slim = items.map(({ action: _action, ...n }) => n);
+    // Transient status notices are live-session only — never write them to history,
+    // so a reload can't leave one stranded with no producer left to clear it.
+    const slim = items.filter((n) => !n.transient).map(({ action: _action, ...n }) => n);
     localStorage.setItem(HISTORY_KEY, JSON.stringify(slim));
   } catch {
     /* ignore quota / serialization errors */
@@ -164,7 +171,9 @@ export function notify(input: NotifyInput): number {
   const requiresInteraction = input.requiresInteraction ?? false;
   const level = input.level ?? "info";
   // config.durationMs === 0 means "don't auto-dismiss" (toast stays until dismissed).
-  const duration = requiresInteraction
+  // A transient status stays put until its producer clears it (no auto-dismiss timer),
+  // same as an interaction-awaiting notice.
+  const duration = requiresInteraction || input.transient
     ? undefined
     : level === "error" || level === "fatal"
       ? ERROR_TTL
@@ -185,6 +194,7 @@ export function notify(input: NotifyInput): number {
       ts: Date.now(),
       read: false,
       dismissed: false,
+      transient: input.transient ?? false,
     },
   ];
   emit();