diff --git a/src/client/App.tsx b/src/client/App.tsx
index 353b631..456047b 100644
--- a/src/client/App.tsx
+++ b/src/client/App.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ import type {
   WorkspaceState,
 } from '../shared/types';
 import { api, ApiError, authHeaders, setToken } from './api';
+import {
+  applyCaptureResult,
+  applyRefreshResult,
+  dismissNotice,
+  visibleNotice,
+  type Notices,
+} from './poll-notice';
 import { Mascot } from './Mascot';
 import { Chat } from './Chat';
 import { ThreadList } from './ThreadList';
@@ -40,6 +47,14 @@ import { TaskRow } from './TaskPresentation';
 import { TaskActions } from './TaskActions';
 import { WorkspaceDialog, type Dialog } from './WorkspaceDialog';
 
+function describeFailure(error: unknown, fallback: string) {
+  return {
+    ok: false as const,
+    status: error instanceof ApiError ? error.status : undefined,
+    message: error instanceof Error ? error.message : fallback,
+  };
+}
+
 export function App() {
   const [state, setState] = useState<State>();
   const [workspace, setWorkspace] = useState<WorkspaceState>();
@@ -92,7 +107,15 @@ export function App() {
     openPageLink(`#/spaces/${space}${page ? `/pages/${page}` : ''}`);
   };
 
-  const [error, setError] = useState('');
+  const [notices, setNotices] = useState<Notices>({
+    connection: '',
+    action: '',
+  });
+  const error = visibleNotice(notices);
+  const setError = (action: string) =>
+    setNotices((current) =>
+      current.action === action ? current : { ...current, action },
+    );
   const [auth, setAuth] = useState('');
   const [needsAuth, setNeedsAuth] = useState(false);
   const [dialog, setDialog] = useState<Dialog>();
@@ -115,12 +138,15 @@ export function App() {
       setWorkspace(w);
       setNeedsAuth(false);
       setSelectedDot((previous) => previous || w.dots[0]?.id || '');
+      setNotices((current) => applyRefreshResult(current, { ok: true }));
     } catch (e) {
       if (e instanceof ApiError && e.status === 401) setNeedsAuth(true);
-      else
-        setError(
-          e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Could not connect to the server.',
-        );
+      setNotices((current) =>
+        applyRefreshResult(
+          current,
+          describeFailure(e, 'Could not connect to the server.'),
+        ),
+      );
     }
   }, []);
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -135,10 +161,18 @@ export function App() {
     const load = () =>
       void api<Result | null>(`/conversations/${selectedThread}/capture`)
         .then((result) => {
-          if (active) setCapture(result ?? undefined);
+          if (!active) return;
+          setCapture(result ?? undefined);
+          setNotices((current) => applyCaptureResult(current, { ok: true }));
         })
         .catch((e) => {
-          if (active) setError(e.message);
+          if (!active) return;
+          setNotices((current) =>
+            applyCaptureResult(
+              current,
+              describeFailure(e, 'Could not connect to the server.'),
+            ),
+          );
         });
     load();
     const timer = setInterval(load, 3000);
@@ -528,7 +562,7 @@ export function App() {
             <button
               className="icon-button"
               aria-label="Dismiss error"
-              onClick={() => setError('')}
+              onClick={() => setNotices((current) => dismissNotice(current))}
             >
               <X size={16} />
             </button>
diff --git a/src/client/poll-notice.ts b/src/client/poll-notice.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b049c07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/client/poll-notice.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+export interface Notices {
+  connection: string;
+  action: string;
+}
+
+export interface PollFailure {
+  ok: false;
+  status?: number;
+  message: string;
+}
+
+const TRANSPORT_MESSAGES = new Set([
+  'Failed to fetch',
+  'Server returned an unreadable response.',
+]);
+
+export function visibleNotice(notices: Notices): string {
+  return notices.action || notices.connection;
+}
+
+export function dismissNotice(notices: Notices): Notices {
+  if (notices.action) return { ...notices, action: '' };
+  if (notices.connection) return { ...notices, connection: '' };
+  return notices;
+}
+
+export function applyRefreshResult(
+  current: Notices,
+  result: { ok: true } | PollFailure,
+): Notices {
+  if (result.ok)
+    return current.connection ? { ...current, connection: '' } : current;
+  if (result.status === 401) return current;
+  if (current.connection === result.message) return current;
+  return { ...current, connection: result.message };
+}
+
+export function applyCaptureResult(
+  current: Notices,
+  result: { ok: true } | PollFailure,
+): Notices {
+  if (result.ok)
+    return current.connection ? { ...current, connection: '' } : current;
+  if (result.status === 401) return current;
+  if (
+    result.status === 502 ||
+    result.status === 504 ||
+    TRANSPORT_MESSAGES.has(result.message)
+  ) {
+    if (current.connection === result.message) return current;
+    return { ...current, connection: result.message };
+  }
+  if (current.action === result.message) return current;
+  return { ...current, action: result.message };
+}
diff --git a/tests/poll-notice.test.ts b/tests/poll-notice.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4989f17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/poll-notice.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import {
+  applyCaptureResult,
+  applyRefreshResult,
+  dismissNotice,
+  visibleNotice,
+  type Notices,
+} from '../src/client/poll-notice';
+
+const saved: Notices = { connection: '', action: 'Could not save.' };
+
+it('clears a recovered connection error without wiping an action error', () => {
+  const lost = applyRefreshResult(saved, {
+    ok: false,
+    message: 'Server returned an unreadable response.',
+    status: 502,
+  });
+  expect(lost).toEqual({
+    connection: 'Server returned an unreadable response.',
+    action: 'Could not save.',
+  });
+  expect(visibleNotice(lost)).toBe('Could not save.');
+
+  const recovered = applyRefreshResult(lost, { ok: true });
+  expect(recovered).toEqual(saved);
+  expect(
+    visibleNotice(
+      applyRefreshResult(
+        { connection: 'Failed to fetch', action: '' },
+        { ok: true },
+      ),
+    ),
+  ).toBe('');
+});
+
+it('keeps an unauthorized poll from replacing the connection notice', () => {
+  const current: Notices = { connection: 'Failed to fetch', action: '' };
+  expect(
+    applyRefreshResult(current, {
+      ok: false,
+      status: 401,
+      message: 'Enter your owner access token to unlock OpenDots.',
+    }),
+  ).toBe(current);
+});
+
+it('treats a capture transport failure as a connection notice and leaves save errors in place', () => {
+  const lost = applyCaptureResult(saved, {
+    ok: false,
+    message: 'Failed to fetch',
+  });
+  expect(lost.connection).toBe('Failed to fetch');
+  expect(lost.action).toBe('Could not save.');
+  expect(applyCaptureResult(lost, { ok: true })).toEqual(saved);
+
+  const specific = applyCaptureResult(
+    { connection: 'Failed to fetch', action: 'Could not save.' },
+    { ok: false, status: 500, message: 'Thread not found.' },
+  );
+  expect(specific.connection).toBe('Failed to fetch');
+  expect(specific.action).toBe('Thread not found.');
+  expect(applyRefreshResult(specific, { ok: true }).action).toBe(
+    'Thread not found.',
+  );
+});
+
+it('dismisses the visible notice and leaves the other one', () => {
+  const both: Notices = {
+    connection: 'Failed to fetch',
+    action: 'Could not save.',
+  };
+  expect(dismissNotice(both)).toEqual({
+    connection: 'Failed to fetch',
+    action: '',
+  });
+  expect(dismissNotice({ connection: 'Failed to fetch', action: '' })).toEqual({
+    connection: '',
+    action: '',
+  });
+});