diff --git a/frontend/src/App.vue b/frontend/src/App.vue
index 6c57c73..1055e1c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/App.vue
@@ -159,14 +159,11 @@ async function ensureFreshBuild() {
   }
 }
 
-onMounted(async () => {
+onMounted(() => {
   ensureFreshBuild()
-  await Promise.all([
-    loadStrategies(),
-    loadPresets(),
-    api.getStatus().then((s) => (status.value = s)),
-    refreshAll(),
-  ])
+
+  // Set up the socket and the polling fallback first, so a failing initial
+  // fetch can never prevent them (that left the badge stuck on "connecting").
   socket = api.openSocket({
     onMessage: handleMessage,
     onOpen: () => {
@@ -185,9 +182,19 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   graceTimer = setTimeout(() => {
     if (!connected.value) pollingFallback.value = true
   }, 6000)
+
+  // Initial loads are best-effort; the intervals below keep retrying.
+  api.getStatus().then((s) => (status.value = s)).catch(() => {})
+  refreshAll().catch(() => {})
+  loadStrategies().catch(() => {})
+  loadPresets().catch(() => {})
+
   // Poll fast enough that the UI feels live even when it is the only channel.
-  pollTimer = setInterval(refreshAll, 3000)
-  statusTimer = setInterval(() => api.getStatus().then((s) => (status.value = s)), 3000)
+  pollTimer = setInterval(() => refreshAll().catch(() => {}), 3000)
+  statusTimer = setInterval(
+    () => api.getStatus().then((s) => (status.value = s)).catch(() => {}),
+    3000,
+  )
 })
 
 onUnmounted(() => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/api.js b/frontend/src/api.js
index e20c073..80f680e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api.js
+++ b/frontend/src/api.js
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export function openSocket({ onMessage, onOpen, onClose, onError }) {
     if (closed) return
     let opened = false
     let reported = false
+    console.debug('[ws] connecting to', url)
     socket = new WebSocket(url)
 
     // Report at most one failure per attempt (Safari often fires error *and*
@@ -72,11 +73,13 @@ export function openSocket({ onMessage, onOpen, onClose, onError }) {
       opened = true
       clearTimeout(openTimeout)
       attempt = 0
+      console.debug('[ws] open')
       onOpen?.()
     }
     socket.onmessage = (event) => onMessage?.(JSON.parse(event.data))
     socket.onclose = (event) => {
       clearTimeout(openTimeout)
+      console.debug('[ws] close', event.code, event.reason)
       onClose?.()
       if (!opened) {
         // 1008 = policy violation (token rejected); 1006 = abnormal close.