diff --git a/frontend/index.html b/frontend/index.html
index a09c012..5b6c917 100644
--- a/frontend/index.html
+++ b/frontend/index.html
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ textarea { resize: vertical; min-height: 120px; }
       paintEventStream(await res.json());
       setEventStreamStatus('Updated ' + fmt(new Date()));
     } catch (e) {
-      qs('#gitea-events').innerHTML = '<div class="muted">Event stream unavailable.</div>';
+      setEventStreamStatus('Update failed · showing last activity');
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_event_stream.py b/tests/test_event_stream.py
index 8aa8d81..9c2a8c8 100644
--- a/tests/test_event_stream.py
+++ b/tests/test_event_stream.py
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ def test_event_stream_reports_when_activity_was_refreshed():
     assert "setEventStreamStatus('Updated ' + fmt(new Date()))" in html
 
 
+def test_event_stream_reports_refresh_failure_without_erasing_visible_events():
+    html = DASHBOARD.read_text()
+
+    assert "setEventStreamStatus('Update failed · showing last activity')" in html
+    assert "qs('#gitea-events').innerHTML = '<div class=\"muted\">Event stream unavailable.</div>'" not in html
+
+
 @pytest.mark.anyio
 async def test_event_stream_returns_recent_authenticated_gitea_activity(monkeypatch):
     expected = [{"type": "create", "actor": {"login": "timmy"}}]