diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/LoadError.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/LoadError.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..954c475
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/LoadError.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { friendlyError } from "../format.ts";
+
+/**
+ * A failed load. With cached data on screen (`stale`), a small inline banner sits above it so the user
+ * keeps what they had; with nothing cached, it is the whole state.
+ */
+export function LoadError({ error, retry, stale, className }: { error: unknown; retry: () => void; stale?: boolean; className?: string }) {
+  if (stale) {
+    return (
+      <div className={`stale-banner${className ? ` ${className}` : ""}`} role="alert">
+        <p>Can't refresh right now. {friendlyError(error)}</p>
+        <button type="button" className="btn ghost small" onClick={retry}>Try again</button>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+  return (
+    <div className={`load-error${className ? ` ${className}` : ""}`} role="alert">
+      <p>{friendlyError(error)}</p>
+      <button type="button" className="btn small" onClick={retry}>Try again</button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/library.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/library.tsx
index 120e8ea..05b6cc2 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/library.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/library.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { useInfiniteQuery, useMutation, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-q
 import { useRef, useState, type FormEvent } from "react";
 import { Link, useLocation } from "wouter";
 import { api, type EntryView } from "../api.ts";
+import { LoadError } from "../components/LoadError.tsx";
 import { Cover } from "../components/Cover.tsx";
 import { EntryDetail } from "../components/EntryDetail.tsx";
 import { Icon } from "../components/Icon.tsx";
@@ -165,12 +166,12 @@ function ListPane({ selectedId }: { selectedId: string | null }) {
             </li>
           ))}
         </ul>
-      ) : entries.error ? (
+      ) : entries.error && !entries.data ? (
         <div className="list-note" role="alert">
           <p>{friendlyError(entries.error)}</p>
           <button className="btn small" onClick={() => void entries.refetch()}>Try again</button>
         </div>
-      ) : items.length === 0 ? (
+      ) : items.length === 0 && !entries.error ? (
         <div className="list-note">
           {filtering ? (
             <>
@@ -186,6 +187,11 @@ function ListPane({ selectedId }: { selectedId: string | null }) {
         </div>
       ) : (
         <ul className="list">
+          {entries.error && (
+            <li>
+              <LoadError error={entries.error} retry={() => void entries.refetch()} stale className="in-list" />
+            </li>
+          )}
           {items.map((e) => (
             <li key={e.id}>
               <Row entry={e} selected={e.id === selectedId} flagged={flagged.has(e.id)} scale={scale} />