diff --git a/src/app.cpp b/src/app.cpp
index 8c0b331..d767a8f 100644
--- a/src/app.cpp
+++ b/src/app.cpp
@@ -479,7 +479,18 @@ void App::update()
         if (!lite_autoopen_done_) {
             lite_autoopen_done_ = true;
             if (!lite_wallet_->walletOpen() && lite_wallet_->walletExists()) {
-                lite_wallet_->openWallet(wallet::LiteWalletOpenRequest{});
+                const auto openResult = lite_wallet_->openWallet(wallet::LiteWalletOpenRequest{});
+                // Surface why an existing wallet failed to open (e.g. the lightwalletd server
+                // is unreachable) — otherwise the UI just shows a silent "disconnected" spinner.
+                if (!openResult.ok && !openResult.walletReady) {
+                    lite_open_error_ = !openResult.error.empty() ? openResult.error
+                                       : (!openResult.status.message.empty()
+                                              ? openResult.status.message
+                                              : "Could not open the wallet");
+                    DEBUG_LOGF("[Lite] auto-open failed: %s\n", lite_open_error_.c_str());
+                    ui::Notifications::instance().error(
+                        std::string("Wallet open failed: ") + lite_open_error_, 8.0f);
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -488,6 +499,7 @@ void App::update()
         // A wallet is open only after a successful backend init against the lite server, so this
         // is a non-blocking proxy for "lite backend operational".
         state_.connected = lite_wallet_->walletOpen();
+        if (state_.connected) lite_open_error_.clear();  // opened successfully — clear any prior error
         // Suppress the status bar's full-node connection-detail line in lite ("" and "Connected"
         // are both hidden); the connected/no-wallet indicator + sync status convey lite state.
         connection_status_ = state_.connected ? "Connected" : "";
diff --git a/src/app.h b/src/app.h
index 885f7da..1a7ef1f 100644
--- a/src/app.h
+++ b/src/app.h
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ public:
     config::Settings* settings() { return settings_.get(); }
     // Lite wallet controller (non-null only in lite builds with a linked backend).
     wallet::LiteWalletController* liteWallet() { return lite_wallet_.get(); }
+    // Reason the lite wallet failed to auto-open this session (empty if none / opened OK).
+    const std::string& liteOpenError() const { return lite_open_error_; }
     // Show the lite send-time unlock modal (called when a spend is attempted on a locked wallet).
     void requestLiteUnlock() { lite_unlock_prompt_ = true; }
     // (Re)build the lite controller from current settings so a changed lite-server selection
@@ -442,6 +444,9 @@ private:
     // One-shot guard: auto-open an existing lite wallet on the first update() tick (kept off
     // init() so a slow initialize_existing network call doesn't freeze startup before the window).
     bool lite_autoopen_done_ = false;
+    // Reason an existing lite wallet failed to auto-open (e.g. server unreachable). Surfaced in
+    // the UI so a stuck "disconnected" state isn't silent; cleared once a wallet opens.
+    std::string lite_open_error_;
     // Lite first-run welcome prompt: dismissed for the session once the user picks an action.
     bool lite_firstrun_dismissed_ = false;
     // Lite send-time unlock: set to show the unlock modal when a spend is attempted while locked.
diff --git a/src/ui/windows/network_tab.cpp b/src/ui/windows/network_tab.cpp
index 985b11b..4cda491 100644
--- a/src/ui/windows/network_tab.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/windows/network_tab.cpp
@@ -122,10 +122,14 @@ void RenderLiteNetworkTab(App* app)
                      OnSurfaceMedium(), inUse.c_str());
 
         // Bottom row: sync detail + (while syncing) a thin progress bar.
-        char syncBuf[96];
-        if (!connected)
-            snprintf(syncBuf, sizeof(syncBuf), "%s: %s", TR("lite_net_sync_label"), TR("lite_net_no_wallet"));
-        else if (sync.syncing)
+        char syncBuf[160];
+        if (!connected) {
+            // If an auto-open actually failed, show why (e.g. server unreachable) instead of a
+            // bare "no wallet open" — otherwise the disconnected state is silent/confusing.
+            const std::string& openErr = app->liteOpenError();
+            snprintf(syncBuf, sizeof(syncBuf), "%s: %s", TR("lite_net_sync_label"),
+                     openErr.empty() ? TR("lite_net_no_wallet") : openErr.c_str());
+        } else if (sync.syncing)
             snprintf(syncBuf, sizeof(syncBuf), "%s: %.1f%%  ·  %d / %d", TR("lite_net_sync_label"),
                      sync.verification_progress * 100.0, sync.blocks, sync.headers);
         else