diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/src/browser-server.js b/packages/desktop-client/src/browser-server.js
index e573a665a2..7b254ff180 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/src/browser-server.js
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/src/browser-server.js
@@ -25,14 +25,15 @@ const importScriptsWithRetry = async (script, { maxRetries = 5 } = {}) => {
     }
 
     // Attempt to retry after a small delay
-    await new Promise(resolve =>
-      setTimeout(async () => {
-        await importScriptsWithRetry(script, {
+    await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        importScriptsWithRetry(script, {
           maxRetries: maxRetries - 1,
-        });
-        resolve();
-      }, 5000),
-    );
+        })
+          .then(resolve)
+          .catch(reject);
+      }, 5000);
+    });
   }
 };
 
@@ -76,9 +77,11 @@ self.addEventListener('message', async event => {
           return;
         }
 
+        // A single failed importScripts bricks the SharedWorker until
+        // it's evicted, so retry in production too.
         await importScriptsWithRetry(
           `${msg.publicUrl}/kcab/kcab.worker.${hash}.js`,
-          { maxRetries: isDev ? 5 : 0 },
+          { maxRetries: isDev ? 5 : 3 },
         );
 
         backend.initApp(isDev, self).catch(err => {
diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.test.tsx b/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.test.tsx
index dabe658cf0..a7f3107b3a 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.test.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe('FatalError', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText(/IndexedDB/)).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it('renders the generic simple message for an app-init-failure without a specific cause', () => {
+  it('renders a backend-worker message for a BackendInitFailure', () => {
     const error = {
       type: 'app-init-failure',
       BackendInitFailure: true,
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ describe('FatalError', () => {
 
     render(<FatalError error={error} />, { wrapper: TestProviders });
 
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText(/couldn't load a critical backend worker/i),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('renders the generic simple message for an app-init-failure without a specific cause', () => {
+    const error = { type: 'app-init-failure' };
+
+    render(<FatalError error={error} />, { wrapper: TestProviders });
+
     expect(
       screen.getByText(/problem loading the app in this browser version/i),
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.tsx b/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.tsx
index 465d726773..5d741a4752 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/src/components/FatalError.tsx
@@ -69,10 +69,17 @@ function RenderSimple({ error }: RenderSimpleProps) {
         </Trans>
       </Text>
     );
+  } else if ('BackendInitFailure' in error && error.BackendInitFailure) {
+    msg = (
+      <Text>
+        <Trans>
+          Actual couldn't load a critical backend worker. Reload the page to try
+          again; if the problem persists, do a hard refresh to clear any stale
+          cached assets.
+        </Trans>
+      </Text>
+    );
   } else {
-    // This indicates the backend failed to initialize. Show the
-    // user something at least so they aren't looking at a blank
-    // screen
     msg = (
       <Text>
         <Trans>
@@ -92,19 +99,6 @@ function RenderSimple({ error }: RenderSimpleProps) {
       }}
     >
       <Text>{msg}</Text>
-      <Text>
-        <Trans>
-          Please get{' '}
-          <Link
-            variant="external"
-            linkColor="muted"
-            to="https://actualbudget.org/contact"
-          >
-            in touch
-          </Link>{' '}
-          for support
-        </Trans>
-      </Text>
     </SpaceBetween>
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.test.ts b/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.test.ts
index a0b0e1f42f..aa04a04d37 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.test.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.test.ts
@@ -172,6 +172,47 @@ describe('SharedWorker coordinator', () => {
         expect.objectContaining({ type: 'app-init-failure', error: 'boom' }),
       );
     });
+
+    it('clears the cached init failure when the client acknowledges it', () => {
+      const leader = connectTab(coordinator);
+      sendInit(leader);
+      simulateWorkerConnect(leader);
+
+      sendMsg(leader, {
+        type: '__from-worker',
+        msg: { type: 'app-init-failure', error: 'boom' },
+      });
+      expect(coordinator.getState().lastAppInitFailure).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({ type: 'app-init-failure' }),
+      );
+
+      sendMsg(leader, { name: '__app-init-failure-acknowledged' });
+      expect(coordinator.getState().lastAppInitFailure).toBeNull();
+
+      const port2 = connectTab(coordinator);
+      sendInit(port2);
+      expect(port2.postMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ type: 'app-init-failure' }),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('clears the cached init failure when a backend later connects successfully', () => {
+      const failedLeader = connectTab(coordinator);
+      sendInit(failedLeader);
+      sendMsg(failedLeader, {
+        type: '__from-worker',
+        msg: { type: 'app-init-failure', error: 'boom' },
+      });
+      expect(coordinator.getState().lastAppInitFailure).not.toBeNull();
+
+      sendMsg(failedLeader, { type: 'tab-closing' });
+
+      const newLeader = connectTab(coordinator);
+      sendInit(newLeader);
+      simulateWorkerConnect(newLeader);
+
+      expect(coordinator.getState().lastAppInitFailure).toBeNull();
+    });
   });
 
   // ── Load budget ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.ts b/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.ts
index 3c81c78a89..47707f63ad 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/src/shared-browser-server-core.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ export function createCoordinator({
   }
 
   function broadcastConnect(budgetId: string) {
+    lastAppInitFailure = null;
     const connectMsg = { type: 'connect' };
     broadcastToAllInGroup(budgetId, connectMsg);
     for (const port of unassignedPorts) {
@@ -544,10 +545,22 @@ export function createCoordinator({
           return;
         }
 
+        // Drop the cache once the client has surfaced the failure, so a
+        // subsequent init can re-attempt. Falls through to the leader so
+        // the Worker still stops its retry interval.
+        if (msg.name === '__app-init-failure-acknowledged') {
+          lastAppInitFailure = null;
+        }
+
         // ── Initialization ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
         if (msg.type === 'init') {
           cachedInitMsg = msg;
+          // The leader that produced the failure is gone, so the cache
+          // can't recover — drop it and let this tab attempt a fresh init.
+          if (lastAppInitFailure && budgetGroups.size === 0) {
+            lastAppInitFailure = null;
+          }
           if (lastAppInitFailure) {
             port.postMessage(lastAppInitFailure);
           } else {
diff --git a/upcoming-release-notes/7761.md b/upcoming-release-notes/7761.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f92e205901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming-release-notes/7761.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+category: Enhancements
+authors: [MatissJanis]
+---
+
+Surface the backend init failures with a custom error screen and message.