diff --git a/App.tsx b/App.tsx
index efd4d0a1..0a55be71 100644
--- a/App.tsx
+++ b/App.tsx
@@ -193,6 +193,18 @@ export default function App() {
     return useNetworkStore.getState().init();
   }, []);
 
+  // When the network flips back on while we're authenticated-but-offline
+  // (no live JMAP session), retry the session so the user lands back on
+  // live data without needing to relaunch.
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isAuthenticated) return;
+    return useNetworkStore.subscribe((state, prev) => {
+      if (state.online && !prev.online && !useAuthStore.getState().session) {
+        void useAuthStore.getState().retrySession();
+      }
+    });
+  }, [isAuthenticated]);
+
   React.useEffect(() => {
     let cancelled = false;
     void (async () => {
diff --git a/src/api/jmap-client.ts b/src/api/jmap-client.ts
index befa8e05..4befe5c2 100644
--- a/src/api/jmap-client.ts
+++ b/src/api/jmap-client.ts
@@ -117,18 +117,38 @@ export class JMAPClient {
     const stored = await SecureStore.getItemAsync(credentialsKey(accountId));
     if (!stored) return false;
 
+    let creds: StoredCredentials;
+    try {
+      creds = JSON.parse(stored);
+    } catch {
+      // Corrupt entry — credentials can't be used. Caller should evict.
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    // Errors past this point propagate so callers can distinguish
+    // unrecoverable (AuthenticationError) from transient (NetworkError) and
+    // avoid clearing credentials when the server is just unreachable.
+    this.credentials = creds;
     try {
-      const creds: StoredCredentials = JSON.parse(stored);
-      this.credentials = creds;
       this.session = this.rewriteSessionUrls(
         await this.fetchSession(creds.serverUrl),
         creds.serverUrl,
       );
-      this._accountId = this.resolveAccountId(this.session);
-      return true;
-    } catch {
-      return false;
+    } catch (err) {
+      // Don't leave a half-populated client behind; the caller needs to know
+      // the session is unavailable. Credentials stay in memory so a retry
+      // after the network comes back doesn't need a re-login.
+      this.session = null;
+      this._accountId = null;
+      if (err instanceof AuthenticationError) throw err;
+      // Anything else is treated as transport-level. Wrapping rather than
+      // rethrowing the raw fetch error gives callers a single check.
+      throw new NetworkError(
+        err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Server unreachable',
+      );
     }
+    this._accountId = this.resolveAccountId(this.session);
+    return true;
   }
 
   async clearAccountCredentials(accountId: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -332,6 +352,15 @@ export class AuthenticationError extends Error {
   }
 }
 
+// Server unreachable / transient transport failure. Callers should keep
+// stored credentials and surface an offline state rather than logging out.
+export class NetworkError extends Error {
+  constructor(message: string) {
+    super(message);
+    this.name = 'NetworkError';
+  }
+}
+
 export class RateLimitError extends Error {
   retryAfterMs: number;
   constructor(retryAfterMs: number) {
diff --git a/src/components/SidebarDrawer.tsx b/src/components/SidebarDrawer.tsx
index a87b3f09..5daded3d 100644
--- a/src/components/SidebarDrawer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SidebarDrawer.tsx
@@ -487,7 +487,9 @@ function makeStyles(c: ThemePalette) {
     top: 0, bottom: 0, left: 0,
     width: '85%',
     maxWidth: 340,
-    backgroundColor: '#262626', // matches webmail bg-secondary (dark mode)
+    // Mirror webmail's bg-secondary in both palettes - was hardcoded to the
+    // dark-mode value, which left light mode unreadable (dark bg + dark text).
+    backgroundColor: c.secondary,
     borderRightWidth: 1,
     borderRightColor: c.border,
   },
@@ -537,7 +539,7 @@ function makeStyles(c: ThemePalette) {
     marginHorizontal: spacing.sm,
     marginTop: spacing.xs,
     marginBottom: spacing.sm,
-    backgroundColor: '#1f1f1f',
+    backgroundColor: c.popover,
     borderRadius: radius.md,
     borderWidth: 1,
     borderColor: c.border,
diff --git a/src/components/calendar/CalendarSidebarDrawer.tsx b/src/components/calendar/CalendarSidebarDrawer.tsx
index aaa20c78..bb552899 100644
--- a/src/components/calendar/CalendarSidebarDrawer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/calendar/CalendarSidebarDrawer.tsx
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ function makeStyles(c: ThemePalette) {
     left: 0,
     width: '85%',
     maxWidth: 340,
-    backgroundColor: '#262626',
+    backgroundColor: c.secondary,
     borderRightWidth: 1,
     borderRightColor: c.border,
   },
diff --git a/src/components/contacts/ContactsSidebarDrawer.tsx b/src/components/contacts/ContactsSidebarDrawer.tsx
index 01bf5dd4..56339ab5 100644
--- a/src/components/contacts/ContactsSidebarDrawer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/contacts/ContactsSidebarDrawer.tsx
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ function makeStyles(c: ThemePalette) {
     top: 0, bottom: 0, left: 0,
     width: '85%',
     maxWidth: 340,
-    backgroundColor: '#262626',
+    backgroundColor: c.secondary,
     borderRightWidth: 1,
     borderRightColor: c.border,
   },
diff --git a/src/stores/auth-store.ts b/src/stores/auth-store.ts
index 7a81eff8..3becd6e0 100644
--- a/src/stores/auth-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/auth-store.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { create } from 'zustand';
-import { jmapClient, AuthenticationError } from '../api/jmap-client';
+import { jmapClient, AuthenticationError, NetworkError } from '../api/jmap-client';
 import type { JMAPSession } from '../api/types';
 import { useAccountStore } from './account-store';
 import { useEmailStore } from './email-store';
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export interface AuthState {
   logoutAll: () => Promise<void>;
   switchAccount: (accountId: string) => Promise<void>;
   restoreSession: () => Promise<boolean>;
+  retrySession: () => Promise<boolean>;
   clearError: () => void;
 }
 
@@ -286,15 +287,56 @@ export const useAuthStore = create<AuthState>((set, get) => ({
         return false;
       }
 
-      const ok = await jmapClient.loadAccount(target.id);
-      if (!ok) {
-        accountStore.removeAccount(target.id);
-        set({ isLoading: false, hasRestoredSession: true });
-        return false;
+      try {
+        const ok = await jmapClient.loadAccount(target.id);
+        if (!ok) {
+          // No stored credentials (or corrupt) — genuine logout.
+          accountStore.removeAccount(target.id);
+          set({ isLoading: false, hasRestoredSession: true });
+          return false;
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        if (err instanceof NetworkError) {
+          // Server unreachable. Keep credentials, mark account offline, and
+          // surface the cached UI so the user can still browse persisted
+          // mail / contacts / calendar. The login screen would lose their
+          // settings without recourse, which is the bug we're fixing here.
+          accountStore.setActiveAccount(target.id);
+          accountStore.updateAccount(target.id, {
+            isConnected: false,
+            hasError: true,
+            errorMessage: err.message,
+          });
+          set({
+            isAuthenticated: true,
+            isLoading: false,
+            hasRestoredSession: true,
+            error: null,
+            serverUrl: target.serverUrl,
+            username: target.username,
+            session: null,
+            accountId: null,
+            activeAccountId: target.id,
+            client: jmapClient,
+          });
+          return true;
+        }
+        if (err instanceof AuthenticationError) {
+          // Server reachable but credentials rejected — drop them.
+          await jmapClient.clearAccountCredentials(target.id).catch(() => undefined);
+          accountStore.removeAccount(target.id);
+          set({ isLoading: false, hasRestoredSession: true, error: 'Session expired' });
+          return false;
+        }
+        throw err;
       }
 
       accountStore.setActiveAccount(target.id);
-      accountStore.updateAccount(target.id, { isConnected: true, hasError: false });
+      accountStore.updateAccount(target.id, {
+        isConnected: true,
+        hasError: false,
+        errorMessage: undefined,
+      });
 
       const session = jmapClient.currentSession!;
       applyConnectedState(set, session, target.serverUrl, target.username, target.id);
@@ -309,5 +351,51 @@ export const useAuthStore = create<AuthState>((set, get) => ({
     }
   },
 
+  // Re-attempt session establishment for the currently active account
+  // without disturbing UI state on failure. Used by the network-recovery
+  // watcher and any explicit "retry" button. Idempotent: returns true if
+  // a session is already live.
+  retrySession: async () => {
+    const { activeAccountId, session } = get();
+    if (!activeAccountId) return false;
+    if (session) return true;
+    const accountStore = useAccountStore.getState();
+    const target = accountStore.getAccountById(activeAccountId);
+    if (!target) return false;
+    try {
+      const ok = await jmapClient.loadAccount(activeAccountId);
+      if (!ok) return false;
+      accountStore.updateAccount(activeAccountId, {
+        isConnected: true,
+        hasError: false,
+        errorMessage: undefined,
+      });
+      const fresh = jmapClient.currentSession!;
+      applyConnectedState(set, fresh, target.serverUrl, target.username, activeAccountId);
+      refetchFeatureStores();
+      return true;
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (err instanceof AuthenticationError) {
+        // Now we know the credentials are bad — fall back to logout flow.
+        await jmapClient.clearAccountCredentials(activeAccountId).catch(() => undefined);
+        accountStore.removeAccount(activeAccountId);
+        set({
+          isAuthenticated: false,
+          isLoading: false,
+          hasRestoredSession: true,
+          error: 'Session expired',
+          serverUrl: null,
+          username: null,
+          session: null,
+          accountId: null,
+          activeAccountId: null,
+          client: null,
+        });
+      }
+      // NetworkError or anything else: stay where we are.
+      return false;
+    }
+  },
+
   clearError: () => set({ error: null }),
 }));