diff --git a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/timeline.rs b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/timeline.rs
index dd7295cab..d2c5f26cf 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/timeline.rs
+++ b/apps/staged/src-tauri/src/timeline.rs
@@ -42,42 +42,42 @@ fn build_branch_timeline(store: &Arc<Store>, branch_id: &str) -> Result<BranchTi
             format!("{}..HEAD", &branch.base_branch)
         };
         let format_arg = "--format=%H|%h|%s|%an|%ct";
-        if let Ok(output) = branches::run_workspace_git(
+        let output = branches::run_workspace_git(
             ws_name,
             repo_subpath.as_deref(),
             &["log", format_arg, &range],
-        ) {
-            // git log returns newest-first; parse then assign order so 0 = oldest.
-            for line in output.lines() {
-                if line.is_empty() {
-                    continue;
-                }
-                let parts: Vec<&str> = line.splitn(5, '|').collect();
-                if parts.len() >= 5 {
-                    let sha = parts[0].to_string();
-                    let our_commit = store.get_commit_by_sha(branch_id, &sha).unwrap_or(None);
-                    let (session_id, session_status) = store.resolve_session_status(
-                        our_commit.as_ref().and_then(|c| c.session_id.as_deref()),
-                    );
-
-                    commits.push(CommitTimelineItem {
-                        id: our_commit.as_ref().map(|c| c.id.clone()),
-                        sha,
-                        short_sha: parts[1].to_string(),
-                        subject: parts[2].to_string(),
-                        author: parts[3].to_string(),
-                        timestamp: parts[4].parse().unwrap_or(0),
-                        order: 0, // placeholder, assigned below
-                        session_id,
-                        session_status,
-                    });
-                }
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to load commits from workspace: {e}"))?;
+        // git log returns newest-first; parse then assign order so 0 = oldest.
+        for line in output.lines() {
+            if line.is_empty() {
+                continue;
             }
-            let len = commits.len() as i64;
-            for (i, commit) in commits.iter_mut().enumerate() {
-                commit.order = len - 1 - i as i64;
+            let parts: Vec<&str> = line.splitn(5, '|').collect();
+            if parts.len() >= 5 {
+                let sha = parts[0].to_string();
+                let our_commit = store.get_commit_by_sha(branch_id, &sha).unwrap_or(None);
+                let (session_id, session_status) = store.resolve_session_status(
+                    our_commit.as_ref().and_then(|c| c.session_id.as_deref()),
+                );
+
+                commits.push(CommitTimelineItem {
+                    id: our_commit.as_ref().map(|c| c.id.clone()),
+                    sha,
+                    short_sha: parts[1].to_string(),
+                    subject: parts[2].to_string(),
+                    author: parts[3].to_string(),
+                    timestamp: parts[4].parse().unwrap_or(0),
+                    order: 0, // placeholder, assigned below
+                    session_id,
+                    session_status,
+                });
             }
         }
+        let len = commits.len() as i64;
+        for (i, commit) in commits.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            commit.order = len - 1 - i as i64;
+        }
     } else if let Some(ref wd) = workdir {
         // Local branch: fetch commits from the local worktree
         let worktree_path = Path::new(&wd.path);
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
index 7584ffc78..cab0169c7 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
@@ -838,6 +838,7 @@
       {:else if error && !timeline}
         <div class="error">
           <span>{error}</span>
+          <button class="retry-btn" onclick={() => loadTimeline()}>Retry</button>
         </div>
       {:else if timeline || isProvisioning}
         <BranchTimeline
@@ -847,6 +848,8 @@
           pendingItems={sessionMgr.pendingSessionItems}
           {prunedSessionIds}
           {revalidating}
+          {error}
+          onRetry={() => loadTimeline()}
           deletingItems={timelineDeletingItems}
           reviewCommentBreakdown={timelineReviewDetailsById}
           onSessionClick={(sid) => sessionMgr.handleTimelineSessionClick(sid)}
@@ -895,11 +898,6 @@
             {/if}
           {/snippet}
         </BranchTimeline>
-        {#if error}
-          <div class="error revalidation-error">
-            <span>{error}</span>
-          </div>
-        {/if}
       {/if}
     </div>
   {/if}
@@ -1153,13 +1151,26 @@
   }
 
   .error {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 8px;
     color: var(--ui-danger);
     font-size: var(--size-sm);
   }
 
-  .revalidation-error {
-    padding: 4px 12px;
-    color: var(--text-faint);
+  .error .retry-btn {
+    padding: 2px 10px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    border: 1px solid var(--border-subtle);
+    background: none;
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+    font-size: var(--size-xs);
+    cursor: pointer;
+  }
+
+  .error .retry-btn:hover {
+    color: var(--text-primary);
+    background: var(--bg-hover);
   }
 
   /* Worktree error state */
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
index cff040c44..afd47677f 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@
     newSessionDisabled?: boolean;
     /** Whether the timeline is being revalidated in the background. */
     revalidating?: boolean;
+    /** Error message from a failed load/revalidation. */
+    error?: string | null;
+    /** Callback to retry loading the timeline. */
+    onRetry?: () => void;
     /** When set, a provisioning row is shown at the start of the timeline. */
     provisioningLabel?: string;
     /** Optional detail text for the provisioning row (e.g. git progress). */
@@ -95,6 +99,8 @@
     onNewReview,
     newSessionDisabled = false,
     revalidating = false,
+    error,
+    onRetry,
     provisioningLabel,
     provisioningDetail,
     footerActions,
@@ -488,7 +494,8 @@
             !onNewCommit &&
             pendingDropNotes.length === 0 &&
             pendingItems.length === 0 &&
-            !revalidating}
+            !revalidating &&
+            !error}
           sessionId={item.sessionId}
           deleteDisabledReason={item.deleteDisabledReason}
           {onSessionClick}
@@ -506,6 +513,7 @@
           isLast={index === pendingDropNotes.length - 1 &&
             pendingItems.length === 0 &&
             !revalidating &&
+            !error &&
             !onNewNote &&
             !onNewCommit}
         />
@@ -521,13 +529,32 @@
               item.secondaryMeta ??
               fallbackHintForPendingType(item.type))
             : item.secondaryMeta}
-          isLast={index === pendingItems.length - 1 && !revalidating && !onNewNote && !onNewCommit}
+          isLast={index === pendingItems.length - 1 &&
+            !revalidating &&
+            !error &&
+            !onNewNote &&
+            !onNewCommit}
         />
       </div>
     {/each}
     {#if revalidating}
       <div transition:slide={{ duration: 200 }}>
-        <TimelineRow type="revalidating" title="Looking for changes..." isLast={true} />
+        <TimelineRow
+          type="revalidating"
+          title="Looking for changes..."
+          isLast={!error && !onNewNote && !onNewCommit}
+        />
+      </div>
+    {/if}
+    {#if error && !revalidating}
+      <div transition:slide={{ duration: 200 }}>
+        <TimelineRow
+          type="load-error"
+          title="Failed to load commits"
+          secondaryMeta={error}
+          isLast={true}
+          onRetryClick={onRetry}
+        />
       </div>
     {/if}
     {#if onNewNote || onNewCommit || onNewReview || footerActions}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
index 8377d1d66..310f8affb 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
     | 'failed-review'
     | 'image'
     | 'revalidating'
-    | 'provisioning';
+    | 'provisioning'
+    | 'load-error';
 
   export type TimelineBadge = {
     icon: 'comment' | 'warning';
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
     onDeleteClick?: () => void;
     /** When set, the delete button is shown but disabled with this tooltip. */
     deleteDisabledReason?: string;
+    onRetryClick?: () => void;
   }
 
   let {
@@ -68,6 +70,7 @@
     onSessionClick,
     onDeleteClick,
     deleteDisabledReason,
+    onRetryClick,
   }: Props = $props();
 
   let isNote = $derived(
@@ -96,7 +99,11 @@
       type === 'provisioning'
   );
   let isFailed = $derived(
-    !deleting && (type === 'failed-commit' || type === 'failed-note' || type === 'failed-review')
+    !deleting &&
+      (type === 'failed-commit' ||
+        type === 'failed-note' ||
+        type === 'failed-review' ||
+        type === 'load-error')
   );
   let isClickable = $derived(!!onItemClick && !isPending && !isFailed);
   let hasSession = $derived(!!sessionId && !deleting);
@@ -118,6 +125,11 @@
     e.stopPropagation();
     onDeleteClick?.();
   }
+
+  function handleRetryClick(e: MouseEvent) {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    onRetryClick?.();
+  }
 </script>
 
 <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
@@ -127,7 +139,7 @@
   class:pending={isPending}
   class:failed={isFailed}
   class:clickable={isClickable}
-  class:compact={type === 'revalidating'}
+  class:compact={type === 'revalidating' || type === 'load-error'}
   onclick={handleRowClick}
 >
   <div class="timeline-marker">
@@ -189,7 +201,12 @@
         </div>
       {/if}
     </div>
-    <div class="timeline-actions">
+    <div class="timeline-actions" class:always-visible={!!onRetryClick}>
+      {#if onRetryClick}
+        <button class="action-btn retry-btn" onclick={handleRetryClick} title="Retry">
+          Retry
+        </button>
+      {/if}
       {#if hasSession}
         <button class="action-btn session-btn" onclick={handleSessionClick} title="View session">
           <MessageSquare size={12} />
@@ -418,7 +435,8 @@
     transition: opacity 0.1s;
   }
 
-  .timeline-row:hover .timeline-actions {
+  .timeline-row:hover .timeline-actions,
+  .timeline-actions.always-visible {
     opacity: 1;
   }
 
@@ -454,6 +472,18 @@
     cursor: not-allowed;
   }
 
+  .retry-btn {
+    width: auto;
+    padding: 0 8px;
+    font-size: var(--size-xs);
+    color: var(--text-muted);
+  }
+
+  .retry-btn:hover {
+    color: var(--text-primary);
+    background: var(--bg-hover);
+  }
+
   @keyframes pulse {
     0%,
     100% {