diff --git a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.dart b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.dart
index 037d4f04..d4b1e02a 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.dart
@@ -241,6 +241,15 @@ abstract class ChatStoreBase with Store {
   @readonly
   var _isWaitingForAck = false;
 
+  /// Whether the chat WebSocket is currently connected.
+  @readonly
+  var _isConnected = false;
+
+  /// Whether we've successfully connected at least once (to distinguish
+  /// "connecting" from "disconnected" in the UI).
+  @readonly
+  var _hasConnected = false;
+
   /// The logged-in user's appearance in chat.
   @readonly
   var _userState = const USERSTATE();
@@ -251,12 +260,6 @@ abstract class ChatStoreBase with Store {
   @observable
   IRCMessage? replyingToMessage;
 
-  /// Public getter for whether the chat is in shared chat mode.
-  bool get isInSharedChatMode => _isInSharedChatMode;
-
-  /// Public getter for whether we're waiting for message acknowledgment.
-  bool get isWaitingForAck => _isWaitingForAck;
-
   /// Emotes matching the current autocomplete search term.
   @computed
   List<Emote> get matchingEmotes {
@@ -637,6 +640,10 @@ abstract class ChatStoreBase with Store {
         // Reset exponential backoff if successfully connected.
         _retries = 0;
         _backoffTime = 0;
+
+        // Mark connection as established for UI
+        _isConnected = true;
+        _hasConnected = true;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -839,6 +846,9 @@ abstract class ChatStoreBase with Store {
         // Invalidate the current connection to cancel pending delayed callbacks
         currentConnectionId = 0;
 
+        // Mark connection as disconnected for UI
+        _isConnected = false;
+
         // Cancel chat delay countdown when disconnecting
         _cancelChatDelayCountdown();
         _chatDelaySyncCompleted = false;
diff --git a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.g.dart b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.g.dart
index 8b3b585e..826915be 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.g.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channel/chat/stores/chat_store.g.dart
@@ -247,6 +247,46 @@ mixin _$ChatStore on ChatStoreBase, Store {
     });
   }
 
+  late final _$_isConnectedAtom = Atom(
+    name: 'ChatStoreBase._isConnected',
+    context: context,
+  );
+
+  bool get isConnected {
+    _$_isConnectedAtom.reportRead();
+    return super._isConnected;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool get _isConnected => isConnected;
+
+  @override
+  set _isConnected(bool value) {
+    _$_isConnectedAtom.reportWrite(value, super._isConnected, () {
+      super._isConnected = value;
+    });
+  }
+
+  late final _$_hasConnectedAtom = Atom(
+    name: 'ChatStoreBase._hasConnected',
+    context: context,
+  );
+
+  bool get hasConnected {
+    _$_hasConnectedAtom.reportRead();
+    return super._hasConnected;
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool get _hasConnected => hasConnected;
+
+  @override
+  set _hasConnected(bool value) {
+    _$_hasConnectedAtom.reportWrite(value, super._hasConnected, () {
+      super._hasConnected = value;
+    });
+  }
+
   late final _$_userStateAtom = Atom(
     name: 'ChatStoreBase._userState',
     context: context,
diff --git a/lib/screens/channel/chat/widgets/chat_bottom_bar.dart b/lib/screens/channel/chat/widgets/chat_bottom_bar.dart
index aa6ee69a..b36883fa 100644
--- a/lib/screens/channel/chat/widgets/chat_bottom_bar.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/channel/chat/widgets/chat_bottom_bar.dart
@@ -245,7 +245,10 @@ class ChatBottomBar extends StatelessWidget {
                         builder: (context) {
                           final isLoggedIn = chatStore.auth.isLoggedIn;
                           final isWaitingForAck = chatStore.isWaitingForAck;
-                          final isEnabled = isLoggedIn && !isWaitingForAck;
+                          final isConnected = chatStore.isConnected;
+                          final hasConnected = chatStore.hasConnected;
+                          final isEnabled =
+                              isLoggedIn && !isWaitingForAck && isConnected;
 
                           return GestureDetector(
                             onTap: !isLoggedIn
@@ -285,15 +288,19 @@ class ChatBottomBar extends StatelessWidget {
                                   ],
                                 ),
                                 hintMaxLines: 1,
-                                hintText: isLoggedIn
-                                    ? isWaitingForAck
-                                        ? 'Sending...'
-                                        : chatStore.replyingToMessage != null
-                                            ? 'Reply'
-                                            : hasChatDelay
-                                                ? 'Chat (${chatStore.settings.chatDelay.toInt()}s delay)'
-                                                : 'Chat'
-                                    : loginTooltipMessage,
+                                hintText: !isLoggedIn
+                                    ? loginTooltipMessage
+                                    : !isConnected
+                                        ? (hasConnected
+                                            ? 'Chat disconnected'
+                                            : 'Connecting...')
+                                        : isWaitingForAck
+                                            ? 'Sending...'
+                                            : chatStore.replyingToMessage != null
+                                                ? 'Reply'
+                                                : hasChatDelay
+                                                    ? 'Chat (${chatStore.settings.chatDelay.toInt()}s delay)'
+                                                    : 'Chat',
                               ),
                               controller: chatStore.textController,
                               onSubmitted: chatStore.sendMessage,
@@ -326,7 +333,8 @@ class ChatBottomBar extends StatelessWidget {
                                   : const Icon(Icons.send_rounded),
                               onPressed:
                                   chatStore.auth.isLoggedIn &&
-                                      !chatStore.isWaitingForAck
+                                      !chatStore.isWaitingForAck &&
+                                      chatStore.isConnected
                                   ? () => chatStore.sendMessage(
                                       chatStore.textController.text,
                                     )
diff --git a/lib/screens/settings/stores/settings_store.dart b/lib/screens/settings/stores/settings_store.dart
index 009f9dfb..4d7e3649 100644
--- a/lib/screens/settings/stores/settings_store.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/settings/stores/settings_store.dart
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ abstract class _SettingsStoreBase with Store {
 
   @JsonKey(defaultValue: defaultShowUserNotices)
   @observable
-  var showUserNotices = defaultHighlightFirstTimeChatter;
+  var showUserNotices = defaultShowUserNotices;
 
   // Layout options
   @JsonKey(defaultValue: defaultEmoteMenuButtonOnLeft)