diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
index 7fbafb9..e21bc53 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/LocationMapManager.jsx
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export default function LocationMapManager() {
 
   const [mapState, setMapState] = useState(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [loadError, setLoadError] = useState(null);
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false);
   const [savingAction, setSavingAction] = useState(null);
   const [mode, setMode] = useState("setup");
@@ -157,9 +158,13 @@ export default function LocationMapManager() {
   }, []);
 
   const loadMap = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (!activeHousehold?.id || !locationId) return;
+    if (!activeHousehold?.id || !locationId) {
+      setLoading(false);
+      return;
+    }
 
     setLoading(true);
+    setLoadError(null);
     try {
       const response = await getLocationMap(activeHousehold.id, locationId);
       const nextState = response.data;
@@ -216,6 +221,12 @@ export default function LocationMapManager() {
       const message = getApiErrorMessage(error, "Failed to load map");
       toastRef.current.error("Load map failed", message);
       setMapState(null);
+      setObjects([]);
+      setSelectedObjectKey(null);
+      setHistory([]);
+      setFuture([]);
+      setHasUnsavedChanges(false);
+      setLoadError(message);
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
@@ -563,6 +574,25 @@ export default function LocationMapManager() {
     );
   }
 
+  if (loadError) {
+    return (
+      <div className="location-map-page">
+        <LocationMapTopbar location={location} status="Load Error" onBack={handleBack} />
+        <main className="location-map-workspace">
+          <section className="location-map-setup location-map-load-error" role="alert" aria-live="polite">
+            <h2>Map Unavailable</h2>
+            <p>{loadError}</p>
+            <div className="location-map-setup-actions">
+              <button type="button" className="btn-primary" onClick={loadMap}>
+                Retry
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          </section>
+        </main>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   const hasAnyMap = Boolean(mapState?.draft_map || mapState?.published_map);
   const hasVisibleOrManageableMap = Boolean(mapState?.published_map || (mapState?.draft_map && canManage));
   const status = getMapStatus(mapState, { mode, previewDraft, hasUnsavedChanges });
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
index 1f102f6..5170000 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/pages/LocationMapManager.css
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@
   border-color: rgba(244, 114, 182, 0.42);
 }
 
+.location-map-status-load-error {
+  background: rgba(248, 113, 113, 0.2);
+  border-color: rgba(248, 113, 113, 0.42);
+}
+
 .location-map-status-published {
   background: rgba(20, 184, 166, 0.18);
   border-color: rgba(20, 184, 166, 0.34);
diff --git a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
index 8e5ef12..0fa01d3 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/tests/location-map-manager.spec.ts
@@ -412,6 +412,64 @@ test("admin setup explains when no zones exist yet", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByLabel("Map controls")).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
+test("load failure shows retryable error instead of no-map setup", async ({ page }) => {
+  await mockMapShell(page);
+
+  const mapState = publishedMapState([
+    {
+      id: 391,
+      location_map_id: 901,
+      zone_id: 501,
+      zone_name: "Bakery",
+      type: "zone",
+      label: "Bakery",
+      x: 40,
+      y: 40,
+      width: 260,
+      height: 160,
+      rotation: 0,
+      locked: false,
+      visible: true,
+      sort_order: 1,
+    },
+  ], true);
+  let attempts = 0;
+
+  await page.route("**/households/1/locations/10/map", async (route) => {
+    attempts += 1;
+    if (attempts === 1) {
+      await route.fulfill({
+        status: 503,
+        contentType: "application/json",
+        body: JSON.stringify({ error: { message: "Map service unavailable" } }),
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "application/json",
+      body: JSON.stringify(mapState),
+    });
+  });
+
+  await page.goto("/stores/100/locations/10/map");
+
+  const errorCard = page.locator(".location-map-load-error");
+  await expect(errorCard.getByRole("heading", { name: "Map Unavailable" })).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(errorCard.getByText("Map service unavailable")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Load Error")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "No Map" })).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: /Create From/ })).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Retry" }).click();
+
+  await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Map Unavailable" })).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(page.getByText("Published")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Map area Bakery" })).toBeVisible();
+  expect(attempts).toBe(2);
+});
+
 test("admin can add the first area from a blank map canvas", async ({ page }) => {
   await mockMapShell(page);