diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/index.html b/meshchatx/src/frontend/index.html
index 9236768..9754927 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/index.html
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/index.html
@@ -7,6 +7,53 @@
         <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json" />
         <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="favicons/favicon-512x512.png" />
         <title>Reticulum MeshChatX</title>
+        <style>
+            #meshchatx-boot-splash {
+                box-sizing: border-box;
+                position: fixed;
+                inset: 0;
+                z-index: 2147483000;
+                display: flex;
+                flex-direction: column;
+                align-items: center;
+                justify-content: center;
+                gap: 0.75rem;
+                padding: 1.5rem;
+                font:
+                    0.95rem/1.5 system-ui,
+                    -apple-system,
+                    "Segoe UI",
+                    sans-serif;
+                color: #0f172a;
+                background: linear-gradient(160deg, #f1f5f9 0%, #e2e8f0 45%, #cbd5e1 100%);
+            }
+            @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
+                #meshchatx-boot-splash {
+                    color: #f1f5f9;
+                    background: linear-gradient(160deg, #0f172a 0%, #18181b 50%, #27272a 100%);
+                }
+            }
+            #meshchatx-boot-splash[data-state="error"] {
+                background: #450a0a;
+                color: #fecaca;
+            }
+            #meshchatx-boot-splash .meshchatx-boot-logo {
+                width: 3.25rem;
+                height: 3.25rem;
+                object-fit: contain;
+            }
+            #meshchatx-boot-splash .meshchatx-boot-title {
+                font-weight: 600;
+                font-size: 1.05rem;
+                letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+            }
+            #meshchatx-boot-splash .meshchatx-boot-line {
+                max-width: 20rem;
+                text-align: center;
+                opacity: 0.85;
+                font-size: 0.875rem;
+            }
+        </style>
     </head>
     <body class="bg-gray-100">
         <noscript>
@@ -32,6 +79,11 @@
                 and reload this page.
             </div>
         </noscript>
+        <div id="meshchatx-boot-splash" role="status" aria-live="polite" aria-busy="true">
+            <img class="meshchatx-boot-logo" src="favicons/favicon-512x512.png" alt="" width="52" height="52" />
+            <div class="meshchatx-boot-title">MeshChatX</div>
+            <div class="meshchatx-boot-line" data-boot-line>Starting…</div>
+        </div>
         <div id="app"></div>
         <script type="module" src="main.js"></script>
     </body>
diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/Codec2Loader.js b/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/Codec2Loader.js
index 9318ad5..f29e5db 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/Codec2Loader.js
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/Codec2Loader.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const codec2ScriptPaths = [
 ];
 
 let loadPromise = null;
+let resolvedOk = false;
 
 function injectScript(src) {
     if (typeof document === "undefined") {
@@ -45,14 +46,84 @@ function injectScript(src) {
     });
 }
 
+function loadChain() {
+    return codec2ScriptPaths.reduce((chain, src) => chain.then(() => injectScript(src)), Promise.resolve());
+}
+
+/**
+ * Run fn until it succeeds or maxAttempts is reached. Waits between failures with capped exponential backoff.
+ *
+ * @param {() => Promise<void>} fn
+ * @param {{ maxAttempts?: number, baseDelayMs?: number, maxDelayMs?: number }} options
+ */
+export async function withRetries(fn, options = {}) {
+    const maxAttempts = options.maxAttempts ?? 12;
+    let delayMs = options.baseDelayMs ?? 400;
+    const maxDelayMs = options.maxDelayMs ?? 8000;
+    let lastErr;
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < maxAttempts; attempt++) {
+        try {
+            await fn();
+            return;
+        } catch (e) {
+            lastErr = e;
+            if (attempt === maxAttempts - 1) {
+                break;
+            }
+            await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, delayMs));
+            delayMs = Math.min(maxDelayMs, Math.floor(delayMs * 1.5));
+        }
+    }
+    throw lastErr;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Resolves when all Codec2 helper scripts are present. Rejects if any script fails to load.
+ * Call from features that require Codec2; use {@link startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad} for startup.
+ */
 export function ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded() {
     if (typeof window === "undefined") {
         return Promise.resolve();
     }
-
-    if (!loadPromise) {
-        loadPromise = codec2ScriptPaths.reduce((chain, src) => chain.then(() => injectScript(src)), Promise.resolve());
+    if (resolvedOk) {
+        return Promise.resolve();
+    }
+    if (!loadPromise) {
+        loadPromise = loadChain()
+            .then(() => {
+                resolvedOk = true;
+            })
+            .catch((err) => {
+                loadPromise = null;
+                throw err;
+            });
     }
-
     return loadPromise;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Loads Codec2 scripts in the background with retries (embedded server may not be ready on first paint).
+ * Swallows final failure after logging; the rest of the app stays usable without voice-codec scripts.
+ *
+ * @param {{ maxAttempts?: number, baseDelayMs?: number, maxDelayMs?: number }} options
+ */
+export async function startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad(options = {}) {
+    if (typeof window === "undefined") {
+        return;
+    }
+    try {
+        await withRetries(() => ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded(), {
+            maxAttempts: options.maxAttempts ?? 12,
+            baseDelayMs: options.baseDelayMs ?? 400,
+            maxDelayMs: options.maxDelayMs ?? 8000,
+        });
+    } catch (e) {
+        console.warn("Codec2 scripts failed to load after retries; voice codec features may be unavailable.", e);
+    }
+}
+
+/** Clears loader state (for unit tests only). */
+export function resetCodec2LoaderState() {
+    resolvedOk = false;
+    loadPromise = null;
+}
diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/main.js b/meshchatx/src/frontend/main.js
index ec5446f..c2799c5 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/main.js
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/main.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ injectMeshchatThemeVariables();
 window.DOMPurify = DOMPurify;
 import "@mdi/font/css/materialdesignicons.css";
 import "./fonts/RobotoMonoNerdFont/font.css";
-import { ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded } from "./js/Codec2Loader";
+import { startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad } from "./js/Codec2Loader";
 import { createApiClient } from "./js/apiClient.js";
 
 import App from "./components/App.vue";
@@ -346,10 +346,26 @@ function registerMeshchatServiceWorker() {
     });
 }
 
-async function bootstrap() {
+function bootstrap() {
     registerMeshchatServiceWorker();
-    await ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded();
-    createApp(App).use(router).use(vuetify).use(i18n).use(vClickOutside).mount("#app");
+    const splash = typeof document !== "undefined" ? document.getElementById("meshchatx-boot-splash") : null;
+    try {
+        createApp(App).use(router).use(vuetify).use(i18n).use(vClickOutside).mount("#app");
+    } catch (e) {
+        console.error("MeshChatX bootstrap failed:", e);
+        if (splash) {
+            splash.setAttribute("data-state", "error");
+            const line = splash.querySelector("[data-boot-line]");
+            if (line) {
+                line.textContent = "Failed to start. Try closing and reopening the app.";
+            }
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+    if (splash) {
+        splash.remove();
+    }
+    void startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad();
 }
 
 bootstrap();
diff --git a/tests/frontend/Codec2Loader.test.js b/tests/frontend/Codec2Loader.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30e1f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/frontend/Codec2Loader.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import {
+    withRetries,
+    resetCodec2LoaderState,
+    ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded,
+    startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad,
+} from "../../meshchatx/src/frontend/js/Codec2Loader.js";
+
+describe("withRetries", () => {
+    it("succeeds on first attempt", async () => {
+        const fn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+        await withRetries(fn, { maxAttempts: 4, baseDelayMs: 1, maxDelayMs: 5 });
+        expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    it("retries with backoff until success", async () => {
+        const fn = vi
+            .fn()
+            .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("a"))
+            .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("b"))
+            .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+        await withRetries(fn, { maxAttempts: 6, baseDelayMs: 1, maxDelayMs: 5 });
+        expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    });
+
+    it("throws after maxAttempts failures", async () => {
+        const fn = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("always"));
+        await expect(withRetries(fn, { maxAttempts: 3, baseDelayMs: 1, maxDelayMs: 5 })).rejects.toThrow("always");
+        expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    });
+
+    it("performance: completes quickly with tiny delays", async () => {
+        const fn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+        const t0 = performance.now();
+        await withRetries(fn, { maxAttempts: 8, baseDelayMs: 0, maxDelayMs: 1 });
+        expect(performance.now() - t0).toBeLessThan(500);
+    });
+});
+
+describe("Codec2Loader integration (jsdom)", () => {
+    const origAppend = document.head.appendChild.bind(document.head);
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        resetCodec2LoaderState();
+        vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+        resetCodec2LoaderState();
+        document.head.appendChild = origAppend;
+        document.querySelectorAll("script[data-codec2-src]").forEach((el) => el.remove());
+    });
+
+    it("ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded resolves when script tags load", async () => {
+        vi.spyOn(document.head, "appendChild").mockImplementation((node) => {
+            if (node instanceof HTMLScriptElement && node.src) {
+                origAppend(node);
+                queueMicrotask(() => node.dispatchEvent(new Event("load")));
+                return node;
+            }
+            return origAppend(node);
+        });
+
+        await ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded();
+        await expect(ensureCodec2ScriptsLoaded()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+        expect(document.querySelectorAll("script[data-codec2-src]").length).toBe(6);
+    });
+
+    it("startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad swallows errors after retries", async () => {
+        const warn = vi.spyOn(console, "warn").mockImplementation(() => {});
+        vi.spyOn(document.head, "appendChild").mockImplementation((node) => {
+            if (node instanceof HTMLScriptElement && node.src) {
+                origAppend(node);
+                queueMicrotask(() => node.dispatchEvent(new Event("error")));
+                return node;
+            }
+            return origAppend(node);
+        });
+
+        await startCodec2ScriptsBackgroundLoad({
+            maxAttempts: 2,
+            baseDelayMs: 0,
+            maxDelayMs: 1,
+        });
+
+        expect(warn).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        warn.mockRestore();
+    });
+});