diff --git a/meshchatx/src/backend/auto_propagation_manager.py b/meshchatx/src/backend/auto_propagation_manager.py
index 1da9b4c..58da785 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/backend/auto_propagation_manager.py
+++ b/meshchatx/src/backend/auto_propagation_manager.py
@@ -106,8 +106,27 @@ class AutoPropagationManager:
         ctx = self.context
         router = ctx.message_router
 
+        previous_hex = (
+            self.config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.get()
+        )
+
+        # If a sync is in progress, only interrupt it when the current node
+        # appears unreachable.  This prevents getting stuck on a node we
+        # cannot get a path to.
         if router.propagation_transfer_state != LXMRouter.PR_IDLE:
-            return
+            current_has_path = False
+            if previous_hex:
+                try:
+                    current_dest = bytes.fromhex(previous_hex)
+                    current_has_path = RNS.Transport.has_path(current_dest)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+            if current_has_path:
+                # Sync is likely making progress – let it finish.
+                return
+            # Current node is unreachable – stop the stuck sync so we can
+            # look for a working alternative.
+            self.app.stop_propagation_node_sync(context=ctx)
 
         announces = self.database.announces.get_announces(aspect="lxmf.propagation")
 
@@ -133,9 +152,6 @@ class AutoPropagationManager:
         if not sorted_candidates:
             return
 
-        previous_hex = (
-            self.config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.get()
-        )
         ordered: list[tuple[int, str]] = []
         seen_hex: set[str] = set()
         if previous_hex and previous_hex in best_by_hex:
@@ -172,7 +188,18 @@ class AutoPropagationManager:
                 )
             return
 
+        # None of the candidates worked.  If the previously-selected node is
+        # still unreachable, clear it rather than restoring a broken node.
         if previous_hex:
-            self.app.set_active_propagation_node(previous_hex, context=self.context)
+            try:
+                previous_dest = bytes.fromhex(previous_hex)
+                if RNS.Transport.has_path(previous_dest):
+                    self.app.set_active_propagation_node(
+                        previous_hex, context=self.context
+                    )
+                    return
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+            self.app.remove_active_propagation_node(context=self.context)
         else:
             self.app.remove_active_propagation_node(context=self.context)
diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/App.vue b/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/App.vue
index f3083f4..71c51e7 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/App.vue
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/App.vue
@@ -101,6 +101,18 @@
                             >
                                 <MaterialDesignIcon icon-name="phone" class="w-5 h-5 sm:w-6 sm:h-6" />
                             </button>
+                            <button
+                                type="button"
+                                class="sm:hidden rounded-full p-1.5 text-gray-600 dark:text-gray-300 hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-zinc-800 transition-colors"
+                                :title="isSyncingPropagationNode ? $t('app.syncing') : $t('app.sync_messages')"
+                                @click="syncPropagationNode"
+                            >
+                                <MaterialDesignIcon
+                                    icon-name="refresh"
+                                    class="w-5 h-5"
+                                    :class="{ 'animate-spin': isSyncingPropagationNode }"
+                                />
+                            </button>
                             <button type="button" class="hidden sm:flex rounded-full" @click="syncPropagationNode">
                                 <span
                                     class="flex text-gray-800 dark:text-zinc-100 bg-white dark:bg-zinc-800/80 border border-gray-200 dark:border-zinc-700 hover:border-blue-400 dark:hover:border-blue-400/60 px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full shadow-xs transition"
diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/Toast.vue b/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/Toast.vue
index 221fe5f..0fcdcd1 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/Toast.vue
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/components/Toast.vue
@@ -228,11 +228,15 @@ export default {
 .toast-swipe-out-left {
     transform: translateX(-120%) !important;
     opacity: 0 !important;
-    transition: transform 0.25s ease, opacity 0.25s ease !important;
+    transition:
+        transform 0.25s ease,
+        opacity 0.25s ease !important;
 }
 .toast-swipe-out-right {
     transform: translateX(120%) !important;
     opacity: 0 !important;
-    transition: transform 0.25s ease, opacity 0.25s ease !important;
+    transition:
+        transform 0.25s ease,
+        opacity 0.25s ease !important;
 }
 </style>
diff --git a/tests/backend/test_auto_propagation.py b/tests/backend/test_auto_propagation.py
index e9538a1..cbc72c2 100644
--- a/tests/backend/test_auto_propagation.py
+++ b/tests/backend/test_auto_propagation.py
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ _VALID_HASH_C = "03" * 16
 _APP_DATA_ENABLED = b"\x94\x00\x00\x01\x00"
 
 
-@pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_auto_propagation_logic():
+def _make_manager():
     app = MagicMock()
     context = MagicMock()
     config = MagicMock()
@@ -30,6 +29,12 @@ async def test_auto_propagation_logic():
     context.message_router.propagation_transfer_state = LXMRouter.PR_IDLE
 
     manager = AutoPropagationManager(app, context)
+    return manager, app, context, config, database
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_auto_propagation_logic():
+    manager, app, context, config, database = _make_manager()
 
     config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_auto_select.get.return_value = False
     with patch.object(manager, "check_and_update_propagation_node") as mock_check:
@@ -115,3 +120,97 @@ async def test_auto_propagation_logic():
         await manager.check_and_update_propagation_node()
 
         app.set_active_propagation_node.assert_not_called()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_auto_propagation_skips_when_sync_active_and_path_exists():
+    """Skip auto-propagation changes while sync is active and the path exists.
+
+    When a sync is active and the current node still has a path, the manager
+    should leave it alone so the transfer can finish.
+    """
+    manager, app, context, config, database = _make_manager()
+
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_auto_select.get.return_value = True
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.get.return_value = (
+        _VALID_HASH_A
+    )
+    context.message_router.propagation_transfer_state = LXMRouter.PR_RECEIVING
+
+    with patch.object(RNS.Transport, "has_path", return_value=True):
+        await manager.check_and_update_propagation_node()
+
+    app.stop_propagation_node_sync.assert_not_called()
+    app.set_active_propagation_node.assert_not_called()
+    app.remove_active_propagation_node.assert_not_called()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_auto_propagation_finds_new_node_when_sync_stuck_no_path():
+    """Recover when sync is stuck and the current node has no path.
+
+    The manager should stop the stuck sync and look for a working node.
+    """
+    manager, app, context, config, database = _make_manager()
+
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_auto_select.get.return_value = True
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.get.return_value = (
+        _VALID_HASH_A
+    )
+    context.message_router.propagation_transfer_state = LXMRouter.PR_PATH_REQUESTED
+
+    announce1 = {
+        "destination_hash": _VALID_HASH_B,
+        "app_data": _APP_DATA_ENABLED,
+    }
+    database.announces.get_announces.return_value = [announce1]
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(RNS.Transport, "has_path") as mock_has_path,
+        patch.object(RNS.Transport, "hops_to", return_value=1),
+        patch.object(manager, "_wait_for_path", return_value=True),
+        patch.object(manager, "_probe_propagation_sync", return_value=True),
+    ):
+        # Current node A has no path, candidate B has a path.
+        mock_has_path.side_effect = lambda dh: dh == bytes.fromhex(_VALID_HASH_B)
+
+        await manager.check_and_update_propagation_node()
+
+    app.stop_propagation_node_sync.assert_called_once_with(context=context)
+    app.set_active_propagation_node.assert_called_once_with(
+        _VALID_HASH_B,
+        context=context,
+    )
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.set.assert_called_with(
+        _VALID_HASH_B,
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_auto_propagation_removes_broken_node_when_all_candidates_fail():
+    """Remove the active propagation node when no candidate works.
+
+    When no candidate works and the previous node is unreachable, the active
+    propagation node should be removed instead of restoring a broken one.
+    """
+    manager, app, context, config, database = _make_manager()
+
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_auto_select.get.return_value = True
+    config.lxmf_preferred_propagation_node_destination_hash.get.return_value = (
+        _VALID_HASH_A
+    )
+
+    announce1 = {
+        "destination_hash": _VALID_HASH_B,
+        "app_data": _APP_DATA_ENABLED,
+    }
+    database.announces.get_announces.return_value = [announce1]
+
+    with (
+        patch.object(RNS.Transport, "has_path", return_value=False),
+        patch.object(manager, "_wait_for_path", return_value=False),
+    ):
+        await manager.check_and_update_propagation_node()
+
+    app.set_active_propagation_node.assert_not_called()
+    app.remove_active_propagation_node.assert_called_once_with(context=context)
diff --git a/tests/frontend/UIThemeAndVisibility.test.js b/tests/frontend/UIThemeAndVisibility.test.js
index f6013e2..c8401d1 100644
--- a/tests/frontend/UIThemeAndVisibility.test.js
+++ b/tests/frontend/UIThemeAndVisibility.test.js
@@ -573,6 +573,35 @@ describe("Conditional Rendering", () => {
         const sidebarButton = wrapper.find("button.sm\\:hidden");
         expect(sidebarButton.exists()).toBe(true);
     });
+
+    it("App shows propagation sync refresh icon on mobile", async () => {
+        const wrapper = mount(App, {
+            global: {
+                stubs: {
+                    RouterView: { template: "<div>Router View</div>" },
+                    RouterLink: createRouterLinkStub(),
+                    MaterialDesignIcon: { template: '<div data-icon-name="{{ iconName }}"></div>' },
+                    LanguageSelector: { template: "<div></div>" },
+                    NotificationBell: { template: "<div></div>" },
+                    SidebarLink: {
+                        template: '<div><slot name="icon"></slot><slot name="text"></slot></div>',
+                        props: ["to", "isCollapsed"],
+                    },
+                },
+                mocks: {
+                    $route: { name: "messages", meta: {}, query: {} },
+                    $router: { push: vi.fn() },
+                    $t: (key) => key,
+                },
+            },
+        });
+
+        const mobileRefreshButtons = wrapper.findAll("button").filter((b) => {
+            const cls = b.classes().join(" ");
+            return cls.includes("sm:hidden") && b.attributes("title") === "app.sync_messages";
+        });
+        expect(mobileRefreshButtons.length).toBe(1);
+    });
 });
 
 describe("Dark Mode Class Application", () => {