diff --git a/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.module.css b/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.module.css
index befe396..71dd7d3 100644
--- a/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.module.css
+++ b/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.module.css
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@
   gap: 1rem;
 }
 
+.permalinkError {
+  color: #ff6b6b;
+  text-align: center;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
 .primaryButton,
 .secondaryButton {
   padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
diff --git a/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.tsx b/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.tsx
index 3e805c2..f352195 100644
--- a/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.tsx
+++ b/src/apps/golf/components/GolfGame.tsx
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ const GolfGame = ({ onGameIdChange, onPlayerIdChange, onPlayerNameChange, onConn
     setRoomCode,
     leaveGame,
     dismissNewGameNotification,
-    joinNewGame
+    joinNewGame,
+    permalinkJoinAttempt
   } = useGolfGame({ onGameIdChange, onPlayerIdChange, onPlayerNameChange, onConnectionChange, permalinkParams })
 
   const confirmLeave = useCallback(() => {
@@ -355,6 +356,21 @@ const GolfGame = ({ onGameIdChange, onPlayerIdChange, onPlayerNameChange, onConn
   }
 
   if (!gameState) {
+    if (permalinkJoinAttempt.error) {
+      return (
+        <div className={styles.lobby}>
+          <h1 className={styles.title}>Golf Card Game</h1>
+          <div className={styles.lobbyContent}>
+            <div className={styles.lobbyActions}>
+              <p className={styles.permalinkError}>{permalinkJoinAttempt.error}</p>
+              <button onClick={createRoom} className={styles.primaryButton}>
+                Create New Room
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )
+    }
     return <div className={styles.loading}>Loading...</div>
   }
 
diff --git a/src/hooks/useGolfGame.ts b/src/hooks/useGolfGame.ts
index d0248bf..bdddddf 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useGolfGame.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useGolfGame.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
     error: null as string | null,
     gameJoinAttempted: false
   })
+  const [isReconnecting, setIsReconnecting] = useState(false)
   const [isManualNavigation, setIsManualNavigation] = useState(false)
   const [, setIsCreatingNewGame] = useState(false)
   const [newGameNotifications, setNewGameNotifications] = useState<Array<{
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
   const networkAdapterRef = useRef<GolfNetworkAdapter | null>(null)
   const permalinkTimeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
   const notificationTimeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
+  const reconnectTimeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
   const countdownIntervalRef = useRef<number | null>(null)
   const navigate = useNavigate()
 
@@ -407,7 +409,19 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
   useEffect(() => {
     // Create network adapter with callbacks
     const adapter = new GolfNetworkAdapter({
+      onReconnecting: () => {
+        setIsReconnecting(true)
+        // Safety: clear after 2s in case server has no state to restore
+        reconnectTimeoutRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
+          setIsReconnecting(false)
+        }, 2000)
+      },
       onRoomJoined: (newPlayerId, newRoomState) => {
+        setIsReconnecting(false)
+        if (reconnectTimeoutRef.current) {
+          clearTimeout(reconnectTimeoutRef.current)
+          reconnectTimeoutRef.current = null
+        }
         setPlayerId(newPlayerId)
         setRoomState(newRoomState)
         setIsInRoom(true)
@@ -480,27 +494,7 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
       },
       onNotification: (message) => {
         showNotification(message)
-        
-        // Handle permalink join errors
-        if (permalinkJoinAttempt.isAttempting) {
-          // Check for common error messages that indicate join failure
-          if (message.includes('not found') || message.includes('does not exist') || 
-              message.includes('failed to join') || message.includes('error')) {
-            // Clear timeout and set error
-            if (permalinkTimeoutRef.current) {
-              clearTimeout(permalinkTimeoutRef.current)
-              permalinkTimeoutRef.current = null
-            }
-            setPermalinkJoinAttempt({
-              isAttempting: false,
-              roomId: null,
-              gameId: null,
-              error: message,
-              gameJoinAttempted: false
-            })
-          }
-        }
-        
+
         // Parse game end notifications
         if (message.includes('Winner:')) {
           const winnerMatch = message.match(/Winner: (.+)/)
@@ -509,6 +503,22 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
           }
         }
       },
+      onGameError: (errorMessage) => {
+        if (permalinkJoinAttempt.isAttempting &&
+            (errorMessage.includes('not found') || errorMessage.includes('does not exist'))) {
+          if (permalinkTimeoutRef.current) {
+            clearTimeout(permalinkTimeoutRef.current)
+            permalinkTimeoutRef.current = null
+          }
+          setPermalinkJoinAttempt({
+            isAttempting: false,
+            roomId: null,
+            gameId: null,
+            error: 'This room no longer exists.',
+            gameJoinAttempted: false
+          })
+        }
+      },
       onConnectionChange: (connected) => {
         setIsConnected(connected)
         onConnectionChange?.(connected)
@@ -562,6 +572,9 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
       if (permalinkTimeoutRef.current) {
         clearTimeout(permalinkTimeoutRef.current)
       }
+      if (reconnectTimeoutRef.current) {
+        clearTimeout(reconnectTimeoutRef.current)
+      }
     }
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [onGameIdChange, onPlayerIdChange, onPlayerNameChange, onConnectionChange, showNotification])
@@ -570,7 +583,8 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
   // Handle permalink-based automatic joining
   useEffect(() => {
     // Only attempt permalink joining if we have valid params and are connected
-    if (!permalinkParams || !permalinkParams.isValid || !isConnected || !networkAdapterRef.current) {
+    // Skip while reconnection state restore is in progress to avoid racing
+    if (!permalinkParams || !permalinkParams.isValid || !isConnected || isReconnecting || !networkAdapterRef.current) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -627,7 +641,7 @@ export const useGolfGame = ({
       // Join the room first
       networkAdapterRef.current.joinRoom(permalinkParams.roomId)
     }
-  }, [permalinkParams, isConnected, roomState?.id, gameState?.id, permalinkJoinAttempt.isAttempting, permalinkJoinAttempt.gameJoinAttempted, showNotification])
+  }, [permalinkParams, isConnected, isReconnecting, roomState?.id, gameState?.id, permalinkJoinAttempt.isAttempting, permalinkJoinAttempt.gameJoinAttempted, showNotification])
 
   // Handle successful room join for permalink flow
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/src/plugins/golfNetworkPlugin.ts b/src/plugins/golfNetworkPlugin.ts
index 6a6dd1f..f126e4f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/golfNetworkPlugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/golfNetworkPlugin.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ export class GolfNetworkPlugin implements GameNetworkPlugin {
   private onNotification?: (message: string) => void
   private onGameEnded?: (winner: string, finalScores: FinalScore[]) => void
   private onNewGameStarted?: (gameId: string, previousGameId?: string) => void
+  private onReconnecting?: () => void
+  private onGameError?: (message: string) => void
 
   constructor(callbacks?: {
     onRoomJoined?: (playerId: string, roomState: Room) => void
@@ -58,6 +60,8 @@ export class GolfNetworkPlugin implements GameNetworkPlugin {
     onNotification?: (message: string) => void
     onGameEnded?: (winner: string, finalScores: FinalScore[]) => void
     onNewGameStarted?: (gameId: string, previousGameId?: string) => void
+    onReconnecting?: () => void
+    onGameError?: (message: string) => void
   }) {
     if (callbacks) {
       this.onRoomJoined = callbacks.onRoomJoined
@@ -67,6 +71,8 @@ export class GolfNetworkPlugin implements GameNetworkPlugin {
       this.onNotification = callbacks.onNotification
       this.onGameEnded = callbacks.onGameEnded
       this.onNewGameStarted = callbacks.onNewGameStarted
+      this.onReconnecting = callbacks.onReconnecting
+      this.onGameError = callbacks.onGameError
     }
   }
 
@@ -213,6 +219,7 @@ export class GolfNetworkPlugin implements GameNetworkPlugin {
       this.clearSessionToken()
     }
 
+    this.onGameError?.(errorMessage)
     this.notify(errorMessage, context)
   }
 
@@ -275,6 +282,7 @@ export class GolfNetworkPlugin implements GameNetworkPlugin {
 
     if (isReconnect) {
       console.log('♻️  Session restored - you should be back in your previous room/game')
+      this.onReconnecting?.()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/networkAdapter.ts b/src/utils/networkAdapter.ts
index cb12f19..7b7c009 100644
--- a/src/utils/networkAdapter.ts
+++ b/src/utils/networkAdapter.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ export class GolfNetworkAdapter {
     onConnectionChange?: (connected: boolean) => void
     onGameEnded?: (winner: string, finalScores: FinalScore[]) => void
     onNewGameStarted?: (gameId: string, previousGameId?: string) => void
+    onReconnecting?: () => void
+    onGameError?: (message: string) => void
   }) {
     // Create manager with connection state callback
     this.manager = new NetworkManager({
@@ -145,7 +147,9 @@ export class GolfNetworkAdapter {
       },
       onNotification: callbacks?.onNotification,
       onGameEnded: callbacks?.onGameEnded,
-      onNewGameStarted: callbacks?.onNewGameStarted
+      onNewGameStarted: callbacks?.onNewGameStarted,
+      onReconnecting: callbacks?.onReconnecting,
+      onGameError: callbacks?.onGameError
     })
 
     // Register the plugin