diff --git a/backend/extension-src/background.js b/backend/extension-src/background.js
index 6c872fd..6859212 100644
--- a/backend/extension-src/background.js
+++ b/backend/extension-src/background.js
@@ -107,7 +107,12 @@ async function pushBooking(bookingId, deviceId) {
     // from other failures — used by content-script.js's default-tablet
     // fast-path to decide whether to fall back to the device picker.
     if (!res.ok) return { ok: false, status: res.status, error: body.error || `HTTP ${res.status}` };
-    return { ok: true, status: res.status };
+    // delivered: false means the push landed server-side (a session was
+    // created, the tablet will pick it up if it reconnects) but there's no
+    // live SSE connection for that device right now — e.g. its kiosk tab
+    // isn't open, or its WiFi dropped. Passed through so callers can warn
+    // honestly instead of claiming success a disconnected tablet never saw.
+    return { ok: true, status: res.status, delivered: body.delivered };
   } catch (err) {
     return { ok: false, error: err.message };
   }
diff --git a/backend/extension-src/content-script.js b/backend/extension-src/content-script.js
index bde89ed..c13cfb0 100644
--- a/backend/extension-src/content-script.js
+++ b/backend/extension-src/content-script.js
@@ -131,8 +131,13 @@ async function handleSendClick(anchorBtn, bookingId, guestName, variant) {
       return;
     }
     if (result?.ok) {
-      status.textContent = 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.';
-      status.style.color = '#166534';
+      if (result.delivered === false) {
+        status.textContent = 'Sent, but that tablet isn’t connected right now — it’ll pick this up if it reconnects.';
+        status.style.color = '#b45309';
+      } else {
+        status.textContent = 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.';
+        status.style.color = '#166534';
+      }
       return;
     }
     if (result?.status === 409) {
@@ -256,7 +261,10 @@ async function togglePanel(anchorBtn, bookingId, guestName, variant = 'block', n
       action: 'tcpPush', bookingId, deviceId: select.value,
     });
     if (result?.ok) {
-      panel.textContent = 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.';
+      panel.textContent = result.delivered === false
+        ? 'Sent, but that tablet isn’t connected right now — it’ll pick this up if it reconnects.'
+        : 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.';
+      panel.style.color = result.delivered === false ? '#b45309' : '#1e293b';
     } else {
       panel.textContent = `Failed: ${result?.error || 'unknown error'}`;
     }
diff --git a/backend/extension-src/popup/popup.js b/backend/extension-src/popup/popup.js
index 1f7f68d..5fd398a 100644
--- a/backend/extension-src/popup/popup.js
+++ b/backend/extension-src/popup/popup.js
@@ -127,7 +127,11 @@ function renderBooking(el, bookingId, devices, defaultDeviceId, baseUrl, apiKey)
       if (!msgEl) return; // "Send to a different tablet" was clicked before this resolved
 
       if (result.ok) {
-        setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.', 'ok');
+        if (result.delivered === false) {
+          setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent, but that tablet isn’t connected right now — it’ll pick this up if it reconnects.', 'warn');
+        } else {
+          setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.', 'ok');
+        }
       } else if (result.status === 409) {
         // Default went busy in the moment between loading the popup and
         // sending — fall back to the manual picker rather than leaving the
@@ -172,7 +176,11 @@ function renderPicker(el, bookingId, devices, defaultDeviceId, baseUrl, apiKey,
     setMsg(msgEl, 'Sending…', 'warn');
     const result = await sendPush(bookingId, deviceSelect.value, baseUrl, apiKey);
     if (result.ok) {
-      setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.', 'ok');
+      if (result.delivered === false) {
+        setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent, but that tablet isn’t connected right now — it’ll pick this up if it reconnects.', 'warn');
+      } else {
+        setMsg(msgEl, 'Sent — the tablet should navigate now.', 'ok');
+      }
     } else if (result.status === 409) {
       setMsg(msgEl, result.error || 'That tablet is busy with another guest right now.', 'warn');
     } else {
@@ -191,7 +199,7 @@ async function sendPush(bookingId, deviceId, baseUrl, apiKey) {
     });
     const body = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
     if (!res.ok) return { ok: false, status: res.status, error: body.error || `HTTP ${res.status}` };
-    return { ok: true };
+    return { ok: true, delivered: body.delivered };
   } catch (err) {
     return { ok: false, status: 0, error: err.message };
   }