diff --git a/packages/core/src/remote/runners.ts b/packages/core/src/remote/runners.ts
index 551d5005..ffc2ec20 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/remote/runners.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/remote/runners.ts
@@ -528,10 +528,10 @@ async function connected(id: string, state: LinkState) {
   const r = row(id);
   if (!r) return;
   if (toPrimary(r)) {
-    await deviceHooks?.deviceConnected(id).catch((err) => log.warn("could not catch up with the primary", err instanceof Error ? err.message : err));
+    await deviceHooks?.deviceConnected(id).catch((err) => logFailure("could not catch up with the primary", err));
     return;
   }
-  if (r.kind === "device") await deviceHooks?.deviceConnected(id).catch((err) => log.warn(`could not take the changes of ${r.name}`, err instanceof Error ? err.message : err));
+  if (r.kind === "device") await deviceHooks?.deviceConnected(id).catch((err) => logFailure(`could not take the changes of ${r.name}`, err));
   if (dropped()) return;
   await releaseChats(id);
   const catchUpNow = async () => {
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ async function connected(id: string, state: LinkState) {
     try {
       await syncRunner(id);
     } catch (err) {
-      if (!dropped()) log.warn(`could not copy the setup to runner ${id}`, err instanceof Error ? err.message : err);
+      if (!dropped()) logFailure(`could not copy the setup to runner ${id}`, err);
     }
   };
   // A computer that just joined the group knows this setup's agents only after the copy: its chats come after it.
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ function scheduleSync(force: boolean) {
         emit(id);
         continue;
       }
-      void syncRunner(id, { force: forced }).catch((err) => log.warn(`could not copy the setup to runner ${id}`, err instanceof Error ? err.message : err));
+      void syncRunner(id, { force: forced }).catch((err) => logFailure(`could not copy the setup to runner ${id}`, err));
     }
   }, SYNC_DEBOUNCE_MS);
   syncTimer.unref?.();
@@ -732,6 +732,19 @@ function message(err: unknown): string {
   return err instanceof Error ? err.message.replace(/^Error:\s*/, "") : String(err);
 }
 
+/** The other computer went away or stopped answering: the next connect tries again on its own. */
+export function linkGone(err: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!(err instanceof Error)) return false;
+  if (err instanceof HttpError && (err.code === "runner_offline" || err.code === "runner_timeout")) return true;
+  return linkGone(err.cause);
+}
+
+function logFailure(text: string, err: unknown): void {
+  const detail = err instanceof Error ? err.message : err;
+  if (linkGone(err)) log.info(text, detail);
+  else log.warn(text, detail);
+}
+
 /**
  * Bring a runner up to date: the setup when it differs (or `force`), then — for a chat that starts — the agent's memory
  * and the browser sessions of the profile it uses. Returns what was done; a failed setup copy throws.
@@ -771,7 +784,7 @@ export function syncRunner(id: string, opts: { agentId?: string; profileId?: str
         }
       } catch (err) {
         update("runners", id, { sync_error: `Couldn't copy your setup: ${message(err)}`, updated_at: now() });
-        throw new HttpError(502, `Couldn't copy your setup to ${r.name}: ${message(err)}`, "runner_sync_failed");
+        throw Object.assign(new HttpError(502, `Couldn't copy your setup to ${r.name}: ${message(err)}`, "runner_sync_failed"), { cause: err });
       } finally {
         syncing.delete(id);
         emit(id);
@@ -783,6 +796,7 @@ export function syncRunner(id: string, opts: { agentId?: string; profileId?: str
         memory = await exchangeMemory(id, l, r.name, opts.agentId);
       } catch (err) {
         warnings.push(`Couldn't merge the agent's memory with ${r.name}: ${message(err)}`);
+        logFailure(warnings.at(-1)!, err);
       }
     }
     if (opts.profileId && r.sync_browser === 1) {
@@ -790,9 +804,9 @@ export function syncRunner(id: string, opts: { agentId?: string; profileId?: str
         cookies = await copyCookies(r, l, opts.profileId);
       } catch (err) {
         warnings.push(`Couldn't copy the browser sessions to ${r.name}: ${message(err)}`);
+        logFailure(warnings.at(-1)!, err);
       }
     }
-    for (const w of warnings) log.warn(w);
     return { config, memory, cookies, warnings };
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/services/workspaceSources.ts b/packages/core/src/services/workspaceSources.ts
index a1c5c81a..4a6bc44a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/services/workspaceSources.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/services/workspaceSources.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ let offlineRetryMs = [3_000, 8_000];
 export function __setOfflineRetryForTests(ms: number[]) {
   offlineRetryMs = ms;
 }
-const UNRESOLVED_HOST = /could not resolve host|name or service not known|nodename nor servname/i;
+const UNRESOLVED_HOST = /could not resolve host|name or service not known|nodename nor servname|resolving timed out/i;
 /** How long a run waits for a first clone; it goes on without it after that (the clone continues). */
 const RUN_CLONE_WAIT_MS = 90_000;
 const SAFE_SEGMENT = /^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9._-]{0,99}$/;
diff --git a/packages/core/test/remote-e2e.test.ts b/packages/core/test/remote-e2e.test.ts
index 995d1da3..c58f824b 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/remote-e2e.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/remote-e2e.test.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ import { getAccessToken } from "../src/server/auth";
 import { resetSettingsCache, updateSettings } from "../src/services/settings";
 import { createCredential } from "../src/vault/credentials";
 import * as vault from "../src/vault/vault";
-import { connectRunner, getRunner, link, listRunners, pairWithCode, removeRunner, startAutofix, startRunners, stopRunners } from "../src/remote/runners";
+import { connectRunner, getRunner, link, linkGone, listRunners, pairWithCode, removeRunner, startAutofix, startRunners, stopRunners } from "../src/remote/runners";
 import { Database } from "bun:sqlite";
 import { callTool, listToolsFor } from "../src/mcp/tools";
 import { getAgent } from "../src/agents/service";
 import { transcriptPath } from "../src/services/conversations";
-import { childEnv, sleep } from "../src/util";
+import { HttpError, childEnv, sleep } from "../src/util";
 import { __setClaudeBinaryForTests, cancelRun, listActiveRuns, waitForRun } from "../src/runner/runner";
 
 const INDEX = join(import.meta.dir, "..", "src", "index.ts");
@@ -418,3 +418,15 @@ describe("a runner, end to end", () => {
     runnerDb.close();
   }, 30_000);
 });
+
+describe("link failures", () => {
+  test("a runner that went away or stalled is no problem for the log, other failures are", () => {
+    expect(linkGone(new HttpError(409, "Mac is offline", "runner_offline"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(linkGone(new HttpError(504, "Mac didn't answer in time.", "runner_timeout"))).toBe(true);
+    const wrapped = Object.assign(new HttpError(502, "Couldn't copy your setup", "runner_sync_failed"), { cause: new HttpError(504, "", "runner_timeout") });
+    expect(linkGone(wrapped)).toBe(true);
+    expect(linkGone(new HttpError(502, "Couldn't copy your setup", "runner_sync_failed"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(linkGone(new Error("disk full"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(linkGone("offline")).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/test/workspace-sources.test.ts b/packages/core/test/workspace-sources.test.ts
index da5bff5a..0f725fc0 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/workspace-sources.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/workspace-sources.test.ts
@@ -332,6 +332,9 @@ describe("workspace repositories", () => {
       "sign in to git",
     );
     expect(gitFailure({ stderr: "", timedOut: true }, "git@github.com:a/b.git", null)).toBe("Timed out talking to github.com.");
+    expect(
+      gitFailure({ stderr: "fatal: unable to access 'https://github.com/a/b.git/': Resolving timed out after 987676 milliseconds", timedOut: false }, "https://github.com/a/b.git", null),
+    ).toBe("Can't reach github.com — check the URL and your internet connection.");
   });
 });