diff --git a/js/services/hashtagPreferencesService.js b/js/services/hashtagPreferencesService.js
index 49e50fb1..8ec9cc85 100644
--- a/js/services/hashtagPreferencesService.js
+++ b/js/services/hashtagPreferencesService.js
@@ -344,6 +344,11 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
 
   async load(pubkey) {
     const normalized = normalizeHexPubkey(pubkey);
+    const wasLoadedForUser =
+      this.activePubkey &&
+      this.activePubkey === normalized &&
+      (this.interests.size > 0 || this.disinterests.size > 0 || this.loaded);
+
     this.activePubkey = normalized;
 
     if (!normalized) {
@@ -360,6 +365,13 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
       userLogger.warn(
         `${LOG_PREFIX} nostrClient.pool.list unavailable; treating preferences as empty.`,
       );
+      // If we already have data for this user, do not reset on transient client issues.
+      if (wasLoadedForUser) {
+        userLogger.warn(
+          `${LOG_PREFIX} Keeping existing preferences despite client unavailability.`,
+        );
+        return;
+      }
       this.reset();
       this.loaded = true;
       return;
@@ -371,6 +383,12 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
         : nostrClient.writeRelays,
     );
     if (!relays.length) {
+      if (wasLoadedForUser) {
+        userLogger.warn(
+          `${LOG_PREFIX} Keeping existing preferences; no relays available for refresh.`,
+        );
+        return;
+      }
       this.reset();
       this.loaded = true;
       return;
@@ -393,12 +411,15 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
     };
 
     let events = [];
+    let fetchError = null;
+
     try {
       const result = await nostrClient.pool.list(relays, [filter]);
       if (Array.isArray(result)) {
         events = result.filter((event) => event && event.pubkey === normalized);
       }
     } catch (error) {
+      fetchError = error;
       userLogger.warn(
         `${LOG_PREFIX} Failed to load hashtag preferences from relays`,
         error,
@@ -407,6 +428,15 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
     }
 
     if (!events.length) {
+      // If we failed to fetch (network error) but already have data for this user,
+      // preserve the existing state instead of wiping it.
+      if (fetchError && wasLoadedForUser) {
+        userLogger.warn(
+          `${LOG_PREFIX} Keeping existing preferences after fetch error.`,
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+
       this.reset();
       this.loaded = true;
       return;
@@ -440,6 +470,9 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
     }, null);
 
     if (!latest) {
+      if (fetchError && wasLoadedForUser) {
+        return;
+      }
       this.reset();
       this.loaded = true;
       return;
@@ -451,6 +484,9 @@ class HashtagPreferencesService {
         `${LOG_PREFIX} Failed to decrypt hashtag preferences`,
         decryptResult.error,
       );
+      // If decryption fails on a reload, we might want to keep old data?
+      // But typically decryption failure means key mismatch or bad payload.
+      // Resetting is safer here to avoid stuck state, unless we want to be very conservative.
       this.reset();
       this.loaded = true;
       return;
@@ -795,4 +831,3 @@ const hashtagPreferences = new HashtagPreferencesService();
 
 export default hashtagPreferences;
 export { HashtagPreferencesService, hashtagPreferences, EVENTS as HASHTAG_PREFERENCES_EVENTS };
-