diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/RadioConfigViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/RadioConfigViewModel.kt
index 7ee2c4d7f..751a4f087 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/RadioConfigViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/RadioConfigViewModel.kt
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ class RadioConfigViewModel @Inject constructor(
         radioConfigRepository.meshPacketFlow.onEach(::processPacketResponse)
             .launchIn(viewModelScope)
 
+        combine(connectionState, radioConfigState) { connState, configState ->
+            if (connState.isDisconnected() && configState.responseState.isWaiting()) {
+                setResponseStateError(app.getString(R.string.disconnected))
+            }
+        }.launchIn(viewModelScope)
+
         debug("RadioConfigViewModel created")
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
index 1e1bcd018..6ae6966ca 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
@@ -135,7 +135,10 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
     enum class ConnectionState {
         DISCONNECTED,
         CONNECTED,
-        DEVICE_SLEEP // device is in LS sleep state, it will reconnected to us over bluetooth once it has data
+        DEVICE_SLEEP, // device is in LS sleep state, it will reconnected to us over bluetooth once it has data
+        ;
+
+        fun isDisconnected() = this == DISCONNECTED
     }
 
     private var previousSummary: String? = null