diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/appSession/AppSessionFrame.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/appSession/AppSessionFrame.vue
index 39a577af..d3a3f49f 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/appSession/AppSessionFrame.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/appSession/AppSessionFrame.vue
@@ -60,9 +60,12 @@
       />
     </div>
 
-    <!-- Iframe blocked fallback -->
+    <!-- Iframe blocked fallback. Suppressed while the ElectrumX sync screen
+         (the "pre UI") is showing: a still-syncing Electrum server isn't
+         reachable yet, so the "App not reachable / retry" overlay would just
+         paint over the sync progress and read as a hard error. -->
     <Transition name="content-fade">
-      <div v-if="iframeBlocked" class="absolute inset-0 z-10 flex flex-col items-center justify-center">
+      <div v-if="iframeBlocked && !electrsSync" class="absolute inset-0 z-10 flex flex-col items-center justify-center">
         <div class="text-center px-8">
           <div class="w-16 h-16 mx-auto mb-4 rounded-2xl bg-white/5 border border-white/10 flex items-center justify-center">
             <svg class="w-8 h-8 text-white/40" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
diff --git a/tests/lifecycle/remote-lifecycle.sh b/tests/lifecycle/remote-lifecycle.sh
index ffabf2f0..1eb9fa0b 100755
--- a/tests/lifecycle/remote-lifecycle.sh
+++ b/tests/lifecycle/remote-lifecycle.sh
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ container_health() {
   health=$(
     ARCHY_RPC_TIMEOUT="${ARCHY_HEALTH_RPC_TIMEOUT:-20}" \
       rpc_result container-health "$(jq -nc --arg app "$app" '{app_id:$app}')" \
-      | jq -r --arg app "$app" '.[$app] // "unknown" | ascii_downcase'
+      | jq -r --arg app "$app" '(.[$app] // "") | if . == "" then "unknown" else ascii_downcase end'
   ) || health=unknown
   if [[ "$app" == "indeedhub" && "$health" != "healthy" ]] && probe_launch "$app" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     health=healthy