diff --git a/src/components/dms/MessageItem.tsx b/src/components/dms/MessageItem.tsx
index cafd7ca5..f456fa47 100644
--- a/src/components/dms/MessageItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dms/MessageItem.tsx
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ let MessageItemMetadata = ({
         )}
       </TimeElapsed>
 
-      {item.type === 'pending-message' && item.retry && (
+      {item.type === 'pending-message' && item.failed && (
         <>
           {' '}
           &middot;{' '}
@@ -214,15 +214,20 @@ let MessageItemMetadata = ({
               },
             ]}>
             {_(msg`Failed to send`)}
-          </Text>{' '}
-          &middot;{' '}
-          <InlineLinkText
-            label={_(msg`Click to retry failed message`)}
-            to="#"
-            onPress={handleRetry}
-            style={[a.text_xs]}>
-            {_(msg`Retry`)}
-          </InlineLinkText>
+          </Text>
+          {item.retry && (
+            <>
+              {' '}
+              &middot;{' '}
+              <InlineLinkText
+                label={_(msg`Click to retry failed message`)}
+                to="#"
+                onPress={handleRetry}
+                style={[a.text_xs]}>
+                {_(msg`Retry`)}
+              </InlineLinkText>
+            </>
+          )}
         </>
       )}
     </Text>
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessageListError.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessageListError.tsx
index c6e246a3..6a6ce5e6 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessageListError.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessageListError.tsx
@@ -5,27 +5,25 @@ import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 
 import {ConvoItem, ConvoItemError} from '#/state/messages/convo/types'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
-import {Button, ButtonIcon, ButtonText} from '#/components/Button'
-import {ArrowRotateCounterClockwise_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Refresh} from '#/components/icons/ArrowRotateCounterClockwise'
 import {CircleInfo_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as CircleInfo} from '#/components/icons/CircleInfo'
+import {InlineLinkText} from '#/components/Link'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 
-export function MessageListError({
-  item,
-}: {
-  item: ConvoItem & {type: 'error-recoverable'}
-}) {
+export function MessageListError({item}: {item: ConvoItem & {type: 'error'}}) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const {_} = useLingui()
-  const message = React.useMemo(() => {
+  const {description, help, cta} = React.useMemo(() => {
     return {
-      [ConvoItemError.Network]: _(
-        msg`There was an issue connecting to the chat.`,
-      ),
-      [ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed]: _(
-        msg`This chat was disconnected due to a network error.`,
-      ),
-      [ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed]: _(msg`Failed to load past messages.`),
+      [ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed]: {
+        description: _(msg`This chat was disconnected`),
+        help: _(msg`Press to attempt reconnection`),
+        cta: _(msg`Reconnect`),
+      },
+      [ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed]: {
+        description: _(msg`Failed to load past messages`),
+        help: _(msg`Press to retry`),
+        cta: _(msg`Retry`),
+      },
     }[item.code]
   }, [_, item.code])
 
@@ -36,37 +34,31 @@ export function MessageListError({
           a.flex_row,
           a.align_center,
           a.justify_between,
-          a.gap_lg,
-          a.py_md,
-          a.px_lg,
-          a.rounded_md,
-          t.atoms.bg_contrast_25,
+          a.gap_sm,
+          a.pb_lg,
           {maxWidth: 400},
         ]}>
-        <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_start, a.justify_between, a.gap_sm]}>
-          <CircleInfo
-            size="sm"
-            fill={t.palette.negative_400}
-            style={[{top: 3}]}
-          />
-          <View style={[a.flex_1, {maxWidth: 200}]}>
-            <Text style={[a.leading_snug]}>{message}</Text>
-          </View>
-        </View>
+        <CircleInfo
+          size="sm"
+          fill={t.palette.negative_400}
+          style={[{top: 3}]}
+        />
 
-        <Button
-          label={_(msg`Press to retry`)}
-          size="small"
-          variant="ghost"
-          color="secondary"
-          onPress={e => {
-            e.preventDefault()
-            item.retry()
-            return false
-          }}>
-          <ButtonText>{_(msg`Retry`)}</ButtonText>
-          <ButtonIcon icon={Refresh} position="right" />
-        </Button>
+        <Text style={[a.leading_snug, a.flex_1, t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}>
+          {description} &middot;{' '}
+          {item.retry && (
+            <InlineLinkText
+              to="#"
+              label={help}
+              onPress={e => {
+                e.preventDefault()
+                item.retry?.()
+                return false
+              }}>
+              {cta}
+            </InlineLinkText>
+          )}
+        </Text>
       </View>
     </View>
   )
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
index a8f9d344..fd9368b4 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ function renderItem({item}: {item: ConvoItem}) {
     return <MessageItem item={item} />
   } else if (item.type === 'deleted-message') {
     return <Text>Deleted message</Text>
-  } else if (item.type === 'error-recoverable') {
+  } else if (item.type === 'error') {
     return <MessageListError item={item} />
   }
 
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/agent.ts b/src/state/messages/convo/agent.ts
index 94bb8dda..8673c70a 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/agent.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/agent.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import {
   ChatBskyConvoGetLog,
   ChatBskyConvoSendMessage,
 } from '@atproto/api'
+import {XRPCError} from '@atproto/xrpc'
+import EventEmitter from 'eventemitter3'
 import {nanoid} from 'nanoid/non-secure'
 
 import {networkRetry} from '#/lib/async/retry'
@@ -14,11 +16,14 @@ import {
   ACTIVE_POLL_INTERVAL,
   BACKGROUND_POLL_INTERVAL,
   INACTIVE_TIMEOUT,
+  NETWORK_FAILURE_STATUSES,
 } from '#/state/messages/convo/const'
 import {
   ConvoDispatch,
   ConvoDispatchEvent,
+  ConvoError,
   ConvoErrorCode,
+  ConvoEvent,
   ConvoItem,
   ConvoItemError,
   ConvoParams,
@@ -51,13 +56,7 @@ export class Convo {
   private senderUserDid: string
 
   private status: ConvoStatus = ConvoStatus.Uninitialized
-  private error:
-    | {
-        code: ConvoErrorCode
-        exception?: Error
-        retry: () => void
-      }
-    | undefined
+  private error: ConvoError | undefined
   private oldestRev: string | undefined | null = undefined
   private isFetchingHistory = false
   private latestRev: string | undefined = undefined
@@ -75,13 +74,13 @@ export class Convo {
     {id: string; message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message']}
   > = new Map()
   private deletedMessages: Set<string> = new Set()
-  private footerItems: Map<string, ConvoItem> = new Map()
-  private headerItems: Map<string, ConvoItem> = new Map()
 
   private isProcessingPendingMessages = false
 
   private lastActiveTimestamp: number | undefined
 
+  private emitter = new EventEmitter<{event: [ConvoEvent]}>()
+
   convoId: string
   convo: ChatBskyConvoDefs.ConvoView | undefined
   sender: AppBskyActorDefs.ProfileViewBasic | undefined
@@ -174,7 +173,7 @@ export class Convo {
           status: ConvoStatus.Error,
           items: [],
           convo: undefined,
-          error: this.error,
+          error: this.error!,
           sender: undefined,
           recipients: undefined,
           isFetchingHistory: false,
@@ -282,6 +281,7 @@ export class Convo {
               if (this.convo) {
                 this.status = ConvoStatus.Ready
                 this.refreshConvo()
+                this.maybeRecoverFromNetworkError()
               } else {
                 this.status = ConvoStatus.Initializing
                 this.setup()
@@ -379,12 +379,30 @@ export class Convo {
     this.newMessages = new Map()
     this.pendingMessages = new Map()
     this.deletedMessages = new Set()
-    this.footerItems = new Map()
-    this.headerItems = new Map()
+
+    this.pendingMessageFailure = null
+    this.fetchMessageHistoryError = undefined
+    this.firehoseError = undefined
 
     this.dispatch({event: ConvoDispatchEvent.Init})
   }
 
+  maybeRecoverFromNetworkError() {
+    if (this.firehoseError) {
+      this.firehoseError.retry()
+      this.firehoseError = undefined
+      this.commit()
+    } else {
+      this.batchRetryPendingMessages()
+    }
+
+    if (this.fetchMessageHistoryError) {
+      this.fetchMessageHistoryError.retry()
+      this.fetchMessageHistoryError = undefined
+      this.commit()
+    }
+  }
+
   private async setup() {
     try {
       const {convo, sender, recipients} = await this.fetchConvo()
@@ -520,6 +538,11 @@ export class Convo {
     }
   }
 
+  private fetchMessageHistoryError:
+    | {
+        retry: () => void
+      }
+    | undefined
   async fetchMessageHistory() {
     logger.debug('Convo: fetch message history', {}, logger.DebugContext.convo)
 
@@ -537,7 +560,7 @@ export class Convo {
      * If we've rendered a retry state for history fetching, exit. Upon retry,
      * this will be removed and we'll try again.
      */
-    if (this.headerItems.has(ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed)) return
+    if (this.fetchMessageHistoryError) return
 
     try {
       this.isFetchingHistory = true
@@ -586,15 +609,11 @@ export class Convo {
     } catch (e: any) {
       logger.error('Convo: failed to fetch message history')
 
-      this.headerItems.set(ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed, {
-        type: 'error-recoverable',
-        key: ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed,
-        code: ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed,
+      this.fetchMessageHistoryError = {
         retry: () => {
-          this.headerItems.delete(ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed)
           this.fetchMessageHistory()
         },
-      })
+      }
     } finally {
       this.isFetchingHistory = false
       this.commit()
@@ -628,22 +647,16 @@ export class Convo {
     )
   }
 
+  private firehoseError: MessagesEventBusError | undefined
+
   onFirehoseConnect() {
-    this.footerItems.delete(ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed)
+    this.firehoseError = undefined
+    this.batchRetryPendingMessages()
     this.commit()
   }
 
   onFirehoseError(error?: MessagesEventBusError) {
-    this.footerItems.set(ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed, {
-      type: 'error-recoverable',
-      key: ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed,
-      code: ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed,
-      retry: () => {
-        this.footerItems.delete(ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed)
-        this.commit()
-        error?.retry()
-      },
-    })
+    this.firehoseError = error
     this.commit()
   }
 
@@ -724,7 +737,7 @@ export class Convo {
     }
   }
 
-  private pendingFailed = false
+  private pendingMessageFailure: 'recoverable' | 'unrecoverable' | null = null
 
   async sendMessage(message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message']) {
     // Ignore empty messages for now since they have no other purpose atm
@@ -734,13 +747,14 @@ export class Convo {
 
     const tempId = nanoid()
 
+    this.pendingMessageFailure = null
     this.pendingMessages.set(tempId, {
       id: tempId,
       message,
     })
     this.commit()
 
-    if (!this.isProcessingPendingMessages && !this.pendingFailed) {
+    if (!this.isProcessingPendingMessages && !this.pendingMessageFailure) {
       this.processPendingMessages()
     }
   }
@@ -765,7 +779,6 @@ export class Convo {
     try {
       this.isProcessingPendingMessages = true
 
-      // throw new Error('UNCOMMENT TO TEST RETRY')
       const {id, message} = pendingMessage
 
       const response = await networkRetry(2, () => {
@@ -794,23 +807,65 @@ export class Convo {
       this.commit()
     } catch (e: any) {
       logger.error(e, {context: `Convo: failed to send message`})
-      this.pendingFailed = true
-      this.commit()
+      this.handleSendMessageFailure(e)
     } finally {
       this.isProcessingPendingMessages = false
     }
   }
 
+  private handleSendMessageFailure(e: any) {
+    if (e instanceof XRPCError) {
+      if (NETWORK_FAILURE_STATUSES.includes(e.status)) {
+        this.pendingMessageFailure = 'recoverable'
+      } else {
+        switch (e.message) {
+          case 'block between recipient and sender':
+            this.pendingMessageFailure = 'unrecoverable'
+            this.emitter.emit('event', {
+              type: 'invalidate-block-state',
+              accountDids: [
+                this.sender!.did,
+                ...this.recipients!.map(r => r.did),
+              ],
+            })
+            break
+          default:
+            logger.warn(
+              `Convo handleSendMessageFailure could not handle error`,
+              {
+                status: e.status,
+                message: e.message,
+              },
+            )
+            break
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      logger.error(e, {
+        context: `Convo handleSendMessageFailure received unknown error`,
+      })
+    }
+
+    this.commit()
+  }
+
   async batchRetryPendingMessages() {
+    if (this.pendingMessageFailure === null) return
+
+    const messageArray = Array.from(this.pendingMessages.values())
+    if (messageArray.length === 0) return
+
+    this.pendingMessageFailure = null
+    this.commit()
+
     logger.debug(
-      `Convo: retrying ${this.pendingMessages.size} pending messages`,
+      `Convo: batch retrying ${this.pendingMessages.size} pending messages`,
       {},
       logger.DebugContext.convo,
     )
 
     try {
       // throw new Error('UNCOMMENT TO TEST RETRY')
-      const messageArray = Array.from(this.pendingMessages.values())
       const {data} = await networkRetry(2, () => {
         return this.agent.api.chat.bsky.convo.sendMessageBatch(
           {
@@ -848,8 +903,7 @@ export class Convo {
       )
     } catch (e: any) {
       logger.error(e, {context: `Convo: failed to batch retry messages`})
-      this.pendingFailed = true
-      this.commit()
+      this.handleSendMessageFailure(e)
     }
   }
 
@@ -877,6 +931,14 @@ export class Convo {
     }
   }
 
+  on(handler: (event: ConvoEvent) => void) {
+    this.emitter.on('event', handler)
+
+    return () => {
+      this.emitter.off('event', handler)
+    }
+  }
+
   /*
    * Items in reverse order, since FlatList inverts
    */
@@ -901,9 +963,16 @@ export class Convo {
       }
     })
 
-    this.headerItems.forEach(item => {
-      items.unshift(item)
-    })
+    if (this.fetchMessageHistoryError) {
+      items.unshift({
+        type: 'error',
+        code: ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed,
+        key: ConvoItemError.HistoryFailed,
+        retry: () => {
+          this.maybeRecoverFromNetworkError()
+        },
+      })
+    }
 
     this.newMessages.forEach(m => {
       if (ChatBskyConvoDefs.isMessageView(m)) {
@@ -940,19 +1009,26 @@ export class Convo {
           sender: this.sender!,
         },
         nextMessage: null,
-        retry: this.pendingFailed
-          ? () => {
-              this.pendingFailed = false
-              this.commit()
-              this.batchRetryPendingMessages()
-            }
-          : undefined,
+        failed: this.pendingMessageFailure !== null,
+        retry:
+          this.pendingMessageFailure === 'recoverable'
+            ? () => {
+                this.maybeRecoverFromNetworkError()
+              }
+            : undefined,
       })
     })
 
-    this.footerItems.forEach(item => {
-      items.push(item)
-    })
+    if (this.firehoseError) {
+      items.push({
+        type: 'error',
+        code: ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed,
+        key: ConvoItemError.FirehoseFailed,
+        retry: () => {
+          this.firehoseError?.retry()
+        },
+      })
+    }
 
     return items
       .filter(item => {
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/const.ts b/src/state/messages/convo/const.ts
index abea5205..6ce100d1 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/const.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/const.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 export const ACTIVE_POLL_INTERVAL = 1e3
 export const BACKGROUND_POLL_INTERVAL = 5e3
 export const INACTIVE_TIMEOUT = 60e3 * 5
+
+export const NETWORK_FAILURE_STATUSES = [
+  1, 408, 425, 429, 500, 502, 503, 504, 522, 524,
+]
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx b/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
index e955d411..d6648f48 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/index.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, {useContext, useState, useSyncExternalStore} from 'react'
 import {AppState} from 'react-native'
 import {useFocusEffect, useIsFocused} from '@react-navigation/native'
+import {useQueryClient} from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
 import {Convo} from '#/state/messages/convo/agent'
 import {
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@ import {
 import {isConvoActive} from '#/state/messages/convo/util'
 import {useMessagesEventBus} from '#/state/messages/events'
 import {useMarkAsReadMutation} from '#/state/queries/messages/conversation'
+import {RQKEY as ListConvosQueryKey} from '#/state/queries/messages/list-converations'
+import {RQKEY as createProfileQueryKey} from '#/state/queries/profile'
 import {useAgent} from '#/state/session'
 
 export * from '#/state/messages/convo/util'
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@ export function ConvoProvider({
   children,
   convoId,
 }: Pick<ConvoParams, 'convoId'> & {children: React.ReactNode}) {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient()
   const isScreenFocused = useIsFocused()
   const {getAgent} = useAgent()
   const events = useMessagesEventBus()
@@ -78,6 +82,23 @@ export function ConvoProvider({
     }, [convo, convoId, markAsRead]),
   )
 
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    return convo.on(event => {
+      switch (event.type) {
+        case 'invalidate-block-state': {
+          for (const did of event.accountDids) {
+            queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+              queryKey: createProfileQueryKey(did),
+            })
+          }
+          queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+            queryKey: ListConvosQueryKey,
+          })
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  }, [convo, queryClient])
+
   React.useEffect(() => {
     const handleAppStateChange = (nextAppState: string) => {
       if (isScreenFocused) {
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts b/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
index 3fb0eb6a..25e79aba 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo/types.ts
@@ -23,10 +23,6 @@ export enum ConvoStatus {
 }
 
 export enum ConvoItemError {
-  /**
-   * Generic error
-   */
-  Network = 'network',
   /**
    * Error connecting to event firehose
    */
@@ -95,6 +91,7 @@ export type ConvoItem =
         | ChatBskyConvoDefs.MessageView
         | ChatBskyConvoDefs.DeletedMessageView
         | null
+      failed: boolean
       /**
        * Retry sending the message. If present, the message is in a failed state.
        */
@@ -110,10 +107,13 @@ export type ConvoItem =
         | null
     }
   | {
-      type: 'error-recoverable'
+      type: 'error'
       key: string
       code: ConvoItemError
-      retry: () => void
+      /**
+       * If present, error is recoverable.
+       */
+      retry?: () => void
     }
 
 type DeleteMessage = (messageId: string) => Promise<void>
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ export type ConvoStateError = {
   status: ConvoStatus.Error
   items: []
   convo: undefined
-  error: any
+  error: ConvoError
   sender: undefined
   recipients: undefined
   isFetchingHistory: false
@@ -201,3 +201,8 @@ export type ConvoState =
   | ConvoStateBackgrounded
   | ConvoStateSuspended
   | ConvoStateError
+
+export type ConvoEvent = {
+  type: 'invalidate-block-state'
+  accountDids: string[]
+}