diff --git a/apps/desktop/e2e/boot-failure.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/e2e/boot-failure.spec.ts
index 4f316d356c6..a94373ce84a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/e2e/boot-failure.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/e2e/boot-failure.spec.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@
  *
  * Injects a fake boot error (HERMES_DESKTOP_BOOT_FAKE_ERROR) so the backend
  * resolution fails with a controlled error message. The app should show the
- * BootFailureOverlay with retry/repair actions — no progress bar should be
- * visible.
+ * BootFailureOverlay with retry/repair actions.
  *
  * Prerequisite: `npm run build` must have been run so dist/ exists.
  */
diff --git a/apps/desktop/e2e/fixtures.ts b/apps/desktop/e2e/fixtures.ts
index aa8dd94d251..942e89dbe5b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/e2e/fixtures.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/e2e/fixtures.ts
@@ -651,16 +651,9 @@ export async function waitForBootFailure(page: Page, timeoutMs = 60_000): Promis
       // Boot failure is terminal: the backend gave up. The renderer shows
       // either BootFailureOverlay (z-1400, with Retry/Repair buttons) or
       // falls back to the onboarding picker (z-1300) as a recovery path.
-      // Either way, no progress bar should be visible and an error must
-      // have surfaced (toast, boot-failure banner, or the overlay itself).
-      const hasProgressBar = Boolean(
-        document.querySelector('[role="progressbar"], .h-2.rounded-full.bg-muted')
-      )
-
-      if (hasProgressBar) {
-        return false
-      }
-
+      // We wait for the failure dialog itself — the Preparing component may
+      // still paint its progress bar (recolored red) underneath the overlay,
+      // which is harmless.
       const text = document.body.textContent ?? ''
 
       // BootFailureOverlay buttons.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/onboarding/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/onboarding/index.tsx
index 900d3f0c873..87cc3164847 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/onboarding/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/onboarding/index.tsx
@@ -355,15 +355,9 @@ function ReasonNotice({ reason }: { reason: string }) {
 function Preparing({ boot }: { boot: DesktopBootState }) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const progress = Math.max(2, Math.min(100, Math.round(boot.progress)))
+  const hasError = Boolean(boot.error)
   const installing = boot.phase.startsWith('runtime.')
 
-  // When boot fails, BootFailureOverlay (z-1400) owns the screen. Bail out
-  // here so we never paint a progress bar alongside the error overlay —
-  // E2E screenshots can catch the two mid-transition.
-  if (boot.error) {
-    return null
-  }
-
   return (
     <div className="grid gap-3" role="status">
       <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
@@ -371,7 +365,10 @@ function Preparing({ boot }: { boot: DesktopBootState }) {
       </p>
       <div className="h-2 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-muted">
         <div
-          className="h-full rounded-full bg-primary transition-[width] duration-300 ease-out"
+          className={cn(
+            'h-full rounded-full bg-primary transition-[width] duration-300 ease-out',
+            hasError && 'bg-destructive'
+          )}
           style={{ width: `${progress}%` }}
         />
       </div>
@@ -379,6 +376,7 @@ function Preparing({ boot }: { boot: DesktopBootState }) {
         <span className="truncate">{boot.message}</span>
         <span>{progress}%</span>
       </div>
+      {hasError ? <p className="text-xs text-destructive">{boot.error}</p> : null}
     </div>
   )
 }