diff --git a/client/src/components/Vacay/VacayPersons.tsx b/client/src/components/Vacay/VacayPersons.tsx
index d78c41aac..d5a64113f 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Vacay/VacayPersons.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Vacay/VacayPersons.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ export default function VacayPersons() {
     submit: invite,
     successKey: 'vacay.inviteSent',
     errorKey: 'vacay.inviteError',
-    clearOnLoadError: false,
   })
   const inviteLabelId = useId()
   const colorLabelId = useId()
diff --git a/client/src/components/Vacay/VacaySharedCalendars.tsx b/client/src/components/Vacay/VacaySharedCalendars.tsx
index eed85b01c..0b4b4127a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Vacay/VacaySharedCalendars.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Vacay/VacaySharedCalendars.tsx
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ export default function VacaySharedCalendars() {
     submit: shareWith,
     successKey: 'vacay.shareSent',
     errorKey: 'vacay.shareFailed',
-    clearOnLoadError: false,
   })
   const shareLabelId = useId()
 
diff --git a/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.test.ts b/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.test.ts
index 2bffd6103..73410266f 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.test.ts
+++ b/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.test.ts
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ const USERS = [
 
 const submit = vi.fn<(userId: number) => Promise<void>>();
 
-function picker(clearOnLoadError: boolean) {
+function picker() {
   return renderHook(() =>
     useVacayUserPicker<{ id: number; username: string }>({
       endpoint: '/addons/vacay/shares/available-users',
       submit,
       successKey: 'vacay.shareSent',
       errorKey: 'vacay.shareFailed',
-      clearOnLoadError,
     })
   );
 }
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks());
 describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-001: loads the users from the endpoint and resolves the picked one', async () => {
     const get = vi.spyOn(apiClient, 'get').mockResolvedValue({ data: { users: USERS } });
-    const { result } = picker(false);
+    const { result } = picker();
     await act(() => result.current.load());
     expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/addons/vacay/shares/available-users');
     expect(result.current.available).toEqual(USERS);
@@ -45,27 +44,39 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
     expect(result.current.selectedUser).toEqual(USERS[1]);
   });
 
-  it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-002: a failed load keeps the last list on desktop', async () => {
+  it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-002: a failed load in a desktop dialog empties the list instead of showing the stale one', async () => {
     const get = vi.spyOn(apiClient, 'get').mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: { users: USERS } });
-    const { result } = picker(false);
-    await act(() => result.current.load());
-    get.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('down'));
-    await act(() => result.current.load());
-    expect(result.current.available).toEqual(USERS);
-  });
-
-  it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-003: a failed load empties the list on the phone', async () => {
-    const get = vi.spyOn(apiClient, 'get').mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: { users: USERS } });
-    const { result } = picker(true);
+    const { result } = picker();
     await act(() => result.current.load());
     get.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('down'));
     await act(() => result.current.load());
     expect(result.current.available).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-003: a failed load on reopening a phone sheet empties the list', async () => {
+    const get = vi.spyOn(apiClient, 'get').mockResolvedValueOnce({ data: { users: USERS } });
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ open }: { open: boolean }) =>
+        useVacayUserPicker<{ id: number; username: string }>({
+          endpoint: '/addons/vacay/available-users',
+          submit,
+          successKey: 'vacay.inviteSent',
+          errorKey: 'vacay.inviteError',
+          sheetOpen: open,
+        }),
+      { initialProps: { open: true } }
+    );
+    await act(async () => {});
+    expect(result.current.available).toEqual(USERS);
+    get.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('down'));
+    await act(async () => rerender({ open: false }));
+    await act(async () => rerender({ open: true }));
+    expect(result.current.available).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-004: sending without a pick does nothing', async () => {
     const onSent = vi.fn();
-    const { result } = picker(false);
+    const { result } = picker();
     await act(() => result.current.send(onSent));
     expect(submit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(onSent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -74,7 +85,7 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-005: a sent pick toasts success, then runs onSent', async () => {
     const order: string[] = [];
     toast.success.mockImplementation(() => order.push('toast'));
-    const { result } = picker(false);
+    const { result } = picker();
     act(() => result.current.setSelected(2));
     await act(() => result.current.send(() => order.push('sent')));
     expect(submit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
@@ -86,7 +97,7 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-006: a failed send toasts the server error and skips onSent', async () => {
     submit.mockRejectedValue(new Error('already shared'));
     const onSent = vi.fn();
-    const { result } = picker(false);
+    const { result } = picker();
     act(() => result.current.setSelected(2));
     await act(() => result.current.send(onSent));
     expect(toast.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith('already shared');
@@ -96,7 +107,7 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
 
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-007: the desktop dialogs (no sheetOpen) never load on their own', () => {
     const get = vi.spyOn(apiClient, 'get').mockResolvedValue({ data: { users: USERS } });
-    picker(false);
+    picker();
     expect(get).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
@@ -109,7 +120,6 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
           submit,
           successKey: 'vacay.inviteSent',
           errorKey: 'vacay.inviteError',
-          clearOnLoadError: true,
           sheetOpen: open,
         }),
       { initialProps: { open: false } }
@@ -131,7 +141,7 @@ describe('useVacayUserPicker', () => {
   });
 
   it('FE-COMP-VACAYPICK-009: toggling unfolds the inline list and picking a user folds it again', () => {
-    const { result } = picker(true);
+    const { result } = picker();
     expect(result.current.pickerOpen).toBe(false);
     act(() => result.current.togglePicker());
     expect(result.current.pickerOpen).toBe(true);
diff --git a/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.ts b/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.ts
index fed1b2642..384cc8aef 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.ts
+++ b/client/src/components/Vacay/useVacayUserPicker.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ interface VacayUserPickerOptions {
   submit: (userId: number) => Promise<void>;
   successKey: string;
   errorKey: string;
-  /**
-   * Empty the list when loading it fails (the phone sheets). Otherwise the list
-   * from the last load stays.
-   */
-  clearOnLoadError: boolean;
   /**
    * The phone sheets pass their open flag: every opening clears the pick, folds
    * the inline user list and reloads the users. The desktop dialogs leave it out
@@ -34,7 +29,6 @@ export function useVacayUserPicker<U extends { id: number; username: string }>({
   submit,
   successKey,
   errorKey,
-  clearOnLoadError,
   sheetOpen,
 }: VacayUserPickerOptions) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -50,9 +44,11 @@ export function useVacayUserPicker<U extends { id: number; username: string }>({
       const data = await apiClient.get(endpoint).then((r) => r.data);
       setAvailable(data.users);
     } catch {
-      if (clearOnLoadError) setAvailable([]);
+      // A failed load empties the list, so nobody picks from a stale one and the
+      // dialog or sheet shows its "no users available" state.
+      setAvailable([]);
     }
-  }, [endpoint, clearOnLoadError]);
+  }, [endpoint]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!sheetOpen) return;
diff --git a/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayInviteSheet.tsx b/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayInviteSheet.tsx
index 1f258d664..501e78baf 100644
--- a/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayInviteSheet.tsx
+++ b/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayInviteSheet.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ export default function MVacayInviteSheet({ open, onClose }: MVacayInviteSheetPr
     submit: invite,
     successKey: 'vacay.inviteSent',
     errorKey: 'vacay.inviteError',
-    clearOnLoadError: true,
     sheetOpen: open,
   })
 
diff --git a/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayShareSheet.tsx b/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayShareSheet.tsx
index b1ab621f0..b31f9238b 100644
--- a/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayShareSheet.tsx
+++ b/client/src/mobile/screens/vacay/MVacayShareSheet.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ export default function MVacayShareSheet({ open, onClose }: MVacayShareSheetProp
     submit: shareWith,
     successKey: 'vacay.shareSent',
     errorKey: 'vacay.shareFailed',
-    clearOnLoadError: true,
     sheetOpen: open,
   })
   const { toggleHidden, remove } = useVacayShareActions()