diff --git a/client/src/db/offlineDb.ts b/client/src/db/offlineDb.ts
index 0726eb27..21da8a7c 100644
--- a/client/src/db/offlineDb.ts
+++ b/client/src/db/offlineDb.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ class TrekOfflineDb extends Dexie {
   constructor() {
     super('trek-offline');
 
+    // When the database is deleted externally (e.g. DevTools "Clear site data"
+    // while the tab is open), IDB fires versionchange on the open connection.
+    // Without an explicit close() here, Dexie keeps the stale connection alive
+    // and subsequent write transactions queue behind it indefinitely. Closing
+    // forces Dexie to auto-reopen on the next operation with a fresh connection.
+    this.on('versionchange', () => { this.close() })
+
     this.version(1).stores({
       trips:        'id',
       days:         'id, trip_id',
diff --git a/client/src/repo/tripRepo.ts b/client/src/repo/tripRepo.ts
index 28d0918e..2726305e 100644
--- a/client/src/repo/tripRepo.ts
+++ b/client/src/repo/tripRepo.ts
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ type TripRefresh = Promise<{ trip: Trip } | null>
 
 export const tripRepo = {
   async list(): Promise<{ trips: Trip[]; archivedTrips: Trip[]; refresh: TripsRefresh }> {
-    // 2-second guard: if Dexie is in a bad state (e.g. externally deleted while tab
-    // was open), toArray() may hang. Fall back to the cold/network path.
+    // Guard: if Dexie is in a bad state (e.g. externally deleted while tab was
+    // open and the versionchange close() races with this read), fall back to the
+    // cold/network path rather than throwing or hanging.
     const all = await Promise.race([
-      offlineDb.trips.toArray(),
+      offlineDb.trips.toArray().catch(() => [] as Trip[]),
       new Promise<Trip[]>(resolve => setTimeout(() => resolve([]), 2000)),
     ])