diff --git a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes.js b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes.js
index 4dad08354c..749697c7ea 100644
--- a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes.js
+++ b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   groupRoutesForView,
   MAX_RENDERED_ROUTES,
   normalizeRoute,
+  routeMetadataErrorMessage,
   routeViewRenderKey,
 } from "/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes_helpers.js"
 
@@ -738,8 +739,8 @@ async function openOverlay(route) {
 
   try {
     const response = await fetch(`/api/routes/${route.name}`)
-    if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Route metadata request failed (${response.status})`)
-    const data = await response.json()
+    const data = await response.json().catch(() => ({}))
+    if (!response.ok) throw new Error(routeMetadataErrorMessage(response.status, data?.error))
     segments = Array.isArray(data.segment_urls) ? data.segment_urls.filter(url => typeof url === "string") : []
     const availableCameras = ["forward", "wide", "driver"].filter(camera => data.available_cameras?.includes(camera))
     if (!segments.length) throw new Error("No video segments are stored for this route")
@@ -884,12 +885,15 @@ export function RouteRecordings() {
           const view = buildRouteView(state.routes, { preservedOnly: state.showPreservedOnly, searchQuery: state.searchQuery, sortOrder: state.sortOrder })
           const groups = groupRoutesForView(view.visible, state.sortOrder)
           const renderKey = routeViewRenderKey(view.visible, state.sortOrder, state.viewMode)
+          const hasActiveSearch = Boolean(state.searchQuery.trim())
 
           return html`
-            <div class="dashcam-results-summary" aria-live="polite">
-              <span>${view.matching.length} matching drive${view.matching.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}</span>
-              ${state.loading ? html`<span>Loading ${state.progress} of ${state.total}</span>` : html`<span>${state.routes.length} total local</span>`}
-            </div>
+            ${state.loading || hasActiveSearch ? html`
+              <div class="dashcam-results-summary" aria-live="polite">
+                ${hasActiveSearch ? html`<span>${view.matching.length} matching drive${view.matching.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}</span>` : ""}
+                ${state.loading ? html`<span>Loading routes</span>` : ""}
+              </div>
+            ` : ""}
             ${state.error ? html`<p class="screen-recordings-message dashcam-error">${state.error}</p>` : ""}
             ${state.isDeletingAll ? html`<p class="screen-recordings-message">Deleting routes&hellip;</p>` : ""}
             ${!view.visible.length && state.loading ? html`<div class="dashcam-loading"><span></span><p>Finding local routes&hellip;</p></div>` : ""}
diff --git a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes_helpers.js b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes_helpers.js
index 2cd9ecf48f..3ea1a613e5 100644
--- a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes_helpers.js
+++ b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/assets/components/recordings/dashcam_routes_helpers.js
@@ -264,6 +264,14 @@ export function cameraVideoUrl(segmentUrl, camera, quality) {
   return quality ? `${url}&quality=${encodeURIComponent(quality)}` : url
 }
 
+export function routeMetadataErrorMessage(status, serverError) {
+  if (status === 404) {
+    return "This route is no longer available on this device. Its local video segments may have been deleted or moved."
+  }
+  const detail = String(serverError || "").trim()
+  return detail || `Could not load route details (${status}).`
+}
+
 // loggerd only writes qcamera.ts alongside the road camera.
 export function supportsLowQuality(camera) {
   return camera === "forward"
diff --git a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/tests/test_dashcam_routes_helpers.py b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/tests/test_dashcam_routes_helpers.py
index af26f45690..631463f6ec 100644
--- a/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/tests/test_dashcam_routes_helpers.py
+++ b/starpilot/system/the_galaxy/tests/test_dashcam_routes_helpers.py
@@ -200,6 +200,17 @@ def test_route_search_input_updates_on_every_keystroke():
   assert '@input="${event => { state.searchQuery = event.target.value }}"' in source
 
 
+def test_route_summary_only_shows_loading_or_active_search_status():
+  source = COMPONENT_PATH.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+  assert "const hasActiveSearch = Boolean(state.searchQuery.trim())" in source
+  assert '${state.loading || hasActiveSearch ? html`' in source
+  assert '${hasActiveSearch ? html`<span>${view.matching.length} matching drive' in source
+  assert '${state.loading ? html`<span>Loading routes</span>` : ""}' in source
+  assert "Loading ${state.progress} of ${state.total}" not in source
+  assert "total local" not in source
+
+
 def test_search_indexes_the_displayed_time_for_every_route():
   result = evaluate('''
     const routes = [
@@ -368,6 +379,22 @@ def test_camera_video_url_carries_an_optional_quality_tier():
   assert result["low"] == "/video/0000006a--9f0a7bdf9c--7?camera=forward&quality=low"
 
 
+def test_route_metadata_errors_explain_missing_local_segments():
+  result = evaluate('''
+    return {
+      missing: routeMetadataErrorMessage(404, "Route not found"),
+      backend: routeMetadataErrorMessage(400, "Invalid route name"),
+      fallback: routeMetadataErrorMessage(503),
+    }
+  ''')
+
+  assert result == {
+    "missing": "This route is no longer available on this device. Its local video segments may have been deleted or moved.",
+    "backend": "Invalid route name",
+    "fallback": "Could not load route details (503).",
+  }
+
+
 def test_only_the_road_camera_has_a_preview():
   """loggerd writes qcamera.ts alongside the road camera only."""
   assert evaluate('return ["forward", "wide", "driver"].map(supportsLowQuality)') == [True, False, False]