block · wesbillman · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 12, 2026
@@ -779,9 +779,16 @@ async fn start_workspace(
     match blox::ws_start(ws_name, resolved_source.as_deref()) {
         Ok(_) => Ok(()),
         Err(e) => {
-            let _ =
-                store.update_branch_workspace_status(&branch.id, &store::WorkspaceStatus::Error);
-            Err(format!("Failed to start workspace: {e}"))
+            // Don't set Error status here — `blox ws start` can fail (e.g.
+            // timeout, transient network issue) even though the workspace was
+            // created and is still booting. Let the frontend's status polling
+            // determine the real state; it will keep polling while the DB says
+            // Starting and will eventually converge on the correct status.
+            log::warn!(
+                "blox ws start failed for '{}', leaving status as Starting for polling to resolve: {e}",
+                ws_name
+            );
+            Ok(())
         }
     }
 }
@@ -829,7 +836,24 @@ async fn poll_workspace_status(
         .as_deref()
         .ok_or("Branch is not a remote workspace branch")?;
 
-    let info = blox::ws_info(ws_name).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let info = match blox::ws_info(ws_name) {
+        Ok(info) => info,
+        Err(e) => {
+            // During initial creation, `blox ws start` may still be running
+            // when the frontend's first poll fires `blox ws info`. The
+            // workspace doesn't exist yet, so the CLI returns "not found".
+            // If the DB still says Starting, swallow the error and tell the
+            // frontend to keep polling.
+            if branch.workspace_status == Some(store::WorkspaceStatus::Starting) {
+                log::debug!(
+                    "blox ws info failed for '{}' while still Starting, treating as Starting: {e}",
+                    ws_name
+                );
+                return Ok(store::WorkspaceStatus::Starting.as_str().to_string());
+            }
+            return Err(e.to_string());
+        }
+    };
 
     // Map the CLI-reported status to our enum.
     // During initial startup, Blox may briefly report "stopped" before the

@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
   let polledStatus = $state<WorkspaceStatus | null>(null);
   let status = $derived<WorkspaceStatus | null>(polledStatus ?? branch.workspaceStatus);
   let pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+  let pollStartedAt: number | null = null;
+  const POLL_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000; // 5 minutes
 
   // Error state
   let error = $state<string | null>(null);
@@ -130,7 +132,18 @@
 
   function startPolling() {
     stopPolling();
+    pollStartedAt = Date.now();
     pollTimer = setInterval(async () => {
+      // Safety valve: stop polling after timeout to avoid infinite loops
+      // when a workspace never materializes.
+      if (pollStartedAt && Date.now() - pollStartedAt > POLL_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+        console.error('Workspace polling timed out after 5 minutes');
+        polledStatus = 'error';
+        error = 'Workspace provisioning timed out';
+        stopPolling();
+        return;
+      }
+
       try {
         const newStatus = (await commands.pollWorkspaceStatus(branch.id)) as WorkspaceStatus;
         polledStatus = newStatus;
@@ -141,10 +154,18 @@
           stopPolling();
         }
       } catch (e) {
-        console.error('Failed to poll workspace status:', e);
-        polledStatus = 'error';
-        error = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e);
-        stopPolling();
+        // During initial creation, `blox ws start` may still be running
+        // when the first poll fires. The backend tolerates this when the
+        // DB status is Starting, but as a safety net we also keep polling
+        // on the frontend side if our local status is still 'starting'.
+        if (status === 'starting') {
+          console.debug('Poll failed while starting (workspace may not exist yet), retrying…', e);
+        } else {
+          console.error('Failed to poll workspace status:', e);
+          polledStatus = 'error';
+          error = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e);
+          stopPolling();
+        }
       }
     }, 3000);
   }