Improve huddle audio failure handling

desktop/src-tauri/src/huddle/mod.rs

@@ -289,14 +289,9 @@ pub async fn start_huddle(
             // Audio relay failure is fatal — no point in a huddle without audio.
             if let Err(e) = post_connect_setup(&state, &ephemeral_channel_id).await {
                 // Rollback: audio relay failed after state was committed.
-                // Archive the ephemeral channel and reset state.
-                if let Ok(archive_builder) = events::build_archive(ephemeral_uuid) {
-                    if let Err(ae) = submit_event(archive_builder, &state).await {
-                        eprintln!(
-                            "buzz-desktop: rollback archive of {ephemeral_channel_id} failed: {ae}"
-                        );
-                    }
-                }
+                // Publish the terminal lifecycle event before archiving so
+                // other clients do not reconstruct a phantom active huddle.
+                emit_end_and_archive(&parent_channel_id, &ephemeral_channel_id, &state).await;
                 if let Ok(mut hs) = state.huddle_state.lock() {
                     hs.reset_preserving_generation();
                 }

desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelMembersBar.tsx

@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import { EllipsisVertical, Settings2, Users } from "lucide-react";
 import * as React from "react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
 import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useHuddle } from "@/features/huddle";
 import { HuddleIndicator } from "@/features/huddle/components/HuddleIndicator";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "@/features/huddle/lib/huddleError";
 import { buildHuddleChannelName } from "@/features/huddle/lib/huddleChannelName";
 import {
   useAvailableAcpRuntimes,
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ export function ChannelMembersBar({
           void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["channels"] });
         } catch (e) {
           console.error("Failed to start huddle:", e);
+          toast.error(formatHuddleActionError(e, "start"));
         }
       }}
       renderMode={variant === "compact" ? "menu-item" : "button"}

desktop/src/features/huddle/HuddleContext.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as React from "react";
 
 import { setupAudioWorklet, type AudioWorkletHandle } from "./lib/audioWorklet";
 import { useAudioDevices } from "./lib/useAudioDevices";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "./lib/huddleError";
 import { useTtsSubscription } from "./lib/useTtsSubscription";
 
 /**
@@ -457,7 +458,7 @@ export function HuddleProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         const w = workletRef.current;
         workletRef.current = null;
         await cleanupFailedStart(w, true);
-        setHuddleError(msg);
+        setHuddleError(formatHuddleActionError(e, "start"));
         console.error("Failed to start huddle:", e);
         throw e;
       } finally {
@@ -503,7 +504,7 @@ export function HuddleProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         const w = workletRef.current;
         workletRef.current = null;
         await cleanupFailedStart(w, false);
-        setHuddleError(msg);
+        setHuddleError(formatHuddleActionError(e, "join"));
         console.error("Failed to join huddle:", e);
         throw e;
       } finally {

desktop/src/features/huddle/components/HuddleAttachment.tsx

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/shared/ui/attachment";
 import { useHuddle } from "../HuddleContext";
 import { isHuddleStartStale } from "../lib/huddleCardState";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "../lib/huddleError";
 
 type HuddleAttachmentProps = {
   channelId: string | null;
@@ -221,9 +222,7 @@ export function HuddleAttachment({
       await joinHuddle(channelId, ephemeralChannelId);
       void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["channels"] });
     } catch (error) {
-      const message =
-        error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Failed to join huddle";
-      toast.error(message);
+      toast.error(formatHuddleActionError(error, "join"));
     } finally {
       setIsJoining(false);
     }

desktop/src/features/huddle/components/HuddleIndicator.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { listen } from "@tauri-apps/api/event";
 import { Headphones } from "lucide-react";
 import * as React from "react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
 import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 
 import { relayClient } from "@/shared/api/relayClient";
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
 import { DropdownMenuItem } from "@/shared/ui/dropdown-menu";
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from "@/shared/ui/tooltip";
 import { useHuddle } from "../HuddleContext";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "../lib/huddleError";
 
 /** Huddle lifecycle event kinds */
 const KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED = 48100;
@@ -263,6 +265,7 @@ export function HuddleIndicator({
       void queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["channels"] });
     } catch (e) {
       console.error("Failed to join huddle:", e);
+      toast.error(formatHuddleActionError(e, "join"));
     } finally {
       setIsJoining(false);
     }

desktop/src/features/huddle/lib/huddleError.test.mjs

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "./huddleError.ts";
+
+const AUDIO_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE =
+  "Huddle audio isn’t available on this server. Ask an administrator to turn it on.";
+
+test("maps the relay deployment rejection to actionable copy", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError(
+      "audio relay auth error: huddle audio unavailable in this deployment",
+      "join",
+    ),
+    AUDIO_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
+  );
+});
+
+test("recognizes the relay error code when present", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError("huddle_audio_unavailable", "start"),
+    AUDIO_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
+  );
+});
+
+test("preserves other string and Error messages", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError("Microphone unavailable", "join"),
+    "Microphone unavailable",
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError(new Error("Connection timed out"), "start"),
+    "Connection timed out",
+  );
+});
+
+test("uses action-specific fallback copy for unknown errors", () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError({ reason: "unknown" }, "join"),
+    "Couldn’t join the huddle.",
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    formatHuddleActionError(null, "start"),
+    "Couldn’t start the huddle.",
+  );
+});

desktop/src/features/huddle/lib/huddleError.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+export type HuddleAction = "join" | "start";
+
+const HUDDLE_AUDIO_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE =
+  "Huddle audio isn’t available on this server. Ask an administrator to turn it on.";
+
+function rawErrorMessage(error: unknown): string | null {
+  if (error instanceof Error) {
+    return error.message;
+  }
+  if (typeof error === "string") {
+    return error;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+export function formatHuddleActionError(
+  error: unknown,
+  action: HuddleAction,
+): string {
+  const message = rawErrorMessage(error)?.trim();
+  const normalized = message?.toLowerCase();
+
+  if (
+    normalized?.includes("huddle_audio_unavailable") ||
+    normalized?.includes("huddle audio unavailable in this deployment")
+  ) {
+    return HUDDLE_AUDIO_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE;
+  }
+
+  if (message) {
+    return message;
+  }
+
+  return action === "join"
+    ? "Couldn’t join the huddle."
+    : "Couldn’t start the huddle.";
+}

desktop/src/features/messages/ui/WaveMessageAttachment.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { toast } from "sonner";
 
 import { channelsQueryKey } from "@/features/channels/hooks";
 import { useHuddle } from "@/features/huddle";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "@/features/huddle/lib/huddleError";
 import {
   Attachment,
   AttachmentAction,
@@ -45,9 +46,7 @@ export function WaveMessageAttachment({
         await startHuddle(channelId, [...huddleMemberPubkeys]);
         await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: channelsQueryKey });
       } catch (error) {
-        toast.error(
-          error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Failed to start huddle.",
-        );
+        toast.error(formatHuddleActionError(error, "start"));
       }
     },
     [

desktop/src/features/profile/ui/UserProfilePopover.tsx

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { toast } from "sonner";
 
 import { useAppNavigation } from "@/app/navigation/useAppNavigation";
 import { useHuddle } from "@/features/huddle";
+import { formatHuddleActionError } from "@/features/huddle/lib/huddleError";
 import {
   channelsQueryKey,
   useChannelsQuery,
@@ -374,9 +375,7 @@ export function UserProfilePopover({
         setOpen(false);
       }
     } catch (error) {
-      toast.error(
-        error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Failed to start huddle.",
-      );
+      toast.error(formatHuddleActionError(error, "start"));
     } finally {
       if (isMountedRef.current) {
         setPendingAction(null);

desktop/tests/e2e/channels.spec.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
 
-import { KIND_TYPING_INDICATOR } from "../../src/shared/constants/kinds";
+import {
+  KIND_HUDDLE_ENDED,
+  KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED,
+  KIND_TYPING_INDICATOR,
+} from "../../src/shared/constants/kinds";
 import {
   TEST_IDENTITIES,
   installMockBridge,
@@ -2794,6 +2798,58 @@ test("channel header omits the add agent action", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByTestId("channel-management-trigger")).toBeVisible();
 });
 
+test("huddle rollback end event clears the active header action", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.getByTestId("channel-random").click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("random");
+  await waitForMockLiveSubscription(page, "random", KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED);
+
+  const ephemeralChannelId = "10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001";
+  const createdAt = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+
+  await page.evaluate(
+    ({ createdAt, ephemeralChannelId, kind }) => {
+      window.__BUZZ_E2E_EMIT_MOCK_MESSAGE__?.({
+        channelName: "random",
+        content: JSON.stringify({
+          ephemeral_channel_id: ephemeralChannelId,
+        }),
+        createdAt,
+        id: "1".repeat(64),
+        kind,
+      });
+    },
+    { createdAt, ephemeralChannelId, kind: KIND_HUDDLE_STARTED },
+  );
+
+  await expect(
+    page.getByRole("button", {
+      name: "Join active huddle (1 participant)",
+    }),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.evaluate(
+    ({ createdAt, ephemeralChannelId, kind }) => {
+      window.__BUZZ_E2E_EMIT_MOCK_MESSAGE__?.({
+        channelName: "random",
+        content: JSON.stringify({
+          ephemeral_channel_id: ephemeralChannelId,
+        }),
+        createdAt,
+        id: "2".repeat(64),
+        kind,
+      });
+    },
+    { createdAt, ephemeralChannelId, kind: KIND_HUDDLE_ENDED },
+  );
+
+  await expect(
+    page.getByTestId("channel-start-huddle-trigger"),
+  ).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", "Start huddle");
+});
+
 test("channel header actions show tooltips", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
   await page.getByTestId("channel-random").click();