diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/uplifts/index.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/uplifts/index.tsx
index 01779410..2aaf0005 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/uplifts/index.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/uplifts/index.tsx
@@ -48,14 +48,11 @@ const TAB_LABELS: Record<UpliftApprovalTab, string> = {
   rejected: "Rejected",
 };
 
-// A tab's total is only known once its queue has loaded without error; until then the
-// pill must not claim a count (a loading or failed queue is not an empty one).
-function knownTotal(query: {
-  data?: UpliftsQueueResult | undefined;
-  error: unknown;
-}): number | null {
-  if (query.error || !query.data) return null;
-  return query.data.totalCount;
+// A tab's total is only known once its queue has loaded at least once; until then the
+// pill and pager must not claim a count (a loading or failed queue is not an empty one).
+// A failed refetch keeps the last loaded page, so its total stays usable.
+function knownTotal(query: { data?: UpliftsQueueResult | undefined }): number | null {
+  return query.data ? query.data.totalCount : null;
 }
 
 function TabCountPill({ tab, count }: { tab: UpliftApprovalTab; count: number | null }) {
diff --git a/src/test/app/(protected)/uplifts/uplift-approvals-rejected-tab.test.tsx b/src/test/app/(protected)/uplifts/uplift-approvals-rejected-tab.test.tsx
index 7cd67af7..23323d0a 100644
--- a/src/test/app/(protected)/uplifts/uplift-approvals-rejected-tab.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/app/(protected)/uplifts/uplift-approvals-rejected-tab.test.tsx
@@ -170,6 +170,16 @@ describe("Uplift Approvals rejected tab", () => {
     expect(screen.getByLabelText("1 pending uplifts")).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("keeps the count and pager for kept rows when a rejected refetch fails", async () => {
+    queueState.errorByStatus.Rejected = new Error("Failed to load uplift queue");
+    const table = await openRejectedTab();
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole("alert")).toHaveTextContent("Failed to load uplift queue");
+    expect(within(table).getAllByRole("row")).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText("12 rejected uplifts")).toHaveTextContent("12");
+    expect(screen.getByText(/of 12/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("shows the load error instead of an empty archive when the rejected queue fails", async () => {
     queueState.byStatus.Rejected = undefined;
     queueState.errorByStatus.Rejected = new Error("Failed to load uplift queue");