diff --git a/ui/server/routes/config.js b/ui/server/routes/config.js
index 3bec8565..452607e3 100644
--- a/ui/server/routes/config.js
+++ b/ui/server/routes/config.js
@@ -23,8 +23,16 @@ import { getPilotDeckGateway } from '../pilotdeck-bridge.js';
 async function notifyGatewayConfigReload() {
   try {
     const gw = await getPilotDeckGateway();
-    if (gw?.reloadConfig) await gw.reloadConfig();
-  } catch { /* gateway unreachable — self-watch will pick up the change */ }
+    if (!gw?.reloadConfig) {
+      return { skipped: true, reason: 'gateway_reload_unavailable' };
+    }
+    const result = await gw.reloadConfig();
+    return { reloaded: result?.reloaded !== false, ...(result?.changedPaths ? { changedPaths: result.changedPaths } : {}) };
+  } catch (error) {
+    return {
+      error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error),
+    };
+  }
 }
 
 const router = express.Router();
@@ -126,8 +134,10 @@ router.put('/', async (req, res) => {
       return res.status(400).json({ error: 'raw YAML or config object is required' });
     }
 
-    const reloadResult = await reloadPilotDeckConfig(saved.config);
-    void notifyGatewayConfigReload();
+    const reloadResult = {
+      ...(await reloadPilotDeckConfig(saved.config)),
+      gateway: await notifyGatewayConfigReload(),
+    };
     // Re-read disk so the response's `raw` field comes from the actual
     // (lossless) file rather than the lossy round-trip output, and so
     // `serializeConfigResponse` has a `rawYaml` to render the full view.
@@ -150,8 +160,10 @@ router.post('/reload', async (_req, res) => {
     if (!validation.valid) {
       return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid config', validation });
     }
-    const reloadResult = await reloadPilotDeckConfig(record.config);
-    void notifyGatewayConfigReload();
+    const reloadResult = {
+      ...(await reloadPilotDeckConfig(record.config)),
+      gateway: await notifyGatewayConfigReload(),
+    };
     const response = serializeConfigResponse(record, reloadResult);
     broadcastConfigEvent({ source: 'ui-reload', ...response, timestamp: new Date().toISOString() });
     res.json(response);
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/usePilotDeckConfig.ts b/ui/src/hooks/usePilotDeckConfig.ts
index 4b4590aa..46ee58ef 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/usePilotDeckConfig.ts
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/usePilotDeckConfig.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,16 @@ type ReloadInfo = {
   at: number;
 };
 
+function reloadErrorMessage(reload: ConfigReload | undefined, action: 'save' | 'reload'): string | null {
+  const gatewayError = reload?.gateway?.error;
+  if (gatewayError) {
+    return action === 'save'
+      ? `Saved config, but gateway reload failed: ${gatewayError}`
+      : `Gateway reload failed: ${gatewayError}`;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 export function usePilotDeckConfig() {
   const [path, setPath] = useState('');
   const [raw, setRaw] = useState('');
@@ -210,7 +220,12 @@ export function usePilotDeckConfig() {
       const data = await response.json();
       if (!response.ok) throw new Error(data.error || data.validation?.errors?.join(', ') || 'Failed to save config');
       applyResponse(data, 'ui-save');
-      setMessage('Saved and reloaded');
+      const reloadError = reloadErrorMessage(data.reload, 'save');
+      if (reloadError) {
+        setError(reloadError);
+      } else {
+        setMessage('Saved and reloaded');
+      }
       setExternalChangeNotice(null);
     } catch (caught) {
       setError(caught instanceof Error ? caught.message : 'Failed to save config');
@@ -228,7 +243,12 @@ export function usePilotDeckConfig() {
       const data = await response.json();
       if (!response.ok) throw new Error(data.error || 'Failed to reload config');
       applyResponse(data, 'ui-reload');
-      setMessage('Reloaded current config');
+      const reloadError = reloadErrorMessage(data.reload, 'reload');
+      if (reloadError) {
+        setError(reloadError);
+      } else {
+        setMessage('Reloaded current config');
+      }
     } catch (caught) {
       setError(caught instanceof Error ? caught.message : 'Failed to reload config');
     } finally {