diff --git a/backend/src/docs/frontend-assets.json b/backend/src/docs/frontend-assets.json
index 15cc750cf..07efdafd9 100644
--- a/backend/src/docs/frontend-assets.json
+++ b/backend/src/docs/frontend-assets.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "src/core/card-kind.js",
     "src/core/collection-loader.js",
     "src/core/dates.js",
+    "src/core/guarded-fetch.js",
     "src/core/hovercard.js",
     "src/core/html.js",
     "src/core/icons.js",
diff --git a/backend/src/docs/portal.ts b/backend/src/docs/portal.ts
index 94cdecc0a..ed54358be 100644
--- a/backend/src/docs/portal.ts
+++ b/backend/src/docs/portal.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { RUNTIME_ROOT } from '../runtimePaths';
 import type { LambdaEvent, LambdaResponse } from '../types';
 import { isAnonymousDocumentReviewAsset, isAnonymousDocumentReviewRequest } from '../documents/reviews';
 import { isAnonymousSponsorDocAsset, isAnonymousSponsorDocRequest } from '../routes/sponsorDocs';
+import { isClientErrorReport } from '../routes/clientErrors';
 import { isAnonymousSponsorContractAsset } from '../routes/sponsorContracts';
 import {
   isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewAsset,
@@ -312,7 +313,7 @@ export async function handlePortal(event: LambdaEvent, client: DynamoDBDocumentC
       const fe = serveFrontend(event, method, path);
       if (fe) return { response: fe, authorized: false };
     }
-    if (isAnonymousDocumentReviewRequest(method, path) || isAnonymousSponsorDocRequest(method, path) || isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewRequest(method, path)) {
+    if (isAnonymousDocumentReviewRequest(method, path) || isAnonymousSponsorDocRequest(method, path) || isClientErrorReport(method, path) || isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewRequest(method, path)) {
       return { authorized: false };
     }
     // Existing non-browser bearer clients continue through the router's own
diff --git a/backend/src/documents/reviews.ts b/backend/src/documents/reviews.ts
index 41e3edd09..27876be0a 100644
--- a/backend/src/documents/reviews.ts
+++ b/backend/src/documents/reviews.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export function isAnonymousDocumentReviewRequest(method: string, path: string):
 }
 export function isAnonymousDocumentReviewAsset(method: string, path: string): boolean {
   return method === 'GET' && (/^\/document-review\/[^/]+\/?$/.test(path)
-    || ['/src/document-review-page.js', '/src/surfaces/document-reviews.js'].includes(path));
+    || ['/src/document-review-page.js', '/src/core/guarded-fetch.js', '/src/surfaces/document-reviews.js'].includes(path));
 }
 // The document loader is provided by the run-document routes. All callers must
 // check existence here; a deleted document never remains accessible by a link.
diff --git a/backend/src/newsletter/markdownPreview.ts b/backend/src/newsletter/markdownPreview.ts
index bba630b0b..d66938fc1 100644
--- a/backend/src/newsletter/markdownPreview.ts
+++ b/backend/src/newsletter/markdownPreview.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ export function isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewAsset(method: string, path: string):
   if (/^\/newsletter-issues\/[^/]+\/preview\/?$/.test(path)) return true;
   return (
     path === '/src/newsletter-preview-page.js'
+    || path === '/src/core/guarded-fetch.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/newsletter-preview.js'
     || path === '/src/styles/newsletter-preview.css'
     || path === '/src/styles/sponsor-docs.css'
diff --git a/backend/src/router.ts b/backend/src/router.ts
index 16cdc6aca..a60540627 100644
--- a/backend/src/router.ts
+++ b/backend/src/router.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ import { handleKnowledgePublisher } from './auth/knowledgePublisher';
 import { isScopedTokenRequestAllowed } from './auth/tokenScopes';
 import { getApiToken, projectApiToken } from './db/apiTokens';
 import { handleSponsorDocRoutes, isAnonymousSponsorDocRequest } from './routes/sponsorDocs';
+import { handleClientErrorRoute, isClientErrorReport } from './routes/clientErrors';
 import { handleEmailTemplateRoutes } from './routes/emailTemplates';
 import { handleApiTokenRoutes } from './routes/apiTokens';
 import { handleSponsorContractRoutes, isAnonymousSponsorContractRequest } from './routes/sponsorContracts';
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ const AUTH_EXEMPT_PATHS = new Set([
 function isAuthExempt(method: string, path: string): boolean {
   if (isAnonymousDocumentReviewRequest(method, path)) return true;
   if (isAnonymousSponsorDocRequest(method, path)) return true;
+  if (isClientErrorReport(method, path)) return true;
   if (isAnonymousSponsorContractRequest(method, path)) return true;
   if (isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewRequest(method, path)) return true;
   if (AUTH_EXEMPT_PATHS.has(path)) return true;
@@ -434,6 +436,8 @@ async function route(event: LambdaEvent, client: DynamoDBDocumentClient): Promis
       if (result) return result;
     }
 
+    if (isClientErrorReport(method, reqPath)) return handleClientErrorRoute(event);
+
     if (reqPath.startsWith('/api/sponsor-docs')) {
       const result = await handleSponsorDocRoutes(reqPath, method, event, client);
       if (result) return result;
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/clientErrors.ts b/backend/src/routes/clientErrors.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49f250971
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/routes/clientErrors.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { headerValue } from '../httpHeaders';
+import { noStoreJson } from '../http';
+import type { LambdaEvent, LambdaResponse } from '../types';
+
+/**
+ * Browser-reported failures: a page's access check or API call failed or timed
+ * out and the visitor was shown an error. The page cannot be trusted to tell
+ * anyone itself, so it posts here and the failure lands in the server log as
+ * one structured ERROR line, where the same alerting as `api_request_failed`
+ * can pick it up.
+ *
+ * Anonymous (sponsor and guest pages have no session), so the payload is
+ * strictly bounded: fixed fields only, truncated, query strings stripped
+ * (they can carry access codes), and a per-IP budget per Lambda instance.
+ */
+
+export const CLIENT_CHECK_FAILED_EVENT = 'client_check_failed';
+
+const MAX_FIELD_LENGTH = 300;
+const BUDGET_PER_WINDOW = 10;
+const WINDOW_MS = 60_000;
+
+const budgets = new Map<string, { windowStart: number; count: number }>();
+
+export function isClientErrorReport(method: string, path: string): boolean {
+  return method.toUpperCase() === 'POST' && /^\/api\/client-errors\/?$/.test(path);
+}
+
+function field(value: unknown): string {
+  return typeof value === 'string' ? value.slice(0, MAX_FIELD_LENGTH) : '';
+}
+
+function withinBudget(ip: string, now: number): boolean {
+  const entry = budgets.get(ip);
+  if (!entry || now - entry.windowStart >= WINDOW_MS) {
+    if (budgets.size > 1000) budgets.clear();
+    budgets.set(ip, { windowStart: now, count: 1 });
+    return true;
+  }
+  entry.count += 1;
+  return entry.count <= BUDGET_PER_WINDOW;
+}
+
+export function handleClientErrorRoute(event: LambdaEvent): LambdaResponse {
+  let body: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(event.body || '{}');
+    if (parsed && typeof parsed === 'object' && !Array.isArray(parsed)) body = parsed as Record<string, unknown>;
+  } catch {
+    return noStoreJson(400, { error: 'Invalid JSON body' });
+  }
+  const ip = headerValue(event.headers, 'x-forwarded-for').split(',')[0].trim() || 'unknown';
+  if (!withinBudget(ip, Date.now())) return noStoreJson(429, { error: 'Too many reports' });
+  const status = Number(body.status);
+  console.error(JSON.stringify({
+    event: CLIENT_CHECK_FAILED_EVENT,
+    level: 'ERROR',
+    surface: field(body.surface),
+    check: field(body.check),
+    status: Number.isInteger(status) ? status : null,
+    message: field(body.message),
+    page: field(body.page).split(/[?#]/)[0],
+    userAgent: headerValue(event.headers, 'user-agent').slice(0, MAX_FIELD_LENGTH),
+  }));
+  return noStoreJson(204, {});
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/sponsorContracts.ts b/backend/src/routes/sponsorContracts.ts
index f03f39ead..192b6540b 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/sponsorContracts.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/sponsorContracts.ts
@@ -495,5 +495,5 @@ async function handleSigningRequest(
 export function isAnonymousSponsorContractAsset(method: string, path: string): boolean {
   if (method.toUpperCase() !== 'GET') return false;
   if (/^\x2Fcontracts\x2F[^\x2F]+\x2F?$/.test(path)) return true;
-  return path === '/src/contract-sign-page.js' || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/contract-sign.js';
+  return path === '/src/contract-sign-page.js' || path === '/src/core/guarded-fetch.js' || path === '/src/core/html.js' || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/contract-sign.js';
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/sponsorDocs.ts b/backend/src/routes/sponsorDocs.ts
index 25fe66b93..8c0e7fef4 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/sponsorDocs.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/sponsorDocs.ts
@@ -199,12 +199,15 @@ export function isAnonymousSponsorDocAsset(method: string, path: string): boolea
   if (/^\/(sponsor-docs|podcast-docs|guest-docs|webinar-docs|workshop-docs)\/[^/]+\/?$/.test(path)) return true;
   return (
     path === '/src/sponsor-doc-page.js'
+    || path === '/src/core/guarded-fetch.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-docs.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-gate.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-select.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-radio.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-bullets.js'
     || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-email-card.js'
+    || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-event-time.js'
+    || path === '/src/surfaces/operations/sponsor-doc-guest-schedule.js'
     || path === '/src/styles/sponsor-docs.css'
     || path.startsWith('/src/dakit/')
   );
diff --git a/backend/tests/anonymous-page-assets.test.ts b/backend/tests/anonymous-page-assets.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f04a8d4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/anonymous-page-assets.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { dirname, join, relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
+
+import { isAnonymousDocumentReviewAsset } from '../src/documents/reviews';
+import { isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewAsset } from '../src/newsletter/markdownPreview';
+import { isAnonymousSponsorContractAsset } from '../src/routes/sponsorContracts';
+import { isAnonymousSponsorDocAsset } from '../src/routes/sponsorDocs';
+
+const FRONTEND_ROOT = resolve(__dirname, '../../frontend');
+
+function importGraph(entry: string): Set<string> {
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  const queue = [join(FRONTEND_ROOT, entry)];
+  while (queue.length) {
+    const file = queue.pop() as string;
+    if (seen.has(file)) continue;
+    seen.add(file);
+    const source = readFileSync(file, 'utf8');
+    for (const match of source.matchAll(/(?:import|export)\s[^'"]*?from\s*["'](\.[^"']+)["']|import\s*["'](\.[^"']+)["']/g)) {
+      queue.push(resolve(dirname(file), match[1] || match[2]));
+    }
+  }
+  return seen;
+}
+
+const PAGES: Array<[string, (method: string, path: string) => boolean]> = [
+  ['src/sponsor-doc-page.js', isAnonymousSponsorDocAsset],
+  ['src/contract-sign-page.js', isAnonymousSponsorContractAsset],
+  ['src/newsletter-preview-page.js', isAnonymousNewsletterPreviewAsset],
+  ['src/document-review-page.js', isAnonymousDocumentReviewAsset],
+];
+
+describe('anonymous page assets', () => {
+  for (const [entry, isAllowed] of PAGES) {
+    it(`lets an anonymous visitor load every module ${entry} imports`, () => {
+      const blocked = [...importGraph(entry)]
+        .map((file) => `/${relative(FRONTEND_ROOT, file)}`)
+        .filter((path) => !isAllowed('GET', path));
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(blocked, []);
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+describe('anonymous page scripts', () => {
+  it('parse as modules', () => {
+    for (const [entry] of PAGES) {
+      for (const file of importGraph(entry)) {
+        const result = require('node:child_process').spawnSync(process.execPath, ['--input-type=module', '--check'], { input: readFileSync(file, 'utf8') });
+        assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0, `${relative(FRONTEND_ROOT, file)}: ${result.stderr}`);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/tests/client-errors.test.ts b/backend/tests/client-errors.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..926dd0632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/client-errors.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert';
+
+import { handleClientErrorRoute, isClientErrorReport } from '../src/routes/clientErrors';
+import type { LambdaEvent } from '../src/types';
+
+function event(body: unknown, ip = '203.0.113.9'): LambdaEvent {
+  return { headers: { 'x-forwarded-for': ip, 'user-agent': 'test-agent' }, body: JSON.stringify(body) } as unknown as LambdaEvent;
+}
+
+function captureErrors(run: () => void): string[] {
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  const original = console.error;
+  console.error = (line: string) => { lines.push(line); };
+  try { run(); } finally { console.error = original; }
+  return lines;
+}
+
+describe('client error reports', () => {
+  it('matches only POST /api/client-errors', () => {
+    assert.ok(isClientErrorReport('POST', '/api/client-errors'));
+    assert.ok(!isClientErrorReport('GET', '/api/client-errors'));
+  });
+
+  it('logs one structured ERROR line without query strings', () => {
+    let status = 0;
+    const lines = captureErrors(() => {
+      status = handleClientErrorRoute(event({ surface: 'sponsor-doc', check: 'GET /api/sponsor-docs', status: 503, message: 'x', page: '/sponsor-docs/sdoc-1?code=SECRET' }, '198.51.100.1')).statusCode;
+    });
+    assert.equal(status, 204);
+    assert.equal(lines.length, 1);
+    const entry = JSON.parse(lines[0]);
+    assert.equal(entry.event, 'client_check_failed');
+    assert.equal(entry.level, 'ERROR');
+    assert.equal(entry.page, '/sponsor-docs/sdoc-1');
+    assert.ok(!lines[0].includes('SECRET'));
+  });
+
+  it('throttles one address and rejects invalid JSON', () => {
+    const codes: number[] = [];
+    captureErrors(() => { for (let i = 0; i < 12; i += 1) codes.push(handleClientErrorRoute(event({ surface: 's' }, '198.51.100.2')).statusCode); });
+    assert.equal(codes.filter((c) => c === 429).length, 2);
+    assert.equal(handleClientErrorRoute({ headers: {}, body: '{' } as unknown as LambdaEvent).statusCode, 400);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/contract-sign-page.js b/frontend/src/contract-sign-page.js
index 34eb01f08..b7a1a24cc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/contract-sign-page.js
+++ b/frontend/src/contract-sign-page.js
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
+import { guardedFetchJson } from './core/guarded-fetch.js';
 import { createContractSignPage } from './surfaces/operations/contract-sign.js';
 
 async function request(path, options = {}) {
-  const response = await fetch(/work, {
-    ...options,
-    cache: 'no-store',
-    headers: {
-      'content-type': 'application/json',
-      ...(options.headers || {}),
+  const { response, data } = await guardedFetchJson(
+    path,
+    {
+      ...options,
+      cache: 'no-store',
+      headers: {
+        'content-type': 'application/json',
+        ...(options.headers || {}),
+      },
     },
-  });
-  const data = response.status === 204 ? {} : await response.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    { surface: 'contract-sign', check: `${options.method || 'GET'} /api/sponsor-contracts`, what: 'load the signing page' },
+  );
   if (!response.ok) {
     const error = new Error(data.error || 'Signing request failed');
     error.status = response.status;
@@ -25,4 +29,5 @@ const page = createContractSignPage({
   request,
   locationRef: location,
 });
+document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady = 'true';
 page.start();
diff --git a/frontend/src/contract-sign.html b/frontend/src/contract-sign.html
index 73c69f23a..974309d75 100644
--- a/frontend/src/contract-sign.html
+++ b/frontend/src/contract-sign.html
@@ -22,5 +22,21 @@
   </main>
   <div id="dk-live" class="dk-visually-hidden" aria-live="polite"></div>
   <script type="module" src="/src/contract-sign-page.js"></script>
+  <script>
+    // If the module graph fails to load the page script never runs; say so and report it instead of waiting forever.
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady) return;
+      const identity = document.getElementById('contract-sign-identity');
+      if (identity) identity.textContent = 'Could not load this page. Reload to try again. The DataTalks.Club team has been notified.';
+      try {
+        fetch('/api/client-errors', {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+          keepalive: true,
+          body: JSON.stringify({ surface: 'contract-sign', check: 'page-script-load', message: 'page script did not start within 10s', page: location.pathname }),
+        }).catch(() => {});
+      } catch {}
+    }, 10000);
+  </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/frontend/src/core/guarded-fetch.js b/frontend/src/core/guarded-fetch.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ba43fa23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/core/guarded-fetch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Shared rule: a failed or timed-out request must show the visitor what failed
+// and what to do, and must be reported to the server so the team notices
+// without anyone having to tell us. Expected outcomes (4xx) are not reported.
+
+export const REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 20000;
+
+export function reportClientFailure(report, { fetchImpl = globalThis.fetch, locationRef = globalThis.location } = {}) {
+  try {
+    const result = fetchImpl("/api/client-errors", {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+      keepalive: true,
+      body: JSON.stringify({ ...report, page: locationRef?.pathname || "" }),
+    });
+    result?.catch?.(() => {});
+  } catch {
+    // Reporting is best effort; the visitor-facing error is already shown.
+  }
+}
+
+export function failureMessage(what, status) {
+  const cause = status === "timeout"
+    ? "it took too long to respond"
+    : status === "network"
+      ? "the connection failed"
+      : `the server returned an error (${status})`;
+  return `Could not ${what}: ${cause}. Reload the page to try again. The DataTalks.Club team has been notified.`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * fetch + JSON with a timeout. Resolves to the parsed body, or throws an Error
+ * whose `status` is the HTTP status, "timeout" or "network". Timeouts, network
+ * failures and 5xx are reported to the server and carry a ready-to-show message.
+ */
+export async function guardedFetchJson(path, options = {}, { surface, check, what, timeoutMs = REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS, fetchImpl = globalThis.fetch, locationRef } = {}) {
+  let response;
+  try {
+    response = await fetchImpl(path, { ...options, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs) });
+  } catch (cause) {
+    const status = cause?.name === "TimeoutError" || cause?.name === "AbortError" ? "timeout" : "network";
+    const error = new Error(failureMessage(what, status));
+    error.status = status;
+    reportClientFailure({ surface, check, status: null, message: status }, { fetchImpl, locationRef });
+    throw error;
+  }
+  const data = response.status === 204 ? {} : await response.json().catch(() => ({}));
+  if (response.status >= 500) {
+    const error = new Error(failureMessage(what, response.status));
+    error.status = response.status;
+    reportClientFailure({ surface, check, status: response.status, message: String(data.error || "") }, { fetchImpl, locationRef });
+    throw error;
+  }
+  return { response, data };
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/document-review-page.js b/frontend/src/document-review-page.js
index 16ad5fd2e..91eba0a9a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/document-review-page.js
+++ b/frontend/src/document-review-page.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { guardedFetchJson } from "./core/guarded-fetch.js";
 import { createDocumentReviewPanel } from "./surfaces/document-reviews.js";
 const root = document.getElementById("document-review-root");
 const id = decodeURIComponent(
@@ -12,20 +13,24 @@ try {
 // Keep the bearer secret out of the address bar and subsequent referrers.
 history.replaceState(null, "", location.pathname);
 async function request(path, options = {}) {
-  const response = await fetch(path, {
-    ...options,
-    cache: "no-store",
-    headers: {
-      "content-type": "application/json",
-      "x-document-review-token": token,
-      ...options.headers,
+  const { response, data } = await guardedFetchJson(
+    path,
+    {
+      ...options,
+      cache: "no-store",
+      headers: {
+        "content-type": "application/json",
+        "x-document-review-token": token,
+        ...options.headers,
+      },
     },
-  });
-  const data = await response.json();
+    { surface: "document-review", check: `${options.method || "GET"} /api/documents/review`, what: "load the document" },
+  );
   if (!response.ok)
     throw new Error(data.error || "Document review request failed");
   return data;
 }
+document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady = "true";
 try {
   if (!token)
     throw new Error(
diff --git a/frontend/src/document-review.html b/frontend/src/document-review.html
index 553ff06b8..1ac61c814 100644
--- a/frontend/src/document-review.html
+++ b/frontend/src/document-review.html
@@ -11,5 +11,21 @@
 <body>
   <main id="document-review-root" class="dk-stack" aria-label="Document review">Loading document…</main>
   <script type="module" src="/src/document-review-page.js"></script>
+  <script>
+    // If the module graph fails to load the page script never runs; say so and report it instead of waiting forever.
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady) return;
+      const identity = document.getElementById('document-review-root');
+      if (identity) identity.textContent = 'Could not load this page. Reload to try again. The DataTalks.Club team has been notified.';
+      try {
+        fetch('/api/client-errors', {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+          keepalive: true,
+          body: JSON.stringify({ surface: 'document-review', check: 'page-script-load', message: 'page script did not start within 10s', page: location.pathname }),
+        }).catch(() => {});
+      } catch {}
+    }, 10000);
+  </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/frontend/src/newsletter-preview-page.js b/frontend/src/newsletter-preview-page.js
index 478671ac9..f4893f2f9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/newsletter-preview-page.js
+++ b/frontend/src/newsletter-preview-page.js
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
+import { guardedFetchJson } from "./core/guarded-fetch.js";
 import { createNewsletterPreviewPage } from "./surfaces/operations/newsletter-preview.js";
 
 async function request(path, options = {}) {
-  const response = await fetch(path, {
-    ...options,
-    cache: "no-store",
-    headers: {
-      "content-type": "application/json",
-      ...(options.headers || {}),
+  const { response, data } = await guardedFetchJson(
+    path,
+    {
+      ...options,
+      cache: "no-store",
+      headers: {
+        "content-type": "application/json",
+        ...(options.headers || {}),
+      },
     },
-  });
-  const data = response.status === 204 ? {} : await response.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    { surface: "newsletter-preview", check: `${options.method || "GET"} /api/newsletter-issues`, what: "load the preview" },
+  );
   if (!response.ok) {
     const error = new Error(data.error || "Newsletter preview request failed");
     error.status = response.status;
@@ -26,4 +30,5 @@ const page = createNewsletterPreviewPage({
   locationRef: location,
   historyRef: history,
 });
+document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady = "true";
 page.start();
diff --git a/frontend/src/newsletter-preview.html b/frontend/src/newsletter-preview.html
index 2a0011e63..ec79a8e6f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/newsletter-preview.html
+++ b/frontend/src/newsletter-preview.html
@@ -24,5 +24,21 @@
   </main>
   <div id="dk-live" class="dk-visually-hidden" aria-live="polite"></div>
   <script type="module" src="/src/newsletter-preview-page.js"></script>
+  <script>
+    // If the module graph fails to load the page script never runs; say so and report it instead of waiting forever.
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady) return;
+      const identity = document.getElementById('newsletter-preview-identity');
+      if (identity) identity.textContent = 'Could not load this page. Reload to try again. The DataTalks.Club team has been notified.';
+      try {
+        fetch('/api/client-errors', {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+          keepalive: true,
+          body: JSON.stringify({ surface: 'newsletter-preview', check: 'page-script-load', message: 'page script did not start within 10s', page: location.pathname }),
+        }).catch(() => {});
+      } catch {}
+    }, 10000);
+  </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/frontend/src/sponsor-doc-page.js b/frontend/src/sponsor-doc-page.js
index 5d1999ae9..1404d6dfa 100644
--- a/frontend/src/sponsor-doc-page.js
+++ b/frontend/src/sponsor-doc-page.js
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
+import { guardedFetchJson } from "./core/guarded-fetch.js";
 import { createSponsorDocPage } from "./surfaces/operations/sponsor-docs.js";
 
 async function request(path, options = {}) {
-  const response = await fetch(path, {
-    ...options,
-    cache: "no-store",
-    headers: {
-      "content-type": "application/json",
-      ...(options.headers || {}),
+  const { response, data } = await guardedFetchJson(
+    path,
+    {
+      ...options,
+      cache: "no-store",
+      headers: {
+        "content-type": "application/json",
+        ...(options.headers || {}),
+      },
     },
-  });
-  const data = response.status === 204 ? {} : await response.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    { surface: "sponsor-doc", check: `${options.method || "GET"} /api/sponsor-docs`, what: "load the document" },
+  );
   if (!response.ok) {
     const error = new Error(data.error || "Sponsor document request failed");
     error.status = response.status;
@@ -26,4 +30,5 @@ const page = createSponsorDocPage({
   locationRef: location,
   historyRef: history,
 });
+document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady = "true";
 page.start();
diff --git a/frontend/src/sponsor-doc.html b/frontend/src/sponsor-doc.html
index 1df25d709..9d6875711 100644
--- a/frontend/src/sponsor-doc.html
+++ b/frontend/src/sponsor-doc.html
@@ -23,5 +23,21 @@
   </main>
   <div id="dk-live" class="dk-visually-hidden" aria-live="polite"></div>
   <script type="module" src="/src/sponsor-doc-page.js"></script>
+  <script>
+    // If the module graph fails to load the page script never runs; say so and report it instead of waiting forever.
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (document.documentElement.dataset.pageReady) return;
+      const identity = document.getElementById('sponsor-doc-identity');
+      if (identity) identity.textContent = 'Could not load this page. Reload to try again. The DataTalks.Club team has been notified.';
+      try {
+        fetch('/api/client-errors', {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
+          keepalive: true,
+          body: JSON.stringify({ surface: 'sponsor-doc', check: 'page-script-load', message: 'page script did not start within 10s', page: location.pathname }),
+        }).catch(() => {});
+      } catch {}
+    }, 10000);
+  </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/frontend/test/guarded-fetch.test.mjs b/frontend/test/guarded-fetch.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..165dcf2c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/test/guarded-fetch.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import { guardedFetchJson } from "../src/core/guarded-fetch.js";
+
+const opts = (fetchImpl, extra = {}) => ({ surface: "s", check: "c", what: "load the thing", fetchImpl, locationRef: { pathname: "/p" }, ...extra });
+
+function recorder(handler) {
+  const calls = [];
+  const fetchImpl = (path, init) => {
+    calls.push({ path, init });
+    return path === "/api/client-errors" ? Promise.resolve({ status: 204 }) : handler(path, init);
+  };
+  return { calls, fetchImpl };
+}
+
+test("reports and explains a timeout", async () => {
+  const { calls, fetchImpl } = recorder(() => Promise.reject(Object.assign(new Error("t"), { name: "TimeoutError" })));
+  await assert.rejects(guardedFetchJson("/api/x", {}, opts(fetchImpl)), (error) => {
+    assert.equal(error.status, "timeout");
+    assert.match(error.message, /Could not load the thing.*too long.*Reload.*notified/);
+    return true;
+  });
+  const report = JSON.parse(calls.find((c) => c.path === "/api/client-errors").init.body);
+  assert.deepEqual({ surface: report.surface, status: report.status, message: report.message, page: report.page }, { surface: "s", status: null, message: "timeout", page: "/p" });
+});
+
+test("reports a 5xx but not an expected 4xx", async () => {
+  const server = recorder(() => Promise.resolve({ status: 502, ok: false, json: async () => ({ error: "bad" }) }));
+  await assert.rejects(guardedFetchJson("/api/x", {}, opts(server.fetchImpl)), /server returned an error \(502\)/);
+  assert.equal(server.calls.filter((c) => c.path === "/api/client-errors").length, 1);
+
+  const denied = recorder(() => Promise.resolve({ status: 403, ok: false, json: async () => ({ error: "no" }) }));
+  const { response } = await guardedFetchJson("/api/x", {}, opts(denied.fetchImpl));
+  assert.equal(response.status, 403);
+  assert.equal(denied.calls.filter((c) => c.path === "/api/client-errors").length, 0);
+});
+
+test("a failing report never masks the visitor-facing error", async () => {
+  const fetchImpl = (path) => (path === "/api/client-errors" ? Promise.reject(new Error("down")) : Promise.reject(new TypeError("net")));
+  await assert.rejects(guardedFetchJson("/api/x", {}, opts(fetchImpl)), /connection failed/);
+});