diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1271dd85f..a13739050 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 ### Fixes
 
 - IL2CPP line numbers now work on Android x86/x86_64 builds. il2cpp fails to report the image UUID there, so the SDK falls back to looking the debug image up by name ([#2817](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-unity/pull/2817))
+- When targeting WebGL or Nintendo Switch without native support, `UnityWebRequestTransport` no longer opens a connection while the platform reports no network, and backs off exponentially (1s up to 300s) after a connection error instead of retrying on every envelope. ([#2833](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-unity/pull/2833))
+- When targeting Nintendo Switch, the SDK now utilizes sentry-switch to poll the network status before sending. ([#2833](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-unity/pull/2833))
 
 ### Dependencies
 
diff --git a/package-dev/Plugins/Switch/sentry_native_stubs.c b/package-dev/Plugins/Switch/sentry_native_stubs.c
index 04836e9e0..57ffbf7d8 100644
--- a/package-dev/Plugins/Switch/sentry_native_stubs.c
+++ b/package-dev/Plugins/Switch/sentry_native_stubs.c
@@ -408,6 +408,12 @@ const char* sentry_switch_utils_get_default_user_id(void)
     return "";
 }
 
+int sentry_switch_utils_is_network_available(void)
+{
+    /* No native SDK to ask - assume usable and let the transport's backoff take over */
+    return 1;
+}
+
 /*
  * =============================================================================
  * Utility Functions
diff --git a/src/Sentry.Unity.Native/SentryNativeSwitch.cs b/src/Sentry.Unity.Native/SentryNativeSwitch.cs
index 6fab13909..b01a93ce5 100644
--- a/src/Sentry.Unity.Native/SentryNativeSwitch.cs
+++ b/src/Sentry.Unity.Native/SentryNativeSwitch.cs
@@ -28,8 +28,20 @@ public static class SentryNativeSwitch
     [DllImport("__Internal")]
     private static extern IntPtr sentry_switch_utils_get_default_user_id();
 
+    [DllImport("__Internal")]
+    private static extern int sentry_switch_utils_is_network_available();
+
     private static IDiagnosticLogger? Logger;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Whether the console currently has a usable network.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// <c>Application.internetReachability</c> reports the console as reachable while it is offline,
+    /// and every send attempted in that state raises the system's "connect to the internet" dialog.
+    /// </remarks>
+    internal static bool IsNetworkAvailable() => sentry_switch_utils_is_network_available() == 1;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Configures the native support for Nintendo Switch.
     /// </summary>
@@ -72,6 +84,9 @@ internal static void Configure(SentryUnityOptions options, RuntimePlatform platf
             return;
         }
 
+        Logger?.LogDebug("Using the native SDK to determine network availability.");
+        options.NetworkAvailabilityProbe = IsNetworkAvailable;
+
         Logger?.LogDebug("Mounting temporary storage for sentry-switch.");
 
         if (sentry_switch_utils_mount() != 1)
diff --git a/src/Sentry.Unity/Integrations/IApplication.cs b/src/Sentry.Unity/Integrations/IApplication.cs
index 805c63543..cca143b4d 100644
--- a/src/Sentry.Unity/Integrations/IApplication.cs
+++ b/src/Sentry.Unity/Integrations/IApplication.cs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ internal interface IApplication
     string UnityVersion { get; }
     string PersistentDataPath { get; }
     RuntimePlatform Platform { get; }
+    NetworkReachability InternetReachability { get; }
 }
 
 /// <summary>
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ private ApplicationAdapter()
 
     public RuntimePlatform Platform => Application.platform;
 
+    public NetworkReachability InternetReachability => Application.internetReachability;
+
     private void OnLogMessageReceived(string condition, string stackTrace, LogType type)
         => LogMessageReceived?.Invoke(condition, stackTrace, type);
 
diff --git a/src/Sentry.Unity/SentryUnityOptions.cs b/src/Sentry.Unity/SentryUnityOptions.cs
index 1cb15ad5b..749339cba 100644
--- a/src/Sentry.Unity/SentryUnityOptions.cs
+++ b/src/Sentry.Unity/SentryUnityOptions.cs
@@ -493,6 +493,8 @@ internal string? DefaultUserId
     /// </summary>
     internal Action? NativeSupportCloseCallback { get; set; } = null;
 
+    internal Func<bool>? NetworkAvailabilityProbe { get; set; } = null;
+
     internal List<string> SdkIntegrationNames { get; set; } = new();
 
     internal ISentryUnityInfo UnityInfo { get; private set; }
diff --git a/src/Sentry.Unity/UnityWebRequestTransport.cs b/src/Sentry.Unity/UnityWebRequestTransport.cs
index c19a18d8c..1e92d5d46 100644
--- a/src/Sentry.Unity/UnityWebRequestTransport.cs
+++ b/src/Sentry.Unity/UnityWebRequestTransport.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Sentry.Extensibility;
 using Sentry.Http;
+using Sentry.Internal;
+using Sentry.Internal.Extensions;
 using Sentry.Protocol.Envelopes;
+using Sentry.Unity.Integrations;
+using UnityEngine;
 using UnityEngine.Networking;
 
 namespace Sentry.Unity;
@@ -50,14 +54,31 @@ private IEnumerator SendAndTrack(Envelope envelope)
 internal class UnityWebRequestTransport : HttpTransportBase
 {
     private readonly SentryUnityOptions _options;
+    private readonly IApplication _application;
 
-    public UnityWebRequestTransport(SentryUnityOptions options)
+    private const double MaxBackoffSeconds = 300.0;
+    private double _backoffSeconds;
+    private double _retryAfterRealtime;
+
+    public UnityWebRequestTransport(SentryUnityOptions options, IApplication? application = null)
         : base(options)
-        => _options = options;
+    {
+        _options = options;
+        _application = application ?? ApplicationAdapter.Instance;
+    }
 
     // adapted HttpTransport.SendEnvelopeAsync()
     internal IEnumerator SendEnvelopeAsync(Envelope envelope)
     {
+        // This transport opens a connection per envelope, causing a prompt to appear on platforms
+        // like Nintendo Switch while offline.
+        if (!IsNetworkAvailable() || Time.realtimeSinceStartupAsDouble < _retryAfterRealtime)
+        {
+            _options.LogDebug("Network unavailable or backing off. Dropping envelope instead of attempting to send.");
+            _options.ClientReportRecorder.RecordDiscardedEvents(DiscardReason.NetworkError, envelope);
+            yield break;
+        }
+
         using var processedEnvelope = ProcessEnvelope(envelope);
         if (processedEnvelope.Items.Count > 0)
         {
@@ -66,6 +87,20 @@ internal IEnumerator SendEnvelopeAsync(Envelope envelope)
             var www = CreateWebRequest(httpRequest);
             yield return www.SendWebRequest();
 
+            if (www.result == UnityWebRequest.Result.ConnectionError)
+            {
+                _backoffSeconds = Math.Min(MaxBackoffSeconds, _backoffSeconds > 0.0 ? _backoffSeconds * 2 : 1.0);
+                _retryAfterRealtime = Time.realtimeSinceStartupAsDouble + _backoffSeconds;
+
+                _options.LogWarning("Failed to send request: {0}. Backing off for {1:F1}s.", www.error, _backoffSeconds);
+                _options.ClientReportRecorder.RecordDiscardedEvents(DiscardReason.NetworkError, processedEnvelope);
+                RestoreClientReports(processedEnvelope);
+                yield break;
+            }
+
+            _backoffSeconds = 0.0;
+            _retryAfterRealtime = 0.0;
+
             var response = GetResponse(www);
             if (response is not null)
             {
@@ -74,6 +109,30 @@ internal IEnumerator SendEnvelopeAsync(Envelope envelope)
         }
     }
 
+    // ProcessEnvelope drains the recorder into a client report item. Restore those counts instead of
+    // losing them along with the envelope we failed to send.
+    private void RestoreClientReports(Envelope envelope)
+    {
+        foreach (var item in envelope.Items)
+        {
+            if (item.TryGetType() == EnvelopeItem.TypeValueClientReport &&
+                item.Payload is JsonSerializable { Source: ClientReport report })
+            {
+                _options.ClientReportRecorder.Load(report);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private bool IsNetworkAvailable()
+    {
+        if (_options.NetworkAvailabilityProbe is { } probe)
+        {
+            return probe();
+        }
+
+        return _application.InternetReachability != NetworkReachability.NotReachable;
+    }
+
     private UnityWebRequest CreateWebRequest(HttpRequestMessage message)
     {
         using var contentStream = ReadStreamFromHttpContent(message.Content);
diff --git a/test/Sentry.Unity.Tests/UnityWebRequestTransportTests.cs b/test/Sentry.Unity.Tests/UnityWebRequestTransportTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a25e9c8d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Sentry.Unity.Tests/UnityWebRequestTransportTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+using NUnit.Framework;
+using Sentry.Protocol.Envelopes;
+using Sentry.Unity.Tests.Stubs;
+using UnityEngine;
+
+namespace Sentry.Unity.Tests;
+
+[TestFixture]
+public class UnityWebRequestTransportTests
+{
+    private static SentryUnityOptions CreateOptions() => new()
+    {
+        Dsn = SentryTests.TestDsn
+    };
+
+    private static Envelope CreateEnvelope() => Envelope.FromEvent(new SentryEvent());
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A coroutine that yields has created a <see cref="UnityEngine.Networking.UnityWebRequest"/>,
+    /// which is what raises the system connection dialog on platforms like the Nintendo Switch.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void SendEnvelopeAsync_NetworkNotReachable_DoesNotOpenAConnection()
+    {
+        var application = new TestApplication { InternetReachability = NetworkReachability.NotReachable };
+        var transport = new UnityWebRequestTransport(CreateOptions(), application);
+
+        var enumerator = transport.SendEnvelopeAsync(CreateEnvelope());
+
+        Assert.IsFalse(enumerator.MoveNext(), "The transport attempted to send while offline.");
+    }
+
+    [Test]
+    public void SendEnvelopeAsync_NetworkReachable_AttemptsToSend()
+    {
+        var application = new TestApplication
+        {
+            InternetReachability = NetworkReachability.ReachableViaLocalAreaNetwork
+        };
+        var transport = new UnityWebRequestTransport(CreateOptions(), application);
+
+        var enumerator = transport.SendEnvelopeAsync(CreateEnvelope());
+
+        Assert.IsTrue(enumerator.MoveNext(), "The transport did not attempt to send while online.");
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The probe has the final say: on Nintendo Switch reachability claims the console is reachable
+    /// while it is offline, which is the state the dialog gets raised in.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Test]
+    public void SendEnvelopeAsync_ProbeReportsNoNetwork_OverridesReachability()
+    {
+        var application = new TestApplication
+        {
+            InternetReachability = NetworkReachability.ReachableViaLocalAreaNetwork
+        };
+        var options = CreateOptions();
+        options.NetworkAvailabilityProbe = () => false;
+        var transport = new UnityWebRequestTransport(options, application);
+
+        var enumerator = transport.SendEnvelopeAsync(CreateEnvelope());
+
+        Assert.IsFalse(enumerator.MoveNext(), "The transport ignored the platform's network probe.");
+    }
+
+    [Test]
+    public void SendEnvelopeAsync_ProbeReportsNetwork_OverridesReachability()
+    {
+        var application = new TestApplication { InternetReachability = NetworkReachability.NotReachable };
+        var options = CreateOptions();
+        options.NetworkAvailabilityProbe = () => true;
+        var transport = new UnityWebRequestTransport(options, application);
+
+        var enumerator = transport.SendEnvelopeAsync(CreateEnvelope());
+
+        Assert.IsTrue(enumerator.MoveNext(), "The transport ignored the platform's network probe.");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/SharedClasses/TestApplication.cs b/test/SharedClasses/TestApplication.cs
index 45ed584f9..2051fc3c0 100644
--- a/test/SharedClasses/TestApplication.cs
+++ b/test/SharedClasses/TestApplication.cs
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public TestApplication(
     public string UnityVersion { get; set; }
     public string PersistentDataPath { get; set; }
     public RuntimePlatform Platform { get; set; }
+    public NetworkReachability InternetReachability { get; set; } = NetworkReachability.ReachableViaLocalAreaNetwork;
 
     private void OnLogMessageReceived(string condition, string stacktrace, LogType type)
         => LogMessageReceived?.Invoke(condition, stacktrace, type);