diff --git a/desktop/go.mod b/desktop/go.mod
index 99ee19e..b40c4d3 100644
--- a/desktop/go.mod
+++ b/desktop/go.mod
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ require github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3 v3.0.0-alpha.7
 
 require (
 	go.mau.fi/gomuks v0.3.1
-	go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3
+	go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc
 )
 
 require (
diff --git a/desktop/go.sum b/desktop/go.sum
index b8447c2..360d1a8 100644
--- a/desktop/go.sum
+++ b/desktop/go.sum
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ github.com/xanzy/ssh-agent v0.3.3/go.mod h1:6dzNDKs0J9rVPHPhaGCukekBHKqfl+L3KghI
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.4.13/go.mod h1:6yULJ656Px+3vBD8DxQVa3kxgyrAnzto9xy5taEt/CY=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.8 h1:iERMLn0/QJeHFhxSt3p6PeN9mGnvIKSpG9YYorDMnic=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.8/go.mod h1:uzxRWxtg69N339t3louHJ7+O03ezfj6PlliRlaOzY1E=
-go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3 h1:sulhXtfquMrQjsOP67x9CzWVBYUwhYeoo8hNQIpCWZ4=
-go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3/go.mod h1:c00Db8xog70JeIsEvhdHooylTkTkakgnAOsZ04hplQY=
+go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc h1:55919oheHZLQktzYU2z9KSJ5KHXq34dYedoGFfdUcsg=
+go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc/go.mod h1:c00Db8xog70JeIsEvhdHooylTkTkakgnAOsZ04hplQY=
 go.mau.fi/zeroconfig v0.1.3 h1:As9wYDKmktjmNZW5i1vn8zvJlmGKHeVxHVIBMXsm4kM=
 go.mau.fi/zeroconfig v0.1.3/go.mod h1:NcSJkf180JT+1IId76PcMuLTNa1CzsFFZ0nBygIQM70=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index dc75c88..df727e6 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/tidwall/gjson v1.18.0
 	github.com/tidwall/sjson v1.2.5
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.8
-	go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3
+	go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc
 	go.mau.fi/zeroconfig v0.1.3
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.31.0
 	golang.org/x/image v0.23.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index d42850a..c1e60de 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ github.com/tidwall/sjson v1.2.5 h1:kLy8mja+1c9jlljvWTlSazM7cKDRfJuR/bOJhcY5NcY=
 github.com/tidwall/sjson v1.2.5/go.mod h1:Fvgq9kS/6ociJEDnK0Fk1cpYF4FIW6ZF7LAe+6jwd28=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.8 h1:iERMLn0/QJeHFhxSt3p6PeN9mGnvIKSpG9YYorDMnic=
 github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.8/go.mod h1:uzxRWxtg69N339t3louHJ7+O03ezfj6PlliRlaOzY1E=
-go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3 h1:sulhXtfquMrQjsOP67x9CzWVBYUwhYeoo8hNQIpCWZ4=
-go.mau.fi/util v0.8.3/go.mod h1:c00Db8xog70JeIsEvhdHooylTkTkakgnAOsZ04hplQY=
+go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc h1:55919oheHZLQktzYU2z9KSJ5KHXq34dYedoGFfdUcsg=
+go.mau.fi/util v0.8.4-0.20241217203137-4aa8973d6dbc/go.mod h1:c00Db8xog70JeIsEvhdHooylTkTkakgnAOsZ04hplQY=
 go.mau.fi/zeroconfig v0.1.3 h1:As9wYDKmktjmNZW5i1vn8zvJlmGKHeVxHVIBMXsm4kM=
 go.mau.fi/zeroconfig v0.1.3/go.mod h1:NcSJkf180JT+1IId76PcMuLTNa1CzsFFZ0nBygIQM70=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.31.0 h1:ihbySMvVjLAeSH1IbfcRTkD/iNscyz8rGzjF/E5hV6U=
diff --git a/pkg/hicli/events.go b/pkg/hicli/events.go
index c3ee935..c46d661 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/events.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/events.go
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ func (c *SyncComplete) IsEmpty() bool {
 type SyncStatusType string
 
 const (
-	SyncStatusOK      SyncStatusType = "ok"
-	SyncStatusWaiting SyncStatusType = "waiting"
-	SyncStatusErrored SyncStatusType = "errored"
+	SyncStatusOK       SyncStatusType = "ok"
+	SyncStatusWaiting  SyncStatusType = "waiting"
+	SyncStatusErroring SyncStatusType = "erroring"
+	SyncStatusFailed   SyncStatusType = "permanently-failed"
 )
 
 type SyncStatus struct {
diff --git a/pkg/hicli/hicli.go b/pkg/hicli/hicli.go
index aa8e5e9..3b41577 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/hicli.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/hicli.go
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func (h *HiClient) Sync() {
 	log.Info().Msg("Starting syncing")
 	err := h.Client.SyncWithContext(ctx)
 	if err != nil && ctx.Err() == nil {
-		h.markSyncErrored(err)
+		h.markSyncErrored(err, true)
 		log.Err(err).Msg("Fatal error in syncer")
 	} else {
 		h.SyncStatus.Store(syncWaiting)
diff --git a/pkg/hicli/sync.go b/pkg/hicli/sync.go
index b4aa257..2c014c1 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/sync.go
@@ -39,13 +39,16 @@ type syncContext struct {
 	evt *SyncComplete
 }
 
-func (h *HiClient) markSyncErrored(err error) {
+func (h *HiClient) markSyncErrored(err error, permanent bool) {
 	stat := &SyncStatus{
-		Type:       SyncStatusErrored,
+		Type:       SyncStatusErroring,
 		Error:      err.Error(),
 		ErrorCount: h.syncErrors,
 		LastSync:   jsontime.UM(h.lastSync),
 	}
+	if permanent {
+		stat.Type = SyncStatusFailed
+	}
 	h.SyncStatus.Store(stat)
 	h.EventHandler(stat)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/hicli/syncwrap.go b/pkg/hicli/syncwrap.go
index 5c14e88..3a07656 100644
--- a/pkg/hicli/syncwrap.go
+++ b/pkg/hicli/syncwrap.go
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ package hicli
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 	"maunium.net/go/mautrix"
 	"maunium.net/go/mautrix/id"
 )
@@ -37,11 +39,18 @@ func (h *hiSyncer) ProcessResponse(ctx context.Context, resp *mautrix.RespSync,
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = c.DB.DoTxn(ctx, nil, func(ctx context.Context) error {
-		return c.processSyncResponse(ctx, resp, since)
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	for i := 0; ; i++ {
+		err = c.DB.DoTxn(ctx, nil, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			return c.processSyncResponse(ctx, resp, since)
+		})
+		if errors.Is(err, sqlite3.ErrLocked) && i < 24 {
+			c.markSyncErrored(err, false)
+			continue
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return err
+		} else {
+			break
+		}
 	}
 	c.postProcessSyncResponse(ctx, resp, since)
 	c.syncErrors = 0
@@ -56,7 +65,7 @@ func (h *hiSyncer) OnFailedSync(_ *mautrix.RespSync, err error) (time.Duration,
 	if c.syncErrors > 5 {
 		delay = max(time.Duration(c.syncErrors)*time.Second, 30*time.Second)
 	}
-	c.markSyncErrored(err)
+	c.markSyncErrored(err, false)
 	c.Log.Err(err).Dur("retry_in", delay).Msg("Sync failed")
 	return delay, nil
 }
diff --git a/web/src/api/types/hievents.ts b/web/src/api/types/hievents.ts
index f4bc4ec..900478b 100644
--- a/web/src/api/types/hievents.ts
+++ b/web/src/api/types/hievents.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export interface ClientStateEvent extends BaseRPCCommand<ClientState> {
 }
 
 export interface SyncStatus {
-	type: "ok" | "waiting" | "errored"
+	type: "ok" | "waiting" | "erroring" | "permanently-failed"
 	error?: string
 	error_count: number
 	last_sync?: number
diff --git a/web/src/ui/MainScreen.tsx b/web/src/ui/MainScreen.tsx
index 6a720b7..737c9d2 100644
--- a/web/src/ui/MainScreen.tsx
+++ b/web/src/ui/MainScreen.tsx
@@ -302,13 +302,17 @@ const MainScreen = () => {
 			Waiting for first sync...
 		</div>
 	} else if (
-		syncStatus.type === "errored"
+		syncStatus.type === "erroring"
 		&& (syncStatus.error_count > 2 || (syncStatus.last_sync ?? 0) + SYNC_ERROR_HIDE_DELAY < Date.now())
 	) {
 		syncLoader = <div className="sync-status errored" title={syncStatus.error}>
 			<SyncLoader color="var(--error-color)"/>
 			Sync is failing
 		</div>
+	} else if (syncStatus.type === "permanently-failed") {
+		syncLoader = <div className="sync-status errored" title={syncStatus.error}>
+			Sync failed permanently
+		</div>
 	}
 	const renderedRoom = activeRoom ?? prevActiveRoom
 	useEffect(() => {