diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 0ed3319..9bf09f5 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -389,6 +389,9 @@ $("#padname").textContent = "/"+docId+"/";
 
 let ws, ver = 0, clientId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2), debounce;
 let isProtected = false, isAuthed = false;
+// dirty: local edits the server has not acknowledged. Guards the reconnect path
+// from overwriting text typed while the socket was down.
+let dirty = false, reconnectTimer = null, reconnectDelay = 500;
 const urlPw = new URLSearchParams(location.search).get("pw") || "";
 
 // --- Line numbers ---
@@ -572,6 +575,7 @@ function connect(){
   $("#status").classList.remove("connected");
   ws = new WebSocket(`${proto}://${location.host}/ws/${encodeURIComponent(docId)}`);
   ws.onopen = () => {
+    reconnectDelay = 500;
     $("#status").textContent = "connected";
     $("#status").classList.add("connected");
   };
@@ -590,7 +594,14 @@ function connect(){
       } else {
         isAuthed = true;
         hideOverlay();
-        ver = msg.ver; ta.value = msg.text; refresh();
+        ver = msg.ver;
+        if (dirty && ta.value !== msg.text) {
+          // Reconnected with unsent edits: push them rather than lose them.
+          ws.send(JSON.stringify({type: "edit", ver, text: ta.value, clientId}));
+        } else {
+          ta.value = msg.text;
+        }
+        refresh();
         applyLang(msg.lang || "");
         // ?pw= on an unprotected pad sets the password instead of unlocking.
         // Guard on !isProtected: the server re-sends init after a successful
@@ -634,8 +645,31 @@ function connect(){
     $("#status").textContent = "disconnected";
     $("#status").classList.remove("connected");
     $("#peers").style.display = "none";
+    scheduleReconnect();
   };
 }
+
+function scheduleReconnect() {
+  if (reconnectTimer) return;
+  reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => { reconnectTimer = null; connect(); }, reconnectDelay);
+  reconnectDelay = Math.min(reconnectDelay * 2, 10000);   // back off, cap at 10s
+}
+
+// Reconnect if the socket died while we were not looking. A pad restored from the
+// browser's back/forward cache resumes with its socket already closed and no close
+// event delivered, which is why leaving a pad and pressing Back left it dead.
+function ensureConnected() {
+  if (!ws || ws.readyState === 2 || ws.readyState === 3) {
+    clearTimeout(reconnectTimer); reconnectTimer = null;
+    reconnectDelay = 500;
+    connect();
+  }
+}
+window.addEventListener("pageshow", (e) => { if (e.persisted) ensureConnected(); });
+document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", () => {
+  if (document.visibilityState === "visible") ensureConnected();
+});
+window.addEventListener("online", ensureConnected);
 $("#newpad").addEventListener("click", (e) => { e.preventDefault(); window.open("/" + rand() + "/", "_blank"); });
 
 // Copy to clipboard function
@@ -688,10 +722,12 @@ ta.addEventListener("keydown", (e) => {
 
 // Send edits (debounced)
 ta.addEventListener("input", () => {
+  dirty = true;
   clearTimeout(debounce);
   debounce = setTimeout(() => {
     if (ws?.readyState === 1 && isAuthed) {
       ws.send(JSON.stringify({type:"edit", ver, text: ta.value, clientId}));
+      dirty = false;
     }
   }, 120);
 });