diff --git a/public/locales/en/notify.json b/public/locales/en/notify.json
index 4fd150685..e7e8bee3a 100644
--- a/public/locales/en/notify.json
+++ b/public/locales/en/notify.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   "ipfsPinFailReason": "Unable to set pinning at {serviceName}: {errorMsg}",
   "ipfsPinSucceedReason": "Successfully pinned at {serviceName}",
   "ipfsUnpinSucceedReason": "Successfully unpinned from {serviceName}",
+  "ipnsPublishFailReason": "Unable to publish to IPNS under key {keyName}: {errorMsg}",
   "ipfsIsBack": "Normal IPFS service has resumed. Enjoy!",
   "folderExists": "An item with that name already exists. Please choose another.",
   "filesFetchFailed": "Failed to get those files. Please check the path and try again.",
diff --git a/src/bundles/ipns.js b/src/bundles/ipns.js
index 86c3459b8..deafe82ac 100644
--- a/src/bundles/ipns.js
+++ b/src/bundles/ipns.js
@@ -59,9 +59,18 @@ const ipnsBundle = {
     store.doFetchIpnsKeys()
   },
 
-  doPublishIpnsKey: (cid, key) => async ({ getIpfs, store }) => {
+  doPublishIpnsKey: (cid, key) => async ({ getIpfs, dispatch }) => {
     const ipfs = getIpfs()
-    await ipfs.name.publish(cid, { key })
+
+    try {
+      await ipfs.name.publish(cid, { key })
+    } catch (err) {
+      // Surface the RPC failure as a toast and re-throw so the publish modal
+      // leaves its progress state instead of hanging on a finished-looking bar.
+      console.error(`unexpected error publishing IPNS record for ${cid} (key: ${key})`, err)
+      dispatch({ type: 'IPNS_PUBLISH_FAILED', msgArgs: { keyName: key, errorMsg: err.toString() } })
+      throw err
+    }
 
     // Trigger background provide operation for the published CID
     dispatchAsyncProvide(cid, ipfs, 'IPNS')
diff --git a/src/bundles/notify.js b/src/bundles/notify.js
index 7bd7ca256..d4021ec37 100644
--- a/src/bundles/notify.js
+++ b/src/bundles/notify.js
@@ -100,6 +100,16 @@ const notify = {
       }
     }
 
+    if (action.type === 'IPNS_PUBLISH_FAILED') {
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        show: true,
+        error: true,
+        msgArgs: action.msgArgs,
+        eventId: action.type
+      }
+    }
+
     if (action.type === 'IPFS_CONNECT_FAILED') {
       return {
         ...state,
@@ -159,6 +169,9 @@ const notify = {
       if (eventId === 'IPFS_UNPIN_SUCCEED') {
         return 'ipfsUnpinSucceedReason'
       }
+      if (eventId === 'IPNS_PUBLISH_FAILED') {
+        return 'ipnsPublishFailReason'
+      }
 
       if (eventId === 'FILES_EVENT_FAILED') {
         const type = code ? code.replace(/^(ERR_)/, '') : ''
diff --git a/src/bundles/notify.test.js b/src/bundles/notify.test.js
index f879a09b9..675fcdf6c 100644
--- a/src/bundles/notify.test.js
+++ b/src/bundles/notify.test.js
@@ -87,3 +87,17 @@ it('should notify about file errors', async () => {
   expect(store.selectNotifyI18nKey()).toEqual('filesEventFailed')
   store.dispatch({ type: 'FILES_WRITE_FINISHED' })
 })
+
+it('should notify about IPNS publish errors with the original message', async () => {
+  const store = composeBundlesRaw(
+    appTimeBundle,
+    ipfsBundle(),
+    notifyBundle
+  )()
+  expect(store.selectNotify().show).toEqual(false)
+  store.dispatch({ type: 'IPNS_PUBLISH_FAILED', msgArgs: { keyName: 'self', errorMsg: 'Error: Internal Server Error' } })
+  expect(store.selectNotify().show).toEqual(true)
+  expect(store.selectNotify().error).toEqual(true)
+  expect(store.selectNotify().msgArgs).toEqual({ keyName: 'self', errorMsg: 'Error: Internal Server Error' })
+  expect(store.selectNotifyI18nKey()).toEqual('ipnsPublishFailReason')
+})
diff --git a/src/files/modals/publish-modal/PublishModal.js b/src/files/modals/publish-modal/PublishModal.js
index 2421e9199..810e1ec36 100644
--- a/src/files/modals/publish-modal/PublishModal.js
+++ b/src/files/modals/publish-modal/PublishModal.js
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export const PublishModal = ({ t, tReady, onLeave, onSubmit, file, ipnsKeys, pub
     try {
       const startTs = new Date().getTime()
       setStart(startTs)
+      setError(null)
 
       await onSubmit(selectedKey.name)
       setLink(`${publicGateway}/ipns/${selectedKey.id}`)
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@ export const PublishModal = ({ t, tReady, onLeave, onSubmit, file, ipnsKeys, pub
       const endTs = new Date().getTime()
       doUpdateExpectedPublishTime((endTs - startTs) / 1000)
     } catch (err) {
+      // Leave the progress state so the error renders and Publish re-enables for a retry.
+      setStart(null)
       setError(err)
     }
   }