diff --git a/server/reflector/worker/ics_sync.py b/server/reflector/worker/ics_sync.py
index 6e126309..eb220a0c 100644
--- a/server/reflector/worker/ics_sync.py
+++ b/server/reflector/worker/ics_sync.py
@@ -83,9 +83,6 @@ def _should_sync(room) -> bool:
     return time_since_sync.total_seconds() >= room.ics_fetch_interval
 
 
-MEETING_DEFAULT_DURATION = timedelta(hours=1)
-
-
 async def create_upcoming_meetings_for_event(event, create_window, room: Room):
     if event.start_time <= create_window:
         return
@@ -102,7 +99,9 @@ async def create_upcoming_meetings_for_event(event, create_window, room: Room):
     )
 
     try:
-        end_date = event.end_time or (event.start_time + MEETING_DEFAULT_DURATION)
+        # 8h rejoin window matches manual on-the-fly meetings; the scheduled
+        # DTEND stays in calendar_events.end_time for reference.
+        end_date = event.start_time + timedelta(hours=8)
 
         client = create_platform_client(room.platform)
 
diff --git a/server/tests/test_ics_background_tasks.py b/server/tests/test_ics_background_tasks.py
index c2bf5c87..bac80563 100644
--- a/server/tests/test_ics_background_tasks.py
+++ b/server/tests/test_ics_background_tasks.py
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ import pytest
 from icalendar import Calendar, Event
 
 from reflector.db import get_database
-from reflector.db.calendar_events import calendar_events_controller
+from reflector.db.calendar_events import CalendarEvent, calendar_events_controller
+from reflector.db.meetings import meetings_controller
 from reflector.db.rooms import rooms, rooms_controller
 from reflector.services.ics_sync import ics_sync_service
+from reflector.video_platforms.models import MeetingData
 from reflector.worker.ics_sync import (
     _should_sync,
+    create_upcoming_meetings_for_event,
     sync_room_ics,
 )
 
@@ -225,6 +228,68 @@ async def test_sync_respects_fetch_interval():
         assert mock_delay.call_args[0][0] == room2.id
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_create_upcoming_meeting_uses_8h_end_date():
+    # ICS-pre-created meetings get an 8h rejoin window anchored to the
+    # scheduled start, ignoring the calendar event's DTEND. Regression
+    # guard for the "Meeting has ended" bug when participants run over a
+    # short scheduled window.
+    room = await rooms_controller.add(
+        name="ics-8h-room",
+        user_id="test-user",
+        zulip_auto_post=False,
+        zulip_stream="",
+        zulip_topic="",
+        is_locked=False,
+        room_mode="normal",
+        recording_type="cloud",
+        recording_trigger="automatic-2nd-participant",
+        is_shared=False,
+        ics_url="https://calendar.example.com/ics-8h.ics",
+        ics_enabled=True,
+    )
+
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    event_start = now + timedelta(minutes=1)
+    event_end = event_start + timedelta(minutes=30)
+
+    event = await calendar_events_controller.upsert(
+        CalendarEvent(
+            room_id=room.id,
+            ics_uid="ics-8h-evt",
+            title="Short meeting that runs over",
+            start_time=event_start,
+            end_time=event_end,
+        )
+    )
+
+    create_window = now - timedelta(minutes=6)
+
+    fake_client = MagicMock()
+    fake_client.create_meeting = AsyncMock(
+        return_value=MeetingData(
+            meeting_id="ics-8h-meeting",
+            room_name=room.name,
+            room_url="https://daily.example/ics-8h",
+            host_room_url="https://daily.example/ics-8h",
+            platform=room.platform,
+            extra_data={},
+        )
+    )
+    fake_client.upload_logo = AsyncMock(return_value=True)
+
+    with patch(
+        "reflector.worker.ics_sync.create_platform_client",
+        return_value=fake_client,
+    ):
+        await create_upcoming_meetings_for_event(event, create_window, room)
+
+    meeting = await meetings_controller.get_by_calendar_event(event.id, room)
+    assert meeting is not None
+    assert meeting.start_date == event_start
+    assert meeting.end_date == event_start + timedelta(hours=8)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_sync_handles_errors_gracefully():
     room = await rooms_controller.add(
diff --git a/www/app/[roomName]/MeetingSelection.tsx b/www/app/[roomName]/MeetingSelection.tsx
index e2356810..7295757d 100644
--- a/www/app/[roomName]/MeetingSelection.tsx
+++ b/www/app/[roomName]/MeetingSelection.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from "../lib/apiHooks";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { formatDateTime, formatStartedAgo } from "../lib/timeUtils";
+import { formatJoinError } from "../lib/errorUtils";
 import MeetingMinimalHeader from "../components/MeetingMinimalHeader";
 import { NonEmptyString } from "../lib/utils";
 import { MeetingId, assertMeetingId } from "../lib/types";
@@ -188,6 +189,19 @@ export default function MeetingSelection({
         flex="1"
         gap={{ base: 4, md: 6 }}
       >
+        {joinMeetingMutation.isError && (
+          <Box
+            p={4}
+            borderRadius="md"
+            bg="red.50"
+            borderLeft="4px solid"
+            borderColor="red.400"
+          >
+            <Text color="red.700">
+              {formatJoinError(joinMeetingMutation.error)}
+            </Text>
+          </Box>
+        )}
         {/* Current Ongoing Meetings - BIG DISPLAY */}
         {currentMeetings.length > 0 ? (
           <VStack align="stretch" gap={6} mb={8}>
diff --git a/www/app/[roomName]/components/DailyRoom.tsx b/www/app/[roomName]/components/DailyRoom.tsx
index 5498f0ac..f02f6687 100644
--- a/www/app/[roomName]/components/DailyRoom.tsx
+++ b/www/app/[roomName]/components/DailyRoom.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
   useRoomJoinMeeting,
   useMeetingStartRecording,
 } from "../../lib/apiHooks";
+import { formatJoinError } from "../../lib/errorUtils";
 import { omit } from "remeda";
 import {
   assertExists,
@@ -428,7 +429,7 @@ export default function DailyRoom({ meeting, room }: DailyRoomProps) {
   if (joinMutation.isError) {
     return (
       <Center width="100vw" height="100vh">
-        <Text color="red.500">Failed to join meeting. Please try again.</Text>
+        <Text color="red.500">{formatJoinError(joinMutation.error)}</Text>
       </Center>
     );
   }
diff --git a/www/app/[roomName]/components/LiveKitRoom.tsx b/www/app/[roomName]/components/LiveKitRoom.tsx
index e6d419fa..5ab130ce 100644
--- a/www/app/[roomName]/components/LiveKitRoom.tsx
+++ b/www/app/[roomName]/components/LiveKitRoom.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 import type { components } from "../../reflector-api";
 import { useAuth } from "../../lib/AuthProvider";
 import { useRoomJoinMeeting } from "../../lib/apiHooks";
+import { formatJoinError } from "../../lib/errorUtils";
 import { assertMeetingId } from "../../lib/types";
 import {
   ConsentDialogButton,
@@ -66,7 +67,6 @@ export default function LiveKitRoom({ meeting, room }: LiveKitRoomProps) {
 
   const joinMutation = useRoomJoinMeeting();
   const [joinedMeeting, setJoinedMeeting] = useState<Meeting | null>(null);
-  const [connectionError, setConnectionError] = useState(false);
   const [userChoices, setUserChoices] = useState<LocalUserChoices | null>(null);
 
   // ── Consent dialog (same hooks as Daily/Whereby) ──────────
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export default function LiveKitRoom({ meeting, room }: LiveKitRoomProps) {
     }
     return "";
   })();
-  const isJoining = !!userChoices && !joinedMeeting && !connectionError;
+  const isJoining = !!userChoices && !joinedMeeting && !joinMutation.isError;
 
   // ── Join meeting via backend API after PreJoin submit ─────
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ export default function LiveKitRoom({ meeting, room }: LiveKitRoomProps) {
         if (!cancelled) setJoinedMeeting(result);
       } catch (err) {
         console.error("Failed to join LiveKit meeting:", err);
-        if (!cancelled) setConnectionError(true);
       }
     }
 
@@ -182,10 +181,10 @@ export default function LiveKitRoom({ meeting, room }: LiveKitRoomProps) {
     );
   }
 
-  if (connectionError) {
+  if (joinMutation.isError) {
     return (
       <Center h="100vh" bg="gray.50">
-        <Text fontSize="lg">Failed to connect to meeting</Text>
+        <Text fontSize="lg">{formatJoinError(joinMutation.error)}</Text>
       </Center>
     );
   }
diff --git a/www/app/lib/apiHooks.ts b/www/app/lib/apiHooks.ts
index 4ece77e2..c9a1a822 100644
--- a/www/app/lib/apiHooks.ts
+++ b/www/app/lib/apiHooks.ts
@@ -863,16 +863,9 @@ export function useRoomGetMeeting(
 }
 
 export function useRoomJoinMeeting() {
-  const { setError } = useError();
-
   return $api.useMutation(
     "post",
     "/v1/rooms/{room_name}/meetings/{meeting_id}/join",
-    {
-      onError: (error) => {
-        setError(error as Error, "There was an error joining the meeting");
-      },
-    },
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/www/app/lib/errorUtils.ts b/www/app/lib/errorUtils.ts
index 1512230c..d0cc73fa 100644
--- a/www/app/lib/errorUtils.ts
+++ b/www/app/lib/errorUtils.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,35 @@
 import { isNonEmptyArray, NonEmptyArray } from "./array";
 
+export function getErrorDetail(error: unknown, fallback: string): string {
+  if (!error) return fallback;
+  if (typeof error === "object" && error !== null) {
+    const detail = (error as { detail?: unknown }).detail;
+    if (typeof detail === "string" && detail.length > 0) return detail;
+    const response = (error as { response?: { data?: { detail?: unknown } } })
+      .response;
+    const nestedDetail = response?.data?.detail;
+    if (typeof nestedDetail === "string" && nestedDetail.length > 0)
+      return nestedDetail;
+  }
+  return fallback;
+}
+
+export function formatJoinError(error: unknown): string {
+  const detail = getErrorDetail(error, "");
+  switch (detail) {
+    case "Meeting has ended":
+      return "This meeting has ended. The organizer can start a new one.";
+    case "Meeting is not active":
+      return "This meeting is no longer active. Ask the organizer to start it again.";
+    case "Meeting not found":
+      return "This meeting no longer exists. Check the link or ask the organizer for a new one.";
+    case "Room not found":
+      return "This room doesn't exist.";
+    default:
+      return detail || "We couldn't join the meeting. Please try again.";
+  }
+}
+
 export function shouldShowError(error: Error | null | undefined) {
   if (
     error?.name == "ResponseError" &&