diff --git a/frontend/lib/api/api_status_provider.dart b/frontend/lib/api/api_status_provider.dart
index efa72487..546fa67d 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/api/api_status_provider.dart
+++ b/frontend/lib/api/api_status_provider.dart
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ class ApiStatus extends _$ApiStatus {
   Future<void> _updateStatus() async {
     state = await AsyncValue.guard(() => _checkBackendStatus());
   }
+
+  Future<void> updateStatus(bool isOnline) async {
+    state = AsyncValue.data(isOnline);
+  }
 }
 
 // @riverpod
diff --git a/frontend/lib/recipes/controller/edit_controller.dart b/frontend/lib/recipes/controller/edit_controller.dart
index db49ae63..64a8a9d4 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/recipes/controller/edit_controller.dart
+++ b/frontend/lib/recipes/controller/edit_controller.dart
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ import 'package:go_router/go_router.dart';
 import 'package:riverpod_annotation/riverpod_annotation.dart';
 import 'package:sqflite/sqflite.dart';
 import 'package:zest/api/api_service.dart';
+import 'package:zest/api/api_status_provider.dart';
 import 'package:zest/main.dart';
 import 'package:zest/recipes/controller/draft_controller.dart';
+import 'package:zest/recipes/screens/recipe_search.dart';
 import 'package:zest/settings/settings_provider.dart';
 import 'package:zest/utils/utils.dart';
 
@@ -217,7 +219,11 @@ class RecipeEditController extends _$RecipeEditController {
             // TODO: onconfirm
             );
       } else if (categories.error is ServerNotReachableException) {
-        openServerNotAvailableDialog();
+        openServerNotAvailableDialog(onPressed: () {
+          ref.read(apiStatusProvider.notifier).updateStatus(false);
+          shellNavigatorKey.currentState!.overlay!.context
+              .goNamed(RecipeSearchPage.routeName);
+        });
       }
     }
     // express the list as a map
diff --git a/frontend/lib/ui/main_scaffold.dart b/frontend/lib/ui/main_scaffold.dart
index e0b2b5e5..9866df01 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/ui/main_scaffold.dart
+++ b/frontend/lib/ui/main_scaffold.dart
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class MainScaffold extends ConsumerWidget {
       appBar: AppBar(
         backgroundColor: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.primary,
         title: backendStatus.value ?? false
-            ? const Text("Online")
+            ? Container()
             : Row(
                 mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
                 children: [
@@ -71,9 +71,11 @@ class MainScaffold extends ConsumerWidget {
             IconButton(
               icon: const Icon(
                   key: Key("appbar_addrecipe_icon"), Icons.add_card_rounded),
-              onPressed: () {
-                context.goNamed(RecipeEditPage.routeNameCreate);
-              },
+              onPressed: (backendStatus.value ?? false)
+                  ? () {
+                      context.goNamed(RecipeEditPage.routeNameCreate);
+                    }
+                  : null,
             ),
           if (isAuthenticated)
             IconButton(
diff --git a/frontend/lib/utils/networking.dart b/frontend/lib/utils/networking.dart
index 412edf0d..dc880b23 100644
--- a/frontend/lib/utils/networking.dart
+++ b/frontend/lib/utils/networking.dart
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class ResourceNotFoundInterceptor extends InterceptorContract {
       case 400:
         throw BadRequestException();
       case 500:
-        throw Exception("Server error");
+        throw ServerNotReachableException(); // "Internal Server Error [500]"
     }
     return response;
   }