diff --git a/docs/mcp/auth/overview.mdx b/docs/mcp/auth/overview.mdx
index 7322a3cfef0..a1cffdbcc76 100644
--- a/docs/mcp/auth/overview.mdx
+++ b/docs/mcp/auth/overview.mdx
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ Per-user auth applies to the **HTTP** and **SSE** connection types. STDIO connec
 
 Per-user auth requires every request to carry an identity. See [Identity modes](#identity-modes) below.
 
+Connection-state semantics (`connected`, `disconnected`, `error`, `needs_reauth`, etc., shown on the MCP client list) describe a persistent upstream connection, so they only apply to server-level clients. Per-user clients are stateless by design: each tool call resolves and uses the caller's credential on its own, with nothing held open between calls, so the dashboard links a per-user client to its [MCP Sessions](../sessions) rows instead of showing a connection state for it.
+
 ---
 
 ## Pick your auth type
diff --git a/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientSheet.tsx b/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientSheet.tsx
index fe623a4002d..75b7175b44f 100644
--- a/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientSheet.tsx
+++ b/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientSheet.tsx
@@ -458,7 +458,9 @@ export default function MCPClientSheet({
 										? mcpClient.config.auth_type === "per_user_oauth"
 											? "This client was declared in config.json. A one-time admin test login is needed to verify the OAuth setup and discover tools — each user will authenticate individually afterward."
 											: "This client was declared in config.json and needs a one-time OAuth authorization before it can be used."
-										: "MCP server configuration and available tools"}
+										: mcpClient.state === "needs_reauth"
+											? "This connection's credentials have expired and need to be re-authorized. Re-authorization from the dashboard isn't available yet: recreating this client is the current workaround."
+											: "MCP server configuration and available tools"}
 								</SheetDescription>
 							</div>
 							<SheetNavigationButtons
diff --git a/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientsTable.tsx b/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientsTable.tsx
index a1cadf93b15..47bfc5e5153 100644
--- a/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientsTable.tsx
+++ b/ui/app/workspace/mcp-registry/views/mcpClientsTable.tsx
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function MCPClientActionsMenu({
 				{hasUpdateAccess && (
 					<DropdownMenuItem
 						className="cursor-pointer"
-						disabled={isPerUserAuth || client.config.disabled || isReconnecting || client.state === "pending_verification"}
+						disabled={isPerUserAuth || client.config.disabled || isReconnecting || client.state === "pending_verification" || client.state === "needs_reauth"}
 						onSelect={(e) => {
 							e.preventDefault();
 							onReconnect(client);
@@ -644,8 +644,22 @@ export default function MCPClientsTable({
 													"-"
 												)}
 											</TableCell>
-											<TableCell>
-												<Badge className={MCP_STATUS_COLORS[c.state]}>{c.state}</Badge>
+											<TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
+												{isPerUserAuth ? (
+													// Per-user clients never hold a shared upstream connection, so a
+													// connection-state badge here would be misleading: point to the
+													// per-user sessions this client actually has instead.
+													<Link
+														to="/workspace/mcp-sessions"
+														search={{ mcp_client_id: [c.config.client_id] }}
+														className="text-primary text-xs font-medium hover:underline"
+														data-testid={`mcp-client-view-sessions-${c.config.client_id}`}
+													>
+														View sessions
+													</Link>
+												) : (
+													<Badge className={MCP_STATUS_COLORS[c.state]}>{c.state}</Badge>
+												)}
 											</TableCell>
 											<TableCell onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
 												<Switch
diff --git a/ui/lib/constants/config.ts b/ui/lib/constants/config.ts
index 70bea17b092..f4b2db0fdee 100644
--- a/ui/lib/constants/config.ts
+++ b/ui/lib/constants/config.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ export const MCP_STATUS_COLORS: Record<string, string> = {
 	pending_tools: "bg-yellow-100 text-yellow-800",
 	pending_verification: "bg-yellow-100 text-yellow-800",
 	disabled: "bg-orange-100 text-orange-800",
+	// Same red as `error`: the client's credential has died and it can't be
+	// used until a human reauthorizes it, mirroring the "destructive" treatment
+	// this status already gets on the MCP sessions table.
+	needs_reauth: "bg-red-100 text-red-800",
 };
 
 // Mapping of what IS supported by each base provider
diff --git a/ui/lib/types/mcp.ts b/ui/lib/types/mcp.ts
index dcd372ab658..b8b6f2e9d66 100644
--- a/ui/lib/types/mcp.ts
+++ b/ui/lib/types/mcp.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { SecretVar } from "./schemas";
 
 export type MCPConnectionType = "http" | "stdio" | "sse";
 
-export type MCPConnectionState = "connected" | "disconnected" | "error" | "pending_tools" | "pending_verification" | "disabled";
+export type MCPConnectionState = "connected" | "disconnected" | "error" | "pending_tools" | "pending_verification" | "disabled" | "needs_reauth";
 
 export type MCPAuthType = "none" | "headers" | "oauth" | "per_user_oauth" | "per_user_headers";