diff --git a/src/components/chat/GlobalChatbox.tsx b/src/components/chat/GlobalChatbox.tsx
index 51f7b2a..0ac1d9d 100644
--- a/src/components/chat/GlobalChatbox.tsx
+++ b/src/components/chat/GlobalChatbox.tsx
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ export const GlobalChatbox: React.FC<Props> = ({ open, onClose }) => {
   const [conversationId, setConversationId] = useState<string | undefined>(undefined);
   const abortRef = useRef<AbortController | null>(null);
   const bottomRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
   const theme = useTheme();
 
   const canSend = useMemo(() => input.trim().length > 0 && !isStreaming, [input, isStreaming]);
@@ -122,6 +123,14 @@ export const GlobalChatbox: React.FC<Props> = ({ open, onClose }) => {
     bottomRef.current?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "smooth" });
   }, [messages, isStreaming]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    const timer = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      inputRef.current?.focus();
+    }, 0);
+    return () => window.clearTimeout(timer);
+  }, [open]);
+
   const handleSend = async () => {
     const prompt = input.trim();
     if (!prompt || isStreaming) return;
@@ -443,6 +452,7 @@ export const GlobalChatbox: React.FC<Props> = ({ open, onClose }) => {
                 }}
             >
                 <TextField
+                inputRef={inputRef}
                 value={input}
                 onChange={(e) => setInput(e.target.value)}
                 onKeyDown={(e) => {
diff --git a/src/lib/chatStream.test.ts b/src/lib/chatStream.test.ts
index b4bff7f..d477ce3 100644
--- a/src/lib/chatStream.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/chatStream.test.ts
@@ -97,4 +97,18 @@ describe("streamCopilotChat", () => {
       { type: "error", message: "Login expired. Please sign in again.", detail: undefined },
     ]);
   });
+
+  it("emits network error when fetch throws", async () => {
+    apiFetch.mockRejectedValue(new TypeError("Failed to fetch"));
+
+    const events: Array<{ type: string; message?: string; detail?: string }> = [];
+    await streamCopilotChat({
+      message: "hi",
+      onEvent: (event) => events.push(event),
+    });
+
+    expect(events).toEqual([
+      { type: "error", message: "network request failed", detail: "Failed to fetch" },
+    ]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/chatStream.ts b/src/lib/chatStream.ts
index 25492ee..b848f6d 100644
--- a/src/lib/chatStream.ts
+++ b/src/lib/chatStream.ts
@@ -38,19 +38,30 @@ export const streamCopilotChat = async ({
   signal,
   onEvent,
 }: StreamOptions) => {
-  const response = await apiFetch(`${config.BACKEND_URL}/api/v1/copilot/chat/stream`, {
-    method: "POST",
-    signal,
-    headers: {
-      "Content-Type": "application/json",
-      Accept: "text/event-stream",
-    },
-    body: JSON.stringify({
-      message,
-      conversation_id: conversationId,
-    }),
-    skipAuthRedirect: true,
-  });
+  let response: Response;
+  try {
+    response = await apiFetch(`${config.BACKEND_URL}/api/v1/copilot/chat/stream`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      signal,
+      headers: {
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        Accept: "text/event-stream",
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        message,
+        conversation_id: conversationId,
+      }),
+      skipAuthRedirect: true,
+    });
+  } catch (error) {
+    const detail = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+    onEvent({
+      type: "error",
+      message: "network request failed",
+      detail,
+    });
+    return;
+  }
 
   if (!response.ok || !response.body) {
     const detail = await response.text();