diff --git a/packages/web/src/api/client.ts b/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
index bd79236e..37197629 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/api/client.ts
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ export class BackspaceApiClient {
   };
 
   readonly federation: {
-    initiatePeering: (data: { remoteOrigin: string }) => Promise<{ peer: FederationPeer }>;
+    initiatePeering: (data: { remoteOrigin: string }) => Promise<{ peer: FederationPeer; verified?: boolean }>;
     ensurePeered: (data: { remoteOrigin: string }) => Promise<{ peeringStatus: string; peerId?: string; error?: string }>;
     peers: () => Promise<{ peers: FederationPeer[] }>;
     resetEvents: () => Promise<FederationResetEventsResponse>;
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ export class BackspaceApiClient {
 
     this.federation = {
       initiatePeering: (data: { remoteOrigin: string }) =>
-        request<{ peer: FederationPeer }>(
+        request<{ peer: FederationPeer; verified?: boolean }>(
           'POST', '/federation/peer/initiate', data
         ),
       ensurePeered: (data: { remoteOrigin: string }) =>
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.resetCleanup.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.resetCleanup.test.tsx
index 0badeeab..2aed34b2 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.resetCleanup.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.resetCleanup.test.tsx
@@ -122,6 +122,84 @@ describe('FederationPanel — Reset cleanup', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('warns when Re-peer completes but the handshake is unverified (verified:false)', async () => {
+    peers.mockResolvedValue({ peers: [resetPeerFixture] });
+    resetEvents.mockResolvedValue({ events: [] });
+    resetPeer.mockResolvedValue({ success: true });
+    initiatePeering.mockResolvedValue({
+      peer: { ...resetPeerFixture, status: 'needs_attention' },
+      verified: false,
+    });
+
+    render(<FederationPanel />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer' }));
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer & heal' }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(initiatePeering).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(addToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'Re-peer incomplete — Peer still holds stale peering for you. Its admin must reset their side, then Re-peer again.',
+        'warning',
+      ),
+    );
+    expect(addToast).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('Re-peering initiated'),
+      'success',
+      expect.anything(),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('warns when the remote rejects with 409 PEER_EXISTS_RESET_REQUIRED', async () => {
+    peers.mockResolvedValue({ peers: [resetPeerFixture] });
+    resetEvents.mockResolvedValue({ events: [] });
+    resetPeer.mockResolvedValue({ success: true });
+    initiatePeering.mockRejectedValue(
+      new HttpError(409, 'Peer exists — reset required', {
+        error: 'Peer exists — reset required',
+        statusCode: 409,
+        code: 'PEER_EXISTS_RESET_REQUIRED',
+      }),
+    );
+
+    render(<FederationPanel />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer' }));
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer & heal' }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(initiatePeering).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(addToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'The remote instance still holds stale peering for you. Ask its admin to reset their side, then Re-peer again.',
+        'warning',
+      ),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('shows the success toast when the handshake is verified (verified:true)', async () => {
+    peers.mockResolvedValue({ peers: [resetPeerFixture] });
+    resetEvents.mockResolvedValue({ events: [] });
+    resetPeer.mockResolvedValue({ success: true });
+    initiatePeering.mockResolvedValue({
+      peer: { ...resetPeerFixture, status: 'active' },
+      verified: true,
+    });
+
+    render(<FederationPanel />);
+
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer' }));
+    fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Re-peer & heal' }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(initiatePeering).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(addToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Re-peering initiated with Peer', 'success', 3000),
+    );
+    expect(addToast).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('still holds stale peering'),
+      'warning',
+    );
+  });
+
   it('removes an orphaned account via the existing admin delete', async () => {
     peers.mockResolvedValue({ peers: [] });
     resetEvents.mockResolvedValue({ events: [resetEvent([orphanedAccount()])] });
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.tsx
index 7a72e5ed..5bce34f1 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/modals/instanceSettingsPanels/FederationPanel.tsx
@@ -910,8 +910,15 @@ function ResetCleanup() {
         // Order matters: reset the stale local record BEFORE the fresh handshake,
         // so activation heals stale friendships/DMs against the new incarnation.
         await api.federation.resetPeer(peer.id);
-        await api.federation.initiatePeering({ remoteOrigin: peer.origin });
-        addToast(`Re-peering initiated with ${peerName(peer)}`, 'success', 3000);
+        const result = await api.federation.initiatePeering({ remoteOrigin: peer.origin });
+        if (result.verified === false || result.peer?.status === 'needs_attention') {
+          addToast(
+            `Re-peer incomplete — ${peerName(peer)} still holds stale peering for you. Its admin must reset their side, then Re-peer again.`,
+            'warning',
+          );
+        } else {
+          addToast(`Re-peering initiated with ${peerName(peer)}`, 'success', 3000);
+        }
         await fetchAll();
       } else {
         const { account } = confirmAction;
@@ -938,6 +945,14 @@ function ResetCleanup() {
         } else {
           addToast(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to remove account', 'warning');
         }
+      } else if (
+        err instanceof HttpError && err.status === 409 &&
+        (err.body as { code?: string } | undefined)?.code === 'PEER_EXISTS_RESET_REQUIRED'
+      ) {
+        addToast(
+          `The remote instance still holds stale peering for you. Ask its admin to reset their side, then Re-peer again.`,
+          'warning',
+        );
       } else {
         addToast(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Re-peering failed', 'warning');
       }