diff --git a/neode-ui/src/api/rpc-client.ts b/neode-ui/src/api/rpc-client.ts
index 3735d153..13d5b6b9 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/api/rpc-client.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/api/rpc-client.ts
@@ -117,8 +117,12 @@ class RPCClient {
             try { localStorage.removeItem('neode-auth') } catch { /* noop */ }
 
             const isOnboarding = window.location.pathname.startsWith('/onboarding')
+            // Already on the login page: redirecting = a full reload of the
+            // page we're on. Any background poll that 401s would refresh
+            // /login in a loop forever (seen with the global mesh poll).
+            const isLogin = window.location.pathname.startsWith('/login')
             console.warn(`[RPC] 401 on ${method} | path=${window.location.pathname} | onboarding=${isOnboarding} | redirecting=${RPCClient._sessionExpiredRedirecting}`)
-            if (!isOnboarding && !RPCClient._sessionExpiredRedirecting) {
+            if (!isOnboarding && !isLogin && !RPCClient._sessionExpiredRedirecting) {
               RPCClient._sessionExpiredRedirecting = true
               console.warn(`[RPC] Session expired — redirecting to /login in 300ms`)
               setTimeout(() => {
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
index ec6e2b6a..f8cfc670 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
@@ -280,9 +280,14 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
    *  (the Mesh view's own 5s poll takes over while it is mounted). */
   function startGlobalDetection(intervalMs = 15000) {
     if (globalDetectTimer) return
-    void fetchStatus()
+    // Never poll unauthenticated — a 401 from a background poll on the
+    // login page caused a login-refresh loop (2026-07-14, .116).
+    const authed = () => {
+      try { return !!localStorage.getItem('neode-auth') } catch { return false }
+    }
+    if (authed()) void fetchStatus()
     globalDetectTimer = setInterval(() => {
-      if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') void fetchStatus()
+      if (document.visibilityState === 'visible' && authed()) void fetchStatus()
     }, intervalMs)
   }