diff --git a/src/github_agent_bridge/backend.py b/src/github_agent_bridge/backend.py
index c0aebf0..b7960bd 100644
--- a/src/github_agent_bridge/backend.py
+++ b/src/github_agent_bridge/backend.py
@@ -508,13 +508,31 @@ async def _sleep_or_shutdown(shutdown_event: asyncio.Event | None, sleep_seconds
     return True
 
 
+def _is_sqlite_contention_error(exc: sqlite3.OperationalError) -> bool:
+    error_code = getattr(exc, "sqlite_errorcode", None)
+    if isinstance(error_code, int) and error_code & 0xFF in {
+        sqlite3.SQLITE_BUSY,
+        sqlite3.SQLITE_LOCKED,
+    }:
+        return True
+    message = str(exc).lower()
+    return "database" in message and "locked" in message
+
+
 async def _session_stream_events(db: str | Path, job_id: int, *, after_id: int | None = None, sleep_seconds: float = 2.0, shutdown_event: asyncio.Event | None = None):
     queries = DashboardQueries(db)
     last_id = after_id or 0
     sent_transcript_keys: set[str] = set()
     while shutdown_event is None or not shutdown_event.is_set():
         emitted = False
-        events = queries.job_session_events(job_id, after_id=last_id, limit=100)
+        try:
+            events = queries.job_session_events(job_id, after_id=last_id, limit=100)
+            transcript = queries.job_session_transcript(job_id, limit=500)
+        except sqlite3.OperationalError as exc:
+            if not _is_sqlite_contention_error(exc):
+                raise
+            events = []
+            transcript = []
         for event in events:
             if shutdown_event is not None and shutdown_event.is_set():
                 return
@@ -527,7 +545,6 @@ async def _session_stream_events(db: str | Path, job_id: int, *, after_id: int |
                 if key not in sent_transcript_keys:
                     sent_transcript_keys.add(key)
                     yield _sse_event("transcript_entry", {"job_id": job_id, "entry": entry})
-        transcript = queries.job_session_transcript(job_id, limit=500)
         for entry in transcript:
             if shutdown_event is not None and shutdown_event.is_set():
                 return
diff --git a/tests/test_backend.py b/tests/test_backend.py
index 958ef23..41603d1 100644
--- a/tests/test_backend.py
+++ b/tests/test_backend.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from github_agent_bridge import __version__
 from github_agent_bridge import feedback
 from github_agent_bridge.backend import DashboardConfig, _encode_session, _is_admin, _is_allowed, _journal_stream_events, _session_stream_events, _sign, create_app
-from github_agent_bridge.dashboard_data import JOB_LIST_ORDER_SQL, get_job_detail, job_session, job_session_events, job_session_transcript, jobs_select_sql, list_all_job_actor_logins, list_job_actors, list_jobs, metrics_summary
+from github_agent_bridge.dashboard_data import DashboardQueries, JOB_LIST_ORDER_SQL, get_job_detail, job_session, job_session_events, job_session_transcript, jobs_select_sql, list_all_job_actor_logins, list_job_actors, list_jobs, metrics_summary
 from github_agent_bridge.monitor import MonitorReport
 from github_agent_bridge.models import GitHubContext, Notification
 from github_agent_bridge.mcp import create_token
@@ -1086,6 +1086,56 @@ async def first_chunks():
     assert "live trajectory output" in body
 
 
+def test_dashboard_sse_retries_sqlite_contention_without_closing_stream(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    db = tmp_path / "bridge.sqlite3"
+    q = JobQueue(db)
+    job, _ = q.enqueue(notif(), Policy(trusted_orgs=["gisce"]))
+    original_events = DashboardQueries.job_session_events
+    attempts = {"count": 0}
+
+    def fail_once_then_read(*args, **kwargs):
+        attempts["count"] += 1
+        if attempts["count"] == 1:
+            raise sqlite3.OperationalError("database is locked")
+        return original_events(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(DashboardQueries, "job_session_events", fail_once_then_read)
+
+    async def first_chunks():
+        stream = _session_stream_events(db, job.id, sleep_seconds=0)
+        try:
+            return await anext(stream), await anext(stream)
+        finally:
+            await stream.aclose()
+
+    heartbeat, recovered = asyncio.run(first_chunks())
+
+    assert attempts["count"] == 2
+    assert "event: session_heartbeat" in heartbeat
+    assert "event: session_heartbeat" in recovered
+
+
+def test_dashboard_sse_does_not_hide_non_contention_database_errors(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    db = tmp_path / "bridge.sqlite3"
+    q = JobQueue(db)
+    job, _ = q.enqueue(notif(), Policy(trusted_orgs=["gisce"]))
+
+    def fail_read(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise sqlite3.OperationalError("malformed database schema")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(DashboardQueries, "job_session_events", fail_read)
+
+    async def read_chunk():
+        stream = _session_stream_events(db, job.id, sleep_seconds=0)
+        try:
+            return await anext(stream)
+        finally:
+            await stream.aclose()
+
+    with pytest.raises(sqlite3.OperationalError, match="malformed database schema"):
+        asyncio.run(read_chunk())
+
+
 def test_dashboard_sse_stream_exits_when_shutdown_is_signaled(tmp_path):
     db = tmp_path / "bridge.sqlite3"
     q = JobQueue(db)