diff --git a/src/components/MarketplaceComments.test.tsx b/src/components/MarketplaceComments.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30dc4f95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/MarketplaceComments.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { DirectoryComments } from "@/components/directory/DirectoryComments";
+import { McpComments } from "@/components/mcp/McpComments";
+import { PromptComments } from "@/components/prompts/PromptComments";
+import { SkillComments } from "@/components/skills/SkillComments";
+
+const surfaces = [
+  {
+    name: "directory",
+    render: () => <DirectoryComments listingId="listing-1" isAuthenticated={false} />,
+  },
+  {
+    name: "MCP",
+    render: () => <McpComments slug="listing-1" isAuthenticated={false} />,
+  },
+  {
+    name: "prompt",
+    render: () => <PromptComments slug="listing-1" isAuthenticated={false} />,
+  },
+  {
+    name: "skill",
+    render: () => <SkillComments slug="listing-1" isAuthenticated={false} />,
+  },
+];
+
+describe("marketplace comment loading errors", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", vi.fn());
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup();
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
+  it.each(surfaces)("does not report an empty $name thread when loading fails", async ({ render: renderSurface }) => {
+    vi.mocked(fetch).mockResolvedValue(
+      new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: "Comments unavailable" }), { status: 503 })
+    );
+
+    render(renderSurface());
+
+    expect(await screen.findByRole("alert")).toHaveTextContent("Comments unavailable");
+    expect(
+      screen.queryByText("No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!")
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/directory/DirectoryComments.tsx b/src/components/directory/DirectoryComments.tsx
index dfd6b74b..9abaee41 100644
--- a/src/components/directory/DirectoryComments.tsx
+++ b/src/components/directory/DirectoryComments.tsx
@@ -44,15 +44,20 @@ export function DirectoryComments({ listingId, isAuthenticated }: DirectoryComme
   async function fetchComments() {
     try {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/directory/${listingId}/comments`);
-      if (res.ok) {
-        const data = await res.json();
-        setComments(data.comments || []);
-        setTotal(data.total || 0);
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        setError(data.error || "Failed to load comments");
+        return;
       }
+
+      const data = await res.json();
+      setComments(data.comments || []);
+      setTotal(data.total || 0);
     } catch {
-      // silently fail
+      setError("Failed to load comments");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
     }
-    setLoading(false);
   }
 
   async function handlePost(parentId: string | null = null) {
@@ -213,7 +218,7 @@ export function DirectoryComments({ listingId, isAuthenticated }: DirectoryComme
       )}
 
       {error && (
-        <div className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
+        <div role="alert" className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
           {error}
         </div>
       )}
@@ -222,7 +227,7 @@ export function DirectoryComments({ listingId, isAuthenticated }: DirectoryComme
         <div className="flex justify-center py-8">
           <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
         </div>
-      ) : comments.length > 0 ? (
+      ) : error ? null : comments.length > 0 ? (
         <div className="divide-y divide-border">
           {comments.map((comment) => renderComment(comment))}
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/mcp/McpComments.tsx b/src/components/mcp/McpComments.tsx
index ca2053d6..5b551dba 100644
--- a/src/components/mcp/McpComments.tsx
+++ b/src/components/mcp/McpComments.tsx
@@ -44,15 +44,20 @@ export function McpComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: McpCommentsProps) {
   async function fetchComments() {
     try {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/mcp/${slug}/comments`);
-      if (res.ok) {
-        const data = await res.json();
-        setComments(data.comments || []);
-        setTotal(data.total || 0);
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        setError(data.error || "Failed to load comments");
+        return;
       }
+
+      const data = await res.json();
+      setComments(data.comments || []);
+      setTotal(data.total || 0);
     } catch {
-      // silently fail
+      setError("Failed to load comments");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
     }
-    setLoading(false);
   }
 
   async function handlePost(parentId: string | null = null) {
@@ -212,7 +217,7 @@ export function McpComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: McpCommentsProps) {
       )}
 
       {error && (
-        <div className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
+        <div role="alert" className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
           {error}
         </div>
       )}
@@ -221,7 +226,7 @@ export function McpComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: McpCommentsProps) {
         <div className="flex justify-center py-8">
           <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
         </div>
-      ) : comments.length > 0 ? (
+      ) : error ? null : comments.length > 0 ? (
         <div className="divide-y divide-border">
           {comments.map((comment) => renderComment(comment))}
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/prompts/PromptComments.tsx b/src/components/prompts/PromptComments.tsx
index 1d91a471..832bf297 100644
--- a/src/components/prompts/PromptComments.tsx
+++ b/src/components/prompts/PromptComments.tsx
@@ -44,15 +44,20 @@ export function PromptComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: PromptCommentsProps) {
   async function fetchComments() {
     try {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/prompts/${slug}/comments`);
-      if (res.ok) {
-        const data = await res.json();
-        setComments(data.comments || []);
-        setTotal(data.total || 0);
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        setError(data.error || "Failed to load comments");
+        return;
       }
+
+      const data = await res.json();
+      setComments(data.comments || []);
+      setTotal(data.total || 0);
     } catch {
-      // silently fail
+      setError("Failed to load comments");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
     }
-    setLoading(false);
   }
 
   async function handlePost(parentId: string | null = null) {
@@ -212,7 +217,7 @@ export function PromptComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: PromptCommentsProps) {
       )}
 
       {error && (
-        <div className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
+        <div role="alert" className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
           {error}
         </div>
       )}
@@ -221,7 +226,7 @@ export function PromptComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: PromptCommentsProps) {
         <div className="flex justify-center py-8">
           <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
         </div>
-      ) : comments.length > 0 ? (
+      ) : error ? null : comments.length > 0 ? (
         <div className="divide-y divide-border">
           {comments.map((comment) => renderComment(comment))}
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/skills/SkillComments.tsx b/src/components/skills/SkillComments.tsx
index 9f09bb38..f06a40a8 100644
--- a/src/components/skills/SkillComments.tsx
+++ b/src/components/skills/SkillComments.tsx
@@ -44,15 +44,20 @@ export function SkillComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: SkillCommentsProps) {
   async function fetchComments() {
     try {
       const res = await fetch(`/api/skills/${slug}/comments`);
-      if (res.ok) {
-        const data = await res.json();
-        setComments(data.comments || []);
-        setTotal(data.total || 0);
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+        setError(data.error || "Failed to load comments");
+        return;
       }
+
+      const data = await res.json();
+      setComments(data.comments || []);
+      setTotal(data.total || 0);
     } catch {
-      // silently fail
+      setError("Failed to load comments");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
     }
-    setLoading(false);
   }
 
   async function handlePost(parentId: string | null = null) {
@@ -213,7 +218,7 @@ export function SkillComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: SkillCommentsProps) {
       )}
 
       {error && (
-        <div className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
+        <div role="alert" className="mb-4 p-3 bg-red-500/10 border border-red-500/20 rounded-lg text-red-500 text-sm">
           {error}
         </div>
       )}
@@ -222,7 +227,7 @@ export function SkillComments({ slug, isAuthenticated }: SkillCommentsProps) {
         <div className="flex justify-center py-8">
           <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
         </div>
-      ) : comments.length > 0 ? (
+      ) : error ? null : comments.length > 0 ? (
         <div className="divide-y divide-border">
           {comments.map((comment) => renderComment(comment))}
         </div>