diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml b/composeApp/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
index cddab9ea..2fbae5e0 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
@@ -553,6 +553,7 @@
     <string name="jam_error_broker_host_empty">Broker host is empty</string>
     <string name="jam_error_connection_failed">Connection failed</string>
     <string name="jam_error_connection_lost">Connection lost</string>
+    <string name="jam_error_broker_unreachable">Couldn't reach %1$s:%2$d. Check your network or pick another broker in Settings → Jam.</string>
 
     <!-- Settings: Group Jam broker -->
     <string name="settings_jam_broker_content_description">Broker</string>
diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/core/jam/JamRoomClient.kt b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/core/jam/JamRoomClient.kt
index 85085f0f..07810202 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/core/jam/JamRoomClient.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/core/jam/JamRoomClient.kt
@@ -33,12 +33,14 @@ import org.spotube.spotube.modules.settings.JamBroker
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.SupervisorJob
+import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.SharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.StateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asSharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asStateFlow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.first
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.launchIn
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.onEach
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json
 import org.jetbrains.compose.resources.getString
 import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.Res
 import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.jam_error_broker_host_empty
+import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.jam_error_broker_unreachable
 import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.jam_error_connection_failed
 import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.jam_error_connection_lost
 import spotube.composeapp.generated.resources.jam_error_no_broker
@@ -135,8 +138,15 @@ class JamRoomClient : KoinComponent {
 
             val mqtt = startClient(broker, clientId)
             client = mqtt
-            withTimeout(broker.connectionTimeoutSeconds.seconds) {
-                mqtt.awaitConnectivity()
+            try {
+                withTimeout(broker.connectionTimeoutSeconds.seconds) {
+                    // connectionState replays its current value, unlike awaitConnectivity's
+                    // broadcast flow, which loses a CONNACK that lands before it is collected.
+                    mqtt.connectionState.first { it is ConnectionState.Connected }
+                }
+            } catch (e: TimeoutCancellationException) {
+                throw IllegalStateException(
+                    getString(Res.string.jam_error_broker_unreachable, broker.host, broker.port), e)
             }
             _connectionError.value = null
             log.i { "Connected to ${broker.host}:${broker.port} room=$code as $clientId" }
diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/modules/settings/SettingsModels.kt b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/modules/settings/SettingsModels.kt
index f22688a3..90f87e3e 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/modules/settings/SettingsModels.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/spotube/spotube/modules/settings/SettingsModels.kt
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ data class UserSettings(
 @Serializable
 data class JamBroker(
     val name: String = "",
-    val host: String = "test.mosquitto.org",
-    val port: Int = 1883,
-    val useTls: Boolean = false,
+    val host: String = "broker.hivemq.com",
+    val port: Int = 8883,
+    val useTls: Boolean = true,
     val username: String? = null,
     val password: String? = null,
     val clientIdPrefix: String = "spotube",