diff --git a/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.test.ts b/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.test.ts
index 118c97bc..3bd88f9d 100644
--- a/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.test.ts
+++ b/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.test.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,11 @@ describe('getDevframeRpcClient — connection meta base', () => {
 
   it('publishes the meta annotated with the absolute base it resolved from', async () => {
     const served: ConnectionMeta = { backend: 'websocket', websocket: { path: '__ws' } }
-    vi.stubGlobal('fetch', vi.fn(async () => ({ json: async () => served }) as any))
+    vi.stubGlobal('fetch', vi.fn(async () => ({
+      ok: true,
+      status: 200,
+      json: async () => served,
+    }) as any))
 
     await getDevframeRpcClient({ baseURL: '/__foo/', otpParam: false })
 
@@ -66,6 +70,31 @@ describe('getDevframeRpcClient — connection meta base', () => {
     expect(lastWsUrl()).toBe('ws://localhost:5173/__foo/__ws')
   })
 
+  it('falls back when a base returns a non-successful JSON response', async () => {
+    const served: ConnectionMeta = { backend: 'websocket', websocket: { path: '__ws' } }
+    const fetchSpy = vi.fn()
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        ok: false,
+        status: 404,
+        json: async () => ({ status: 404, error: 'Not Found' }),
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        ok: true,
+        status: 200,
+        json: async () => served,
+      })
+    vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchSpy)
+
+    await getDevframeRpcClient({
+      baseURL: ['/__missing/', '/__foo/'],
+      otpParam: false,
+    })
+
+    expect(fetchSpy).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, '/__missing/__connection.json')
+    expect(fetchSpy).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, '/__foo/__connection.json')
+    expect(lastWsUrl()).toBe('ws://localhost:5173/__foo/__ws')
+  })
+
   it('inherits the publisher base so a child at another base dials the shared endpoint', async () => {
     // A same-origin parent already published its meta, carrying the base it was
     // resolved against (`/__devtools/`), not this child's base (`/__foo/`).
diff --git a/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.ts b/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.ts
index 0704c60b..05a1cfac 100644
--- a/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/devframe/src/client/rpc.ts
@@ -305,8 +305,10 @@ export async function getDevframeRpcClient(
     const errors: Error[] = []
     for (const base of bases) {
       try {
-        connectionMeta = await fetch(withBase(DEVFRAME_CONNECTION_META_FILENAME, base))
-          .then(r => r.json()) as ConnectionMeta
+        const response = await fetch(withBase(DEVFRAME_CONNECTION_META_FILENAME, base))
+        if (!response.ok)
+          throw new Error(`Failed to fetch connection meta: ${response.status}`)
+        connectionMeta = await response.json() as ConnectionMeta
         resolvedBaseURL = base
         // Publish the meta annotated with the absolute base it was resolved
         // against (`baseUrl`), so a same-origin child mounted at another base