diff --git a/docs/ux-guide.md b/docs/ux-guide.md
index 4064e4f..2689fe6 100644
--- a/docs/ux-guide.md
+++ b/docs/ux-guide.md
@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ Changes   5 files · 2M 1A 1D 1R · +37 −12
 - Untracked directories are shown as one entry (`tmp/`).
 ### Header
 
-`path  branch ↑↓ · n submodules · <count> <issue>… · n pin staged · n loading · <fetch>`
+`path  branch ↑↓ · n submodules · n error · <count> <issue>… · n pin staged · n loading · <fetch>`
 
 Issue counts are ordered by severity (unpushed, conflict, missing, off pin,
 changed), each in its level color. Zero counts are omitted. `n loading`
 counts only submodules whose status is still being loaded; ones whose load
-failed (shown as `error`) are not counted. A detached
+failed are counted separately as `n error` (red, before the issue counts). A detached
 superproject shows `(detached)` as its branch.
 
 `<fetch>` on the right:
diff --git a/internal/tui/header/header.go b/internal/tui/header/header.go
index 671bbfa..ade855d 100644
--- a/internal/tui/header/header.go
+++ b/internal/tui/header/header.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func View(t theme.Theme, repo *submodule.Repo, fetch Fetch, spinner string, widt
 	}
 
 	// count submodules per issue kind (most severe first), plus staged pins
-	var total, loading, staged int
+	var total, loading, errored, staged int
 	perKind := map[submodule.IssueKind]int{}
 	level := map[submodule.IssueKind]submodule.Level{}
 	submodule.Walk(repo.Submodules, func(s *submodule.Submodule) {
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ func View(t theme.Theme, repo *submodule.Repo, fetch Fetch, spinner string, widt
 		if s.Status == nil {
 			if s.Err == nil {
 				loading++
+			} else {
+				errored++
 			}
 			return
 		}
@@ -58,6 +60,9 @@ func View(t theme.Theme, repo *submodule.Repo, fetch Fetch, spinner string, widt
 
 	sep := seg(t.Muted, " · ")
 	mid := seg(t.Muted, fmt.Sprintf("%d submodules", total))
+	if errored > 0 {
+		mid += sep + t.LevelStyle(submodule.LevelDanger, bar).Render(fmt.Sprintf("%d error", errored))
+	}
 	for _, k := range []submodule.IssueKind{
 		submodule.IssueUnpushed, submodule.IssueConflict, submodule.IssueMissing,
 		submodule.IssueOffPin, submodule.IssueChanged,