diff --git a/docs/state-model.md b/docs/state-model.md
index 95e9290..ec8d712 100644
--- a/docs/state-model.md
+++ b/docs/state-model.md
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ Rules:
 `Submodule.HiddenIssues()` counts the issues of **all** loaded descendants
 and returns the most severe level. A collapsed submodule shows this as `·k`
 in that level's color, so a danger can never hide inside a collapsed subtree.
+A descendant whose load failed (`error`) counts as one danger.
 
 ## Resolving a pin to a ref
 
diff --git a/internal/submodule/status.go b/internal/submodule/status.go
index f0b41d0..19f6040 100644
--- a/internal/submodule/status.go
+++ b/internal/submodule/status.go
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ func (s *Status) Issues() []Issue {
 }
 
 // HiddenIssues counts the issues of all loaded descendants and returns the
-// most severe level among them.
+// most severe level among them. A descendant whose load failed counts as one
+// danger, since its state is unknown.
 func (m *Submodule) HiddenIssues() (count int, worst Level) {
 	Walk(m.Children, func(c *Submodule) {
+		if c.Status == nil && c.Err != nil {
+			count++
+			worst = max(worst, LevelDanger)
+		}
 		for _, is := range c.Status.Issues() {
 			count++
 			worst = max(worst, is.Level)
diff --git a/internal/submodule/status_test.go b/internal/submodule/status_test.go
index 4b38123..d4af037 100644
--- a/internal/submodule/status_test.go
+++ b/internal/submodule/status_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package submodule
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"slices"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -69,3 +70,12 @@ func TestUntrackedRepositoryWording(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestHiddenIssuesCountLoadErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	bad := &Submodule{Err: errors.New("boom")}
+	loading := &Submodule{}
+	parent := &Submodule{Children: []*Submodule{bad, loading}}
+	if n, w := parent.HiddenIssues(); n != 1 || w != LevelDanger {
+		t.Errorf("got %d, %v; want 1, danger", n, w)
+	}
+}