diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index ed04014..0c47ae3 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.27 R296";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.27 R297";
 // Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
 window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/client/src/main.ts b/client/src/main.ts
index b337172..f929c4f 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ function classifySystemMessageSound(message: string): keyof typeof SYSTEM_SOUND_
   if (normalized.includes(' is now known as ') || normalized.startsWith('you are now known as ')) {
     return 'notify';
   }
-  if (normalized.startsWith('server rebooting in ') || normalized === 'server reboot already scheduled.') {
+  if (normalized.startsWith('server rebooting in ')) {
     return 'notify';
   }
   return null;
diff --git a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
index 38f6d8c..062f779 100644
--- a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
+++ b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
@@ -231,6 +231,11 @@ export function createOnMessageHandler(deps: MessageHandlerDeps): (message: Inco
           deps.playSample(deps.ACTION_SOUND_URL, 1);
         } else if (message.system) {
           deps.pushChatMessage(message.message);
+          const normalized = message.message.trim().toLowerCase();
+          if (normalized === 'server reboot already in progress.') {
+            deps.audioUiBlip();
+            break;
+          }
           const sound = deps.classifySystemMessageSound(message.message);
           if (sound) {
             deps.playSample(deps.SYSTEM_SOUND_URLS[sound], 1);
diff --git a/server/app/server.py b/server/app/server.py
index 829b9c2..71d6c12 100644
--- a/server/app/server.py
+++ b/server/app/server.py
@@ -1686,11 +1686,10 @@ class SignalingServer:
                 return True
             reboot_message = remainder if separator else ""
             if not self._schedule_reboot(client.username or client.nickname, reboot_message):
-                await self._send(
-                    client.websocket,
+                await self._broadcast(
                     BroadcastChatMessagePacket(
                         type="chat_message",
-                        message="Server reboot already scheduled.",
+                        message="Server reboot already in progress.",
                         system=True,
                     ),
                 )
diff --git a/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py b/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
index 32c9de7..f7835f7 100644
--- a/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
+++ b/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
@@ -583,3 +583,41 @@ async def test_chat_reboot_schedules_and_broadcasts_message(monkeypatch: pytest.
     assert getattr(packet, "type", "") == "chat_message"
     assert packet.system is True
     assert packet.message == "Server rebooting in 5 seconds. maintenance"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_chat_reboot_already_in_progress_broadcasts_notice(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    server = SignalingServer("127.0.0.1", 8765, None, None)
+    ws = _fake_ws()
+    client = ClientConnection(
+        websocket=ws,
+        id="u1",
+        nickname="Tester",
+        authenticated=True,
+        user_id="1",
+        username="tester",
+        permissions={"chat.send", "server.allow_reboot"},
+    )
+    server.clients[ws] = client
+
+    broadcast_payloads: list[object] = []
+    send_payloads: list[object] = []
+
+    async def fake_broadcast(packet: object, exclude: ServerConnection | None = None) -> None:
+        broadcast_payloads.append(packet)
+
+    async def fake_send(websocket: ServerConnection, packet: object) -> None:
+        send_payloads.append(packet)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_broadcast", fake_broadcast)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_send", fake_send)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_schedule_reboot", lambda _requested_by, _message: False)
+
+    await server._handle_message(client, json.dumps({"type": "chat_message", "message": "/reboot maintenance"}))
+
+    assert send_payloads == []
+    assert len(broadcast_payloads) == 1
+    packet = broadcast_payloads[0]
+    assert getattr(packet, "type", "") == "chat_message"
+    assert packet.system is True
+    assert packet.message == "Server reboot already in progress."