diff --git a/@packages/imessage/Sources/IMessageSync/SyncManager.swift b/@packages/imessage/Sources/IMessageSync/SyncManager.swift
index 8809415..4db7313 100644
--- a/@packages/imessage/Sources/IMessageSync/SyncManager.swift
+++ b/@packages/imessage/Sources/IMessageSync/SyncManager.swift
@@ -195,8 +195,13 @@ final class SyncManager: BaseSyncManager<SyncStats, SyncError> {
         // Initial-load path: server has nothing, stream a metadata-only batch
         // import (attachments without blob bytes). Subsequent cycles use the
         // standard incremental path with full attachment data.
-        if isInitialLoad && stats.messageCount == 0 {
-            log.info("Initial load detected - using batch sync")
+        // Re-enter performInitialSync whenever the server is empty. The previous
+        // gate flipped `isInitialLoad = false` after the first run regardless of
+        // success — a partial-failure run would then route to the incremental
+        // path on the next cycle even though the server still had zero messages,
+        // making the missing data unrecoverable without a manual restart.
+        if stats.messageCount == 0 {
+            log.info("Server empty — entering initial-batch sync path")
             activityLog.info("First sync detected - using optimized batch endpoint")
             await performInitialSync()
             isInitialLoad = false