diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
index a871e820309..bbf9b26c983 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/client.rs
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ impl ModelClient {
     ///
     /// This combines provider capability and feature gating; both must be true for websocket paths
     /// to be eligible.
-    fn responses_websocket_enabled(&self, model_info: &ModelInfo) -> bool {
+    pub fn responses_websocket_enabled(&self, model_info: &ModelInfo) -> bool {
         self.state.provider.supports_websockets
             && (self.state.enable_responses_websockets || model_info.prefer_websockets)
     }
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
index 54dd34dbb4c..fa856de54e7 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
@@ -4482,16 +4482,26 @@ async fn run_sampling_request(
                 "stream disconnected - retrying sampling request ({retries}/{max_retries} in {delay:?})...",
             );
 
-            // Surface retry information to any UI/front‑end so the
-            // user understands what is happening instead of staring
-            // at a seemingly frozen screen.
-            sess.notify_stream_error(
-                &turn_context,
-                format!("Reconnecting... {retries}/{max_retries}"),
-                err,
-            )
-            .await;
-
+            // In release builds, hide the first websocket retry notification to reduce noisy
+            // transient reconnect messages. In debug builds, keep full visibility for diagnosis.
+            let report_error = retries > 1
+                || cfg!(debug_assertions)
+                || !sess
+                    .services
+                    .model_client
+                    .responses_websocket_enabled(&turn_context.model_info);
+
+            if report_error {
+                // Surface retry information to any UI/front‑end so the
+                // user understands what is happening instead of staring
+                // at a seemingly frozen screen.
+                sess.notify_stream_error(
+                    &turn_context,
+                    format!("Reconnecting... {retries}/{max_retries}"),
+                    err,
+                )
+                .await;
+            }
             tokio::time::sleep(delay).await;
         } else {
             return Err(err);
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/websocket_fallback.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/websocket_fallback.rs
index 843f3168fbe..ceb7fc60576 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/websocket_fallback.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/websocket_fallback.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
 use codex_core::features::Feature;
+use codex_core::protocol::AskForApproval;
+use codex_core::protocol::EventMsg;
+use codex_core::protocol::Op;
+use codex_core::protocol::SandboxPolicy;
+use codex_protocol::config_types::ReasoningSummary;
+use codex_protocol::user_input::UserInput;
 use core_test_support::responses;
 use core_test_support::responses::ev_completed;
 use core_test_support::responses::ev_response_created;
@@ -7,8 +13,11 @@ use core_test_support::responses::mount_sse_once;
 use core_test_support::responses::mount_sse_sequence;
 use core_test_support::responses::sse;
 use core_test_support::skip_if_no_network;
+use core_test_support::test_codex::TestCodex;
 use core_test_support::test_codex::test_codex;
 use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
+use tokio::time::Duration;
+use tokio::time::timeout;
 use wiremock::Mock;
 use wiremock::ResponseTemplate;
 use wiremock::http::Method;
@@ -113,6 +122,77 @@ async fn websocket_fallback_switches_to_http_after_retries_exhausted() -> Result
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn websocket_fallback_hides_first_websocket_retry_stream_error() -> Result<()> {
+    skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));
+
+    let server = responses::start_mock_server().await;
+    let response_mock = mount_sse_once(
+        &server,
+        sse(vec![ev_response_created("resp-1"), ev_completed("resp-1")]),
+    )
+    .await;
+
+    let mut builder = test_codex().with_config({
+        let base_url = format!("{}/v1", server.uri());
+        move |config| {
+            config.model_provider.base_url = Some(base_url);
+            config.model_provider.wire_api = codex_core::WireApi::Responses;
+            config.features.enable(Feature::ResponsesWebsockets);
+            config.model_provider.stream_max_retries = Some(2);
+            config.model_provider.request_max_retries = Some(0);
+        }
+    });
+    let TestCodex {
+        codex,
+        session_configured,
+        cwd,
+        ..
+    } = builder.build(&server).await?;
+
+    codex
+        .submit(Op::UserTurn {
+            items: vec![UserInput::Text {
+                text: "hello".into(),
+                text_elements: Vec::new(),
+            }],
+            final_output_json_schema: None,
+            cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
+            approval_policy: AskForApproval::Never,
+            sandbox_policy: SandboxPolicy::DangerFullAccess,
+            model: session_configured.model.clone(),
+            effort: None,
+            summary: ReasoningSummary::Auto,
+            collaboration_mode: None,
+            personality: None,
+        })
+        .await?;
+
+    let mut stream_error_messages = Vec::new();
+    loop {
+        let event = timeout(Duration::from_secs(10), codex.next_event())
+            .await
+            .expect("timeout waiting for event")
+            .expect("event stream ended unexpectedly")
+            .msg;
+        match event {
+            EventMsg::StreamError(e) => stream_error_messages.push(e.message),
+            EventMsg::TurnComplete(_) => break,
+            _ => {}
+        }
+    }
+
+    let expected_stream_errors = if cfg!(debug_assertions) {
+        vec!["Reconnecting... 1/2", "Reconnecting... 2/2"]
+    } else {
+        vec!["Reconnecting... 2/2"]
+    };
+    assert_eq!(stream_error_messages, expected_stream_errors);
+    assert_eq!(response_mock.requests().len(), 1);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 async fn websocket_fallback_is_sticky_across_turns() -> Result<()> {
     skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));