diff --git a/app/components/TimeSeriesChart.tsx b/app/components/TimeSeriesChart.tsx
index f20828f46..a1834c034 100644
--- a/app/components/TimeSeriesChart.tsx
+++ b/app/components/TimeSeriesChart.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 import cn from 'classnames'
 import { format } from 'date-fns'
-import { useMemo } from 'react'
+import { useMemo, type ReactNode } from 'react'
 import {
   Area,
   AreaChart,
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ import {
 import type { TooltipProps } from 'recharts/types/component/Tooltip'
 
 import type { ChartDatum } from '@oxide/api'
-
-import { Spinner } from '~/ui/lib/Spinner'
+import { Error12Icon } from '@oxide/design-system/icons/react'
 
 // Recharts's built-in ticks behavior is useless and probably broken
 /**
@@ -119,6 +118,7 @@ type TimeSeriesChartProps = {
   unit?: string
   yAxisTickFormatter?: (val: number) => string
   hasBorder?: boolean
+  hasError?: boolean
 }
 
 const TICK_COUNT = 6
@@ -130,6 +130,41 @@ function roundUpToDivBy(value: number, divisor: number) {
   return Math.ceil(value / divisor) * divisor
 }
 
+// this top margin is also in the chart, probably want a way of unifying the sizing between the two
+const SkeletonMetric = ({
+  children,
+  shimmer = false,
+  className,
+}: {
+  children: ReactNode
+  shimmer?: boolean
+  className?: string
+}) => (
+  <div className="relative flex h-[300px] w-full items-center">
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        shimmer && 'motion-safe:animate-pulse',
+        'absolute inset-0 bottom-11',
+        className
+      )}
+    >
+      <div className="flex h-full flex-col justify-between">
+        {[...Array(4)].map((_e, i) => (
+          <div key={i} className="h-px w-full bg-[--stroke-secondary]" />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex justify-between">
+        {[...Array(8)].map((_e, i) => (
+          <div key={i} className="h-1.5 w-px bg-[--stroke-secondary]" />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+    <div className="relative flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center pb-11">
+      {children}
+    </div>
+  </div>
+)
+
 // default export is most convenient for dynamic import
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-default-export
 export default function TimeSeriesChart({
@@ -144,6 +179,7 @@ export default function TimeSeriesChart({
   unit,
   yAxisTickFormatter = (val) => val.toLocaleString(),
   hasBorder = true,
+  hasError = false,
 }: TimeSeriesChartProps) {
   // We use the largest data point +20% for the graph scale. !rawData doesn't
   // mean it's empty (it will never be empty because we fill in artificial 0s at
@@ -174,22 +210,44 @@ export default function TimeSeriesChart({
   // re-render on every render of the parent when the data is undefined
   const data = useMemo(() => rawData || [], [rawData])
 
-  if (!data || data.length === 0) {
+  const wrapperClass = cn(className, hasBorder && 'rounded-lg border border-default')
+
+  if (hasError) {
     return (
-      <div className="flex h-[300px] w-full items-center justify-center">
-        <div className="m-4 flex max-w-[18rem] flex-col items-center text-center">
-          <Spinner variant="secondary" />
-        </div>
-      </div>
+      <SkeletonMetric className={wrapperClass}>
+        <>
+          <div className="z-10 flex w-52 flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1">
+            <div className="my-2 flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center">
+              <div className="absolute h-8 w-8 rounded-full opacity-20 bg-destructive motion-safe:animate-[ping_2s_cubic-bezier(0,0,0.2,1)_infinite]" />
+              <Error12Icon className="relative h-6 w-6 text-error-tertiary" />
+            </div>
+            <div className="text-semi-lg text-center text-raise">Something went wrong</div>
+            <div className="text-center text-sans-md text-secondary">
+              Try refreshing the page, or contact your project admin
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          <div
+            className="absolute inset-x-0 bottom-12 top-1 bg-accent-secondary"
+            style={{
+              background:
+                'radial-gradient(197.76% 54.9% at 50% 50%, var(--surface-default) 0%, rgba(8, 15, 17, 0.00) 100%)',
+            }}
+          />
+        </>
+      </SkeletonMetric>
+    )
+  } else if (!data || data.length === 0) {
+    return (
+      <SkeletonMetric shimmer className={wrapperClass}>
+        <MetricsLoadingIndicator />
+      </SkeletonMetric>
     )
   }
 
   return (
     <div className="h-[300px] w-full">
       {/* temporary until we migrate the old metrics to the new style */}
-      <ResponsiveContainer
-        className={cn(className, hasBorder && 'rounded-lg border border-default')}
-      >
+      <ResponsiveContainer className={wrapperClass}>
         <AreaChart
           width={width}
           height={height}
@@ -248,3 +306,11 @@ export default function TimeSeriesChart({
     </div>
   )
 }
+
+const MetricsLoadingIndicator = () => (
+  <div className="metrics-loading-indicator">
+    <span></span>
+    <span></span>
+    <span></span>
+  </div>
+)
diff --git a/app/components/oxql-metrics/OxqlMetric.tsx b/app/components/oxql-metrics/OxqlMetric.tsx
index 87bac5a66..8dd1a73a7 100644
--- a/app/components/oxql-metrics/OxqlMetric.tsx
+++ b/app/components/oxql-metrics/OxqlMetric.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,15 @@
  * https://github.com/oxidecomputer/omicron/tree/main/oximeter/oximeter/schema
  */
 
-import React, { Suspense, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import {
+  Children,
+  lazy,
+  Suspense,
+  useEffect,
+  useMemo,
+  useState,
+  type ReactNode,
+} from 'react'
 
 import { useApiQuery } from '@oxide/api'
 
@@ -32,7 +40,7 @@ import {
   type OxqlQuery,
 } from './util'
 
-const TimeSeriesChart = React.lazy(() => import('~/components/TimeSeriesChart'))
+const TimeSeriesChart = lazy(() => import('~/components/TimeSeriesChart'))
 
 export type OxqlMetricProps = OxqlQuery & {
   title: string
@@ -43,7 +51,7 @@ export function OxqlMetric({ title, description, ...queryObj }: OxqlMetricProps)
   // only start reloading data once an intial dataset has been loaded
   const { setIsIntervalPickerEnabled } = useMetricsContext()
   const query = toOxqlStr(queryObj)
-  const { data: metrics } = useApiQuery(
+  const { data: metrics, error } = useApiQuery(
     'systemTimeseriesQuery',
     { body: { query } },
     // avoid graphs flashing blank while loading when you change the time
@@ -80,10 +88,8 @@ export function OxqlMetric({ title, description, ...queryObj }: OxqlMetricProps)
           label="Instance actions"
           actions={[
             {
-              label: 'About this metric',
+              label: 'About metric',
               onActivate: () => {
-                // Turn into a real link when this is fixed
-                // https://github.com/oxidecomputer/console/issues/1855
                 const url = links.oxqlSchemaDocs(queryObj.metricName)
                 window.open(url, '_blank', 'noopener,noreferrer')
               },
@@ -106,10 +112,9 @@ export function OxqlMetric({ title, description, ...queryObj }: OxqlMetricProps)
           <HighlightedOxqlQuery {...queryObj} />
         </CopyCodeModal>
       </div>
-      <div className="px-6 py-5">
+      <div className="px-6 py-5 pt-8">
         <Suspense fallback={<div className="h-[300px]" />}>
           <TimeSeriesChart
-            className="mt-3"
             title={title}
             startTime={startTime}
             endTime={endTime}
@@ -119,6 +124,7 @@ export function OxqlMetric({ title, description, ...queryObj }: OxqlMetricProps)
             width={480}
             height={240}
             hasBorder={false}
+            hasError={!!error}
           />
         </Suspense>
       </div>
@@ -126,9 +132,9 @@ export function OxqlMetric({ title, description, ...queryObj }: OxqlMetricProps)
   )
 }
 
-export const MetricHeader = ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => {
+export const MetricHeader = ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => {
   // If header has only one child, align it to the end of the container
-  const justify = React.Children.count(children) === 1 ? 'justify-end' : 'justify-between'
+  const justify = Children.count(children) === 1 ? 'justify-end' : 'justify-between'
   return (
     <div className={`flex flex-col gap-2 ${justify} mt-8 @[48rem]:flex-row`}>
       {children}
diff --git a/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab.tsx b/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab.tsx
index bb6dd336e..85adbc4c5 100644
--- a/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab.tsx
+++ b/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab.tsx
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export const MetricsTab = () => {
 
   const { intervalPicker } = useIntervalPicker({
     enabled: isIntervalPickerEnabled && preset !== 'custom',
-    isLoading: useIsFetching({ queryKey: ['siloMetric'] }) > 0,
+    isLoading: useIsFetching({ queryKey: ['systemTimeseriesQuery'] }) > 0,
     // sliding the range forward is sufficient to trigger a refetch
     fn: () => onRangeChange(preset),
     isSlim: true,
diff --git a/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab/CpuMetricsTab.tsx b/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab/CpuMetricsTab.tsx
index 82fb9f831..1d42fa32f 100644
--- a/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab/CpuMetricsTab.tsx
+++ b/app/pages/project/instances/instance/tabs/MetricsTab/CpuMetricsTab.tsx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export function Component() {
     { label: 'State: Emulating', value: 'emulation' },
     { label: 'State: Idling', value: 'idle' },
     { label: 'State: Waiting', value: 'waiting' },
-    { label: 'See all states', value: 'all' },
+    { label: 'All states', value: 'all' },
   ]
 
   const [selectedState, setSelectedState] = useState(stateItems[0].value)
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export function Component() {
   const title = `CPU Utilization: ${stateItems
     .find((i) => i.value === selectedState)
     ?.label.replace('State: ', '')
-    .replace('See all states', 'Total')}`
+    .replace('All states', 'Total')}`
   const state = selectedState === 'all' ? undefined : selectedState
   return (
     <>
diff --git a/app/ui/lib/Spinner.tsx b/app/ui/lib/Spinner.tsx
index e9d6d9dad..5d828a140 100644
--- a/app/ui/lib/Spinner.tsx
+++ b/app/ui/lib/Spinner.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import cn from 'classnames'
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react'
 
-export const spinnerSizes = ['base', 'lg'] as const
+export const spinnerSizes = ['base', 'md', 'lg'] as const
 export const spinnerVariants = ['primary', 'secondary', 'ghost', 'danger'] as const
 export type SpinnerSize = (typeof spinnerSizes)[number]
 export type SpinnerVariant = (typeof spinnerVariants)[number]
@@ -19,15 +19,35 @@ interface SpinnerProps {
   variant?: SpinnerVariant
 }
 
+const SPINNER_DIMENSIONS = {
+  base: {
+    frameSize: 12,
+    center: 6,
+    radius: 5,
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+  md: {
+    frameSize: 24,
+    center: 12,
+    radius: 10,
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+  lg: {
+    frameSize: 36,
+    center: 18,
+    radius: 16,
+    strokeWidth: 3,
+  },
+} as const
+
 export const Spinner = ({
   className,
   size = 'base',
   variant = 'primary',
 }: SpinnerProps) => {
-  const frameSize = size === 'lg' ? 36 : 12
-  const center = size === 'lg' ? 18 : 6
-  const radius = size === 'lg' ? 16 : 5
-  const strokeWidth = size === 'lg' ? 3 : 2
+  const dimensions = SPINNER_DIMENSIONS[size]
+  const { frameSize, center, radius, strokeWidth } = dimensions
+
   return (
     <svg
       width={frameSize}
diff --git a/app/ui/styles/components/spinner.css b/app/ui/styles/components/spinner.css
index 9d423fcfc..495e45363 100644
--- a/app/ui/styles/components/spinner.css
+++ b/app/ui/styles/components/spinner.css
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
- *  
+ *
  * Copyright Oxide Computer Company
  */
 
@@ -13,16 +13,21 @@
   animation: rotate 5s linear infinite;
 }
 
+.spinner.spinner-md {
+  --radius: 8;
+  --circumference: calc(var(--PI) * var(--radius) * 2px);
+}
+
 .spinner.spinner-lg {
-  --radius: 10;
-  --circumference: calc(var(--PI) * var(--radius) * 3px);
+  --radius: 14;
+  --circumference: calc(var(--PI) * var(--radius) * 2px);
 }
 
 .spinner .path {
   stroke-dasharray: var(--circumference);
   transform-origin: center;
   animation: dash 8s ease-in-out infinite;
-  stroke: var(--content-accent);
+  stroke: var(--content-accent-tertiary);
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion) {
@@ -36,6 +41,10 @@
     stroke-dashoffset: 100;
   }
 
+  .spinner-md .path {
+    stroke-dasharray: 30;
+  }
+
   .spinner-lg .path {
     stroke-dasharray: 50;
   }
@@ -56,7 +65,7 @@
 
 .spinner-danger .bg,
 .spinner-danger .path {
-  stroke: var(--content-destructive);
+  stroke: var(--content-destructive-tertiary);
 }
 
 @keyframes rotate {
@@ -73,3 +82,39 @@
     stroke-dashoffset: calc(var(--circumference) * -1);
   }
 }
+
+.metrics-loading-indicator {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: end;
+  justify-content: space-around;
+  width: 12px;
+  height: 10px;
+}
+
+.metrics-loading-indicator span {
+  @apply block h-1 w-[3px] rounded-[1px] bg-[--theme-accent-500];
+  animation: stretch 1.8s infinite both;
+}
+
+.metrics-loading-indicator span:nth-child(1) {
+  animation-delay: -0.4s;
+}
+
+.metrics-loading-indicator span:nth-child(2) {
+  animation-delay: -0.2s;
+}
+
+@keyframes stretch {
+  0%,
+  60%,
+  100% {
+    height: 4px;
+  }
+  30% {
+    height: 10px;
+  }
+  70%,
+  90% {
+    height: 4px;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/mock-api/msw/handlers.ts b/mock-api/msw/handlers.ts
index dbce9800a..6a593dd31 100644
--- a/mock-api/msw/handlers.ts
+++ b/mock-api/msw/handlers.ts
@@ -1598,8 +1598,17 @@ export const handlers = makeHandlers({
     requireFleetViewer(params.cookies)
     return handleMetrics(params)
   },
-  systemTimeseriesQuery(params) {
+  async systemTimeseriesQuery(params) {
+    // Randomly simulate a failure
+    if (Math.random() > 0.95) {
+      throw 500
+    }
     requireFleetViewer(params.cookies)
+
+    // Add delay to more accurately simulate timeseries
+    // queries are slower than most other queries
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000))
+
     return handleOxqlMetrics(params.body)
   },
   siloMetric: handleMetrics,
diff --git a/tailwind.config.ts b/tailwind.config.ts
index 8f081c1a8..48add3d7c 100644
--- a/tailwind.config.ts
+++ b/tailwind.config.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export default {
     },
     animation: {
       'spin-slow': 'spin 5s linear infinite',
+      pulse: 'pulse 2s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.6,1) infinite',
     },
   },
   plugins: [