diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 6548fc0..a95f7e5 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -195,6 +195,49 @@ function updateSporeClient() {
   }
 }
 
+// Helper: perform an operation against the current primary, failing over to other discovered nodes if needed
+async function performWithFailover(operation) {
+  // Build candidate list: current primary first, then others by most recently seen
+  const candidateIps = [];
+  if (primaryNodeIp && discoveredNodes.has(primaryNodeIp)) {
+    candidateIps.push(primaryNodeIp);
+  }
+  const others = Array.from(discoveredNodes.values())
+    .filter(n => n.ip !== primaryNodeIp)
+    .sort((a, b) => b.lastSeen - a.lastSeen)
+    .map(n => n.ip);
+  candidateIps.push(...others);
+
+  if (candidateIps.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error('No SPORE nodes discovered');
+  }
+
+  let lastError = null;
+  for (const ip of candidateIps) {
+    try {
+      const client = (sporeClient && ip === primaryNodeIp)
+        ? sporeClient
+        : initializeSporeClient(ip);
+      if (!client) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to initialize client for ${ip}`);
+      }
+      const result = await operation(client, ip);
+      if (ip !== primaryNodeIp) {
+        primaryNodeIp = ip;
+        sporeClient = client;
+        console.log(`Failover: switched primary node to ${ip}`);
+      }
+      return result;
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.warn(`Primary attempt on ${ip} failed: ${err.message}`);
+      lastError = err;
+      continue;
+    }
+  }
+
+  throw lastError || new Error('All discovered nodes failed');
+}
+
 // Set up periodic tasks
 setInterval(() => {
   cleanupStaleNodes();
@@ -335,19 +378,19 @@ app.post('/api/discovery/primary/:ip', (req, res) => {
 // API endpoint to get cluster members
 app.get('/api/cluster/members', async (req, res) => {
   try {
-    if (!sporeClient) {
+    if (discoveredNodes.size === 0) {
       return res.status(503).json({ 
         error: 'Service unavailable',
         message: 'No SPORE nodes discovered yet. Waiting for CLUSTER_DISCOVERY messages...',
         discoveredNodes: Array.from(discoveredNodes.keys())
       });
     }
-    
-    const members = await sporeClient.getClusterStatus();
+
+    const members = await performWithFailover((client) => client.getClusterStatus());
     res.json(members);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error fetching cluster members:', error);
-    res.status(500).json({ 
+    res.status(502).json({ 
       error: 'Failed to fetch cluster members',
       message: error.message 
     });
@@ -373,19 +416,19 @@ app.get('/api/tasks/status', async (req, res) => {
       }
     }
 
-    if (!sporeClient) {
+    if (discoveredNodes.size === 0) {
       return res.status(503).json({ 
         error: 'Service unavailable',
         message: 'No SPORE nodes discovered yet. Waiting for CLUSTER_DISCOVERY messages...',
         discoveredNodes: Array.from(discoveredNodes.keys())
       });
     }
-    
-    const taskStatus = await sporeClient.getTaskStatus();
+
+    const taskStatus = await performWithFailover((client) => client.getTaskStatus());
     res.json(taskStatus);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error fetching task status:', error);
-    res.status(500).json({ 
+    res.status(502).json({ 
       error: 'Failed to fetch task status',
       message: error.message 
     });
@@ -395,7 +438,7 @@ app.get('/api/tasks/status', async (req, res) => {
 // API endpoint to get system status
 app.get('/api/node/status', async (req, res) => {
 	try {
-		if (!sporeClient) {
+		if (discoveredNodes.size === 0) {
 			return res.status(503).json({ 
 				error: 'Service unavailable',
 				message: 'No SPORE nodes discovered yet. Waiting for CLUSTER_DISCOVERY messages...',
@@ -403,11 +446,11 @@ app.get('/api/node/status', async (req, res) => {
 			});
 		}
 		
-		const systemStatus = await sporeClient.getSystemStatus();
+		const systemStatus = await performWithFailover((client) => client.getSystemStatus());
 		res.json(systemStatus);
 	} catch (error) {
 		console.error('Error fetching system status:', error);
-		res.status(500).json({ 
+		res.status(502).json({ 
 			error: 'Failed to fetch system status',
 			message: error.message 
 		});
@@ -433,7 +476,7 @@ app.get('/api/capabilities', async (req, res) => {
       }
     }
 
-    if (!sporeClient) {
+    if (discoveredNodes.size === 0) {
       return res.status(503).json({ 
         error: 'Service unavailable',
         message: 'No SPORE nodes discovered yet. Waiting for CLUSTER_DISCOVERY messages...',
@@ -441,11 +484,11 @@ app.get('/api/capabilities', async (req, res) => {
       });
     }
 
-    const caps = await sporeClient.getCapabilities();
+    const caps = await performWithFailover((client) => client.getCapabilities());
     return res.json(caps);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error fetching capabilities:', error);
-    return res.status(500).json({
+    return res.status(502).json({
       error: 'Failed to fetch capabilities',
       message: error.message
     });
diff --git a/public/components.js b/public/components.js
index a3fa438..6dcd737 100644
--- a/public/components.js
+++ b/public/components.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class PrimaryNodeComponent extends Component {
         this.subscribeToProperty('primaryNode', this.render.bind(this));
         this.subscribeToProperty('clientInitialized', this.render.bind(this));
         this.subscribeToProperty('totalNodes', this.render.bind(this));
+        this.subscribeToProperty('onlineNodes', this.render.bind(this));
         this.subscribeToProperty('error', this.render.bind(this));
     }
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class PrimaryNodeComponent extends Component {
         const primaryNode = this.viewModel.get('primaryNode');
         const clientInitialized = this.viewModel.get('clientInitialized');
         const totalNodes = this.viewModel.get('totalNodes');
+        const onlineNodes = this.viewModel.get('onlineNodes');
         const error = this.viewModel.get('error');
 
         if (error) {
@@ -44,7 +46,9 @@ class PrimaryNodeComponent extends Component {
         }
 
         const status = clientInitialized ? '✅' : '⚠️';
-        const nodeCount = totalNodes > 1 ? ` (${totalNodes} nodes)` : '';
+        const nodeCount = (onlineNodes && onlineNodes > 0)
+            ? ` (${onlineNodes}/${totalNodes} online)`
+            : (totalNodes > 1 ? ` (${totalNodes} nodes)` : '');
         
         this.setText('#primary-node-ip', `${status} ${primaryNode}${nodeCount}`);
         this.setClass('#primary-node-ip', 'error', false);
diff --git a/public/view-models.js b/public/view-models.js
index c799617..79c05ce 100644
--- a/public/view-models.js
+++ b/public/view-models.js
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ class ClusterViewModel extends ViewModel {
             error: null,
             expandedCards: new Map(),
             activeTabs: new Map(), // Store active tab for each node
-            lastUpdateTime: null
+            lastUpdateTime: null,
+            onlineNodes: 0
         });
         
         // Initialize cluster status after a short delay to allow components to subscribe
@@ -39,10 +40,16 @@ class ClusterViewModel extends ViewModel {
             const response = await window.apiClient.getClusterMembers();
             console.log('ClusterViewModel: Got response:', response);
             
+            const members = response.members || [];
+            const onlineNodes = Array.isArray(members)
+                ? members.filter(m => m && m.status === 'active').length
+                : 0;
+            
             // Use batch update to preserve UI state
             this.batchUpdate({
-                members: response.members || [],
-                lastUpdateTime: new Date().toISOString()
+                members: members,
+                lastUpdateTime: new Date().toISOString(),
+                onlineNodes: onlineNodes
             }, { preserveUIState: true });
             
             // Restore expanded cards and active tabs