diff --git a/app/src/components/skills/MeetingBotsCard.tsx b/app/src/components/skills/MeetingBotsCard.tsx
index 9f20fcbf05..c69ce0dd5d 100644
--- a/app/src/components/skills/MeetingBotsCard.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/skills/MeetingBotsCard.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { type RefObject, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } fro
 import { type MascotFace, RiveMascot } from '../../features/human/Mascot';
 import { useT } from '../../lib/i18n/I18nContext';
 import {
+  isCapacityGateMessage,
   joinMeetViaBackendBot,
   leaveBackendMeetBot,
   listMeetCalls,
@@ -260,7 +261,12 @@ function MeetingBotsInline({ onToast, hasSubmittedRef }: MeetingBotsInlineProps)
     if (!hasSubmittedRef.current) return;
     if (meetStatus === 'error') {
       hasSubmittedRef.current = false;
-      const message = meetError?.trim() || t('skills.meetingBots.failedToStart');
+      const raw = meetError?.trim() || t('skills.meetingBots.failedToStart');
+      // A capacity-gate error carries the backend's terse "…try again later."
+      // wording; show the tailored, actionable (and localized) copy instead (#4151).
+      const message = isCapacityGateMessage(raw)
+        ? t('skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded')
+        : raw;
       setError(message);
       setSubmitting(false);
       onToast?.({ type: 'error', title: t('skills.meetingBots.couldNotStartTitle'), message });
@@ -288,7 +294,10 @@ function MeetingBotsInline({ onToast, hasSubmittedRef }: MeetingBotsInlineProps)
         listenOnly,
       });
     } catch (err) {
-      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : t('skills.meetingBots.failedToStart');
+      const raw = err instanceof Error ? err.message : t('skills.meetingBots.failedToStart');
+      const message = isCapacityGateMessage(raw)
+        ? t('skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded')
+        : raw;
       setError(message);
       setSubmitting(false);
       hasSubmittedRef.current = false;
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/ar.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/ar.ts
index e423c5dec7..cdd0566a58 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/ar.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/ar.ts
@@ -5033,6 +5033,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'تكبير',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'إرسال إلى',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'يشهد OpenHuman ضغطًا كبيرًا في الوقت الحالي. يُرجى المحاولة مرة أخرى بعد بضع دقائق.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'قريبًا',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'جارٍ البدء…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'مكالمات الاجتماعات الأخيرة',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/bn.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/bn.ts
index d78c723df6..00a2bb0161 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/bn.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/bn.ts
@@ -5136,6 +5136,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'মাইক্রোসফট টিম',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'জুম',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'পাঠান',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman এই মুহূর্তে অত্যধিক চাপের মধ্যে রয়েছে। অনুগ্রহ করে কয়েক মিনিট পরে আবার চেষ্টা করুন।',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'শীঘ্রই',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'শুরু হচ্ছে…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'সাম্প্রতিক মিটিং কল',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/de.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/de.ts
index 9f8c94d95a..cd2271232d 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/de.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/de.ts
@@ -5267,6 +5267,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Senden an',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman ist gerade stark ausgelastet. Bitte versuche es in ein paar Minuten erneut.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'bald',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Beginnend mit …',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Letzte Meeting-Anrufe',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/en.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
index 7f643d22d5..c8cc0944ee 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/en.ts
@@ -5783,6 +5783,8 @@ const en: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Send to {label}',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman is under heavy load right now. Please try again in a few minutes.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'soon',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Starting…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Recent meeting calls',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/es.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/es.ts
index 54d425ab87..16d93e083f 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/es.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/es.ts
@@ -5231,6 +5231,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Equipos de Microsoft',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Ampliar',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Enviar a',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman tiene una carga muy alta en este momento. Inténtalo de nuevo en unos minutos.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'pronto',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Iniciando…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Llamadas de reunión recientes',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/fr.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/fr.ts
index 79da3501b5..954d809867 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/fr.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/fr.ts
@@ -5252,6 +5252,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Envoyer à',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman est actuellement très sollicité. Veuillez réessayer dans quelques minutes.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'bientôt',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Démarrage…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Appels de réunion récents',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/hi.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/hi.ts
index d760158c4d..8c760b5cfe 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/hi.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/hi.ts
@@ -5139,6 +5139,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'माइक्रोसॉफ्ट टीमें',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'ज़ूम करें',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'भेजें',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman अभी भारी लोड में है। कृपया कुछ मिनटों में फिर से प्रयास करें।',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'जल्द ही',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'शुरू हो रहा है…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'हाल की मीटिंग कॉल',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/id.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/id.ts
index 0318f0604f..409091f0a6 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/id.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/id.ts
@@ -5154,6 +5154,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Kirim ke',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman sedang menerima beban tinggi saat ini. Silakan coba lagi dalam beberapa menit.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'segera',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Memulai...',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Panggilan rapat terbaru',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/it.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/it.ts
index 9aafd277af..6890038368 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/it.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/it.ts
@@ -5220,6 +5220,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Invia a',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman è sottoposto a un carico elevato in questo momento. Riprova tra qualche minuto.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'presto',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Avvio…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Chiamate recenti delle riunioni',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/ko.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/ko.ts
index c64bcae8d5..e787c158c8 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/ko.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/ko.ts
@@ -5089,6 +5089,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': '보내기',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    '현재 OpenHuman의 부하가 매우 높습니다. 몇 분 후에 다시 시도해 주세요.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': '곧',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': '시작 중…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': '최근 회의 통화',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/pl.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/pl.ts
index 09087fa9e5..720fb8c38d 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/pl.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/pl.ts
@@ -5208,6 +5208,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Wyślij do',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman jest teraz mocno obciążony. Spróbuj ponownie za kilka minut.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'wkrótce',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Uruchamianie…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Ostatnie rozmowy na spotkaniach',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/pt.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/pt.ts
index 00e4c583eb..52c428d680 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/pt.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/pt.ts
@@ -5223,6 +5223,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Enviar para',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'O OpenHuman está sob carga intensa no momento. Tente novamente em alguns minutos.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'em breve',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Iniciando…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Chamadas de reunião recentes',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
index 55d2f418b1..854c3af840 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/ru.ts
@@ -5182,6 +5182,8 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': 'Microsoft Teams',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': 'Zoom',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': 'Отправить',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded':
+    'OpenHuman сейчас сильно загружен. Пожалуйста, повторите попытку через несколько минут.',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': 'скоро',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': 'Запуск…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': 'Недавние звонки на встречах',
diff --git a/app/src/lib/i18n/zh-CN.ts b/app/src/lib/i18n/zh-CN.ts
index 68c058d038..1600cd63f3 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/i18n/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/i18n/zh-CN.ts
@@ -4883,6 +4883,7 @@ const messages: TranslationMap = {
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.teams': '微软团队',
   'skills.meetingBots.platforms.zoom': '变焦',
   'skills.meetingBots.sendTo': '发送到会议',
+  'skills.meetingBots.serverOverloaded': 'OpenHuman 当前负载过高，请几分钟后重试。',
   'skills.meetingBots.soonSuffix': '很快',
   'skills.meetingBots.starting': '启动中…',
   'skills.meetingBots.recentCallsAriaLabel': '最近的会议通话',
diff --git a/app/src/services/__tests__/joinMeetingViaMascotBot.test.ts b/app/src/services/__tests__/joinMeetingViaMascotBot.test.ts
index aa444564c7..1ef9d844fa 100644
--- a/app/src/services/__tests__/joinMeetingViaMascotBot.test.ts
+++ b/app/src/services/__tests__/joinMeetingViaMascotBot.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 import {
+  isCapacityGateMessage,
   joinMeetingViaMascotBot,
   type MascotJoinMeetingError,
   SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE,
@@ -49,8 +50,14 @@ describe('joinMeetingViaMascotBot', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('flags SERVER_OVERLOADED responses with isCapacityGated=true', async () => {
-    postMock.mockRejectedValueOnce({ success: false, error: SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE });
+  it('flags the real backend SERVER_OVERLOADED wording and shows the tailored copy (#4151)', async () => {
+    // The VERBATIM backend message (backend src/utils/paidPlan.ts) — NOT the
+    // frontend's friendly constant. Mocking the real wire string is what makes
+    // this test catch the prior exact-equality mismatch that leaked the generic
+    // "…try again later." text to users.
+    const BACKEND_CAPACITY_MESSAGE =
+      'Mascot streaming capacity is exhausted. Please try again later.';
+    postMock.mockRejectedValueOnce({ success: false, error: BACKEND_CAPACITY_MESSAGE });
     let caught: MascotJoinMeetingError | undefined;
     try {
       await joinMeetingViaMascotBot({ platform: 'gmeet', meetUrl: 'https://meet.google.com/abc' });
@@ -58,6 +65,7 @@ describe('joinMeetingViaMascotBot', () => {
       caught = e as MascotJoinMeetingError;
     }
     expect(caught?.isCapacityGated).toBe(true);
+    // The tailored, actionable copy is surfaced — not the raw backend string.
     expect(caught?.message).toBe(SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE);
   });
 
@@ -75,3 +83,21 @@ describe('joinMeetingViaMascotBot', () => {
     ).rejects.toMatchObject({ isCapacityGated: false, message: 'network down' });
   });
 });
+
+describe('isCapacityGateMessage', () => {
+  it('matches the real backend capacity wording (and case/wording drift)', () => {
+    expect(
+      isCapacityGateMessage('Mascot streaming capacity is exhausted. Please try again later.')
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage('MASCOT STREAMING CAPACITY IS EXHAUSTED.')).toBe(true);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage('Streaming capacity reached — retry soon')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('does not match unrelated errors or empty input', () => {
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage('Bad Request')).toBe(false);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage('network down')).toBe(false);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage('')).toBe(false);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage(null)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isCapacityGateMessage(undefined)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/app/src/services/meetCallService.ts b/app/src/services/meetCallService.ts
index 24115d7a72..c68cd3a61d 100644
--- a/app/src/services/meetCallService.ts
+++ b/app/src/services/meetCallService.ts
@@ -334,13 +334,34 @@ export interface MascotJoinMeetingResult {
 }
 
 /**
- * The 429 capacity-gate message the backend emits for free users. Treated
- * as the canonical user-facing copy so the UI can show a tailored notice
- * without leaking the underlying paid-plan rule.
+ * Tailored, actionable user-facing copy shown when the backend's capacity gate
+ * trips — replaces the backend's terse "…Please try again later." with retry
+ * guidance, without leaking the underlying paid-plan rule.
  */
 export const SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE =
   'OpenHuman is under heavy load right now. Please try again in a few minutes.';
 
+/**
+ * Recognize the backend's free-user capacity-gate response (`SERVER_OVERLOADED`,
+ * backend `paidPlan.ts` → `"Mascot streaming capacity is exhausted. Please try
+ * again later."`).
+ *
+ * The shared `apiClient` drops `errorCode` from error bodies (`apiClient.ts`
+ * only forwards `error` + `message`), so the message text is the only signal
+ * that survives. Detection therefore MUST key on the backend wording — it used
+ * to be compared for exact equality against [`SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE`], but
+ * that constant was changed to friendlier copy and no longer matches the
+ * backend string, so the check silently never fired and the raw generic
+ * "…try again later." leaked to the user instead of the tailored notice
+ * (#4151). Match a stable substring, case-insensitively, so minor wording drift
+ * on either side still resolves to the actionable message.
+ */
+export function isCapacityGateMessage(text: string | null | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!text) return false;
+  const t = text.toLowerCase();
+  return t.includes('streaming capacity') || t.includes('capacity is exhausted');
+}
+
 export interface MascotJoinMeetingError {
   /** User-safe error text. Falls back to a generic message. */
   message: string;
@@ -379,8 +400,13 @@ export async function joinMeetingViaMascotBot(
       : err instanceof Error
         ? err.message
         : 'Failed to start meeting bot.';
-    const isCapacityGated = text === SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE;
-    const wrapped: MascotJoinMeetingError = { message: text, isCapacityGated };
+    const isCapacityGated = isCapacityGateMessage(text);
+    // When capacity-gated, surface the tailored, actionable copy instead of the
+    // backend's raw "…try again later." string (#4151).
+    const wrapped: MascotJoinMeetingError = {
+      message: isCapacityGated ? SERVER_OVERLOADED_MESSAGE : text,
+      isCapacityGated,
+    };
     throw wrapped;
   }
 }