diff --git a/src/modules/billing/components/billing.subscriptions.component.vue b/src/modules/billing/components/billing.subscriptions.component.vue
index ba197040b..008e224cd 100644
--- a/src/modules/billing/components/billing.subscriptions.component.vue
+++ b/src/modules/billing/components/billing.subscriptions.component.vue
@@ -198,6 +198,21 @@
 
       <!-- ── Meter mode sections (gated) ──────────────────────────────── -->
       <template v-if="meterMode">
+        <!-- ── Meter polling error ──────────────────────────────── -->
+        <v-alert
+          v-if="meterError"
+          type="warning"
+          variant="tonal"
+          density="compact"
+          closable
+          class="mb-4"
+          :icon="'fa-solid fa-triangle-exclamation'"
+          aria-live="polite"
+          @click:close="meterError = null"
+        >
+          {{ $t('billing.meter.error.refreshFailed') }}
+        </v-alert>
+
         <!-- Usage bar (informational, opt-in here in account context) -->
         <BillingUsageBarComponent
           mode="meter"
@@ -257,43 +272,6 @@
       v-model="extrasCheckoutDialog"
       :packs="extrasPacks"
     />
-
-    <!-- Bonus: 409 subscription_already_active dialog -->
-    <v-dialog v-model="alreadyActiveDialog" max-width="480">
-      <v-card :class="config.vuetify.theme.rounded" class="pa-6">
-        <div class="d-flex align-center mb-3">
-          <v-icon icon="fa-solid fa-circle-check" color="success" size="small" class="mr-2" />
-          <span class="text-title-medium font-weight-medium">
-            {{ $t('billing.checkout.error.alreadyActive.title') }}
-          </span>
-        </div>
-        <p class="text-body-medium text-medium-emphasis mb-6">
-          {{ $t('billing.checkout.error.alreadyActive.message') }}
-        </p>
-        <div class="d-flex ga-3 justify-end">
-          <v-btn
-            variant="outlined"
-            :class="config.vuetify.theme.rounded"
-            class="text-none text-body-medium"
-            @click="alreadyActiveDialog = false"
-          >
-            {{ $t('billing.checkout.error.alreadyActive.close') }}
-          </v-btn>
-          <v-btn
-            v-if="alreadyActivePortalUrl"
-            color="primary"
-            variant="flat"
-            :class="config.vuetify.theme.rounded"
-            class="text-none text-body-medium"
-            :href="alreadyActivePortalUrl"
-            target="_blank"
-            rel="noopener noreferrer"
-          >
-            {{ $t('billing.checkout.error.alreadyActive.cta') }}
-          </v-btn>
-        </div>
-      </v-card>
-    </v-dialog>
   </v-container>
 </template>
 
@@ -366,6 +344,7 @@ export default {
       breakdown: meterBreakdown,
       overage: meterOverage,
       netRemainingRaw: meterNetRemainingRaw,
+      meterError,
     } = meter;
 
     const meterMode = computed(() => authStore.serverConfig?.billing?.meterMode === true);
@@ -392,6 +371,7 @@ export default {
       meterBreakdown,
       meterOverage,
       meterNetRemainingRaw,
+      meterError,
     };
   },
   data() {
@@ -413,9 +393,6 @@ export default {
       checkoutPollSnapshotPlan: null,
       // V5 P2: visibility-change subscription refresh debounce (timestamp of last fetch)
       subscriptionLastFetchedAt: 0,
-      // Bonus: 409 already-active dialog
-      alreadyActiveDialog: false,
-      alreadyActivePortalUrl: null,
     };
   },
   computed: {
@@ -864,28 +841,6 @@ export default {
         console.error('Failed to load ledger page:', error);
       }
     },
-
-    /**
-     * @desc Show the 409 already-active dialog with a validated portal URL.
-     * Only accepts HTTPS URLs to guard against malformed or compromised payloads.
-     * Called by consumers (e.g. pricing view) that catch the structured error.
-     * @param {string} portalUrl - Stripe customer portal URL from the 409 payload
-     * @returns {void}
-     */
-    showAlreadyActiveDialog(portalUrl) {
-      this.alreadyActivePortalUrl = null;
-      if (portalUrl) {
-        try {
-          const parsed = new URL(portalUrl);
-          if (parsed.protocol === 'https:') {
-            this.alreadyActivePortalUrl = parsed.toString();
-          }
-        } catch {
-          // Invalid URL — link will not be shown
-        }
-      }
-      this.alreadyActiveDialog = true;
-    },
   },
 };
 </script>
diff --git a/src/modules/billing/components/billing.usageBar.component.vue b/src/modules/billing/components/billing.usageBar.component.vue
index 654206987..7fd9f620a 100644
--- a/src/modules/billing/components/billing.usageBar.component.vue
+++ b/src/modules/billing/components/billing.usageBar.component.vue
@@ -192,8 +192,9 @@ export default {
       extras: meterExtras,
       netRemainingRaw: meterNetRemainingRaw,
       overage: meterOverage,
+      meterError,
     } = useMeter({ pollIntervalMs: 0 });
-    return { usage, limits, usagePercent, isPlanActive, meterUsed, meterQuota, meterExtras, meterNetRemainingRaw, meterOverage, authStore, billingStore };
+    return { usage, limits, usagePercent, isPlanActive, meterUsed, meterQuota, meterExtras, meterNetRemainingRaw, meterOverage, meterError, authStore, billingStore };
   },
 
   computed: {
diff --git a/src/modules/billing/lang/en.js b/src/modules/billing/lang/en.js
index b3929293d..f0c984ad4 100644
--- a/src/modules/billing/lang/en.js
+++ b/src/modules/billing/lang/en.js
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ export const billingEn = {
       /** i18n key: billing.period.year */
       year: '/year',
     },
+    meter: {
+      error: {
+        /** i18n key: billing.meter.error.refreshFailed */
+        refreshFailed: 'Could not refresh usage. Counters may be out of date. Retrying automatically.',
+      },
+    },
     extras: {
       /** i18n key: billing.extras.title */
       title: 'Extra units',
diff --git a/src/modules/billing/tests/billing.subscriptions.component.unit.tests.js b/src/modules/billing/tests/billing.subscriptions.component.unit.tests.js
index e75a48e21..cc2edf9d1 100644
--- a/src/modules/billing/tests/billing.subscriptions.component.unit.tests.js
+++ b/src/modules/billing/tests/billing.subscriptions.component.unit.tests.js
@@ -764,66 +764,74 @@ describe('BillingSubscriptionsComponent — checkout success polling (P1-2)', ()
   });
 });
 
-// ─── Suite 9: Bonus — 409 already-active dialog (showAlreadyActiveDialog) ─────
+// ─── Suite 9: meterError surfacing via v-alert (gated to meterMode) ──────────
 
-describe('BillingSubscriptionsComponent — 409 already-active dialog (Bonus)', () => {
+describe('BillingSubscriptionsComponent — meterError surfacing', () => {
   let wrapper;
   let store;
+  let useMeter;
+  let __resetUseMeterForTests;
 
-  beforeEach(() => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
     setActivePinia(createPinia());
     vi.clearAllMocks();
     sessionStorage.clear();
     store = useBillingStore();
     seedMeterStore(store);
     store.subscription = { status: 'active', plan: 'starter', currentPeriodEnd: new Date().toISOString() };
-    // Stub v-dialog to avoid visualViewport errors in jsdom
-    componentStubs['VDialog'] = { name: 'VDialog', template: '<div><slot /></div>', props: ['modelValue'] };
+    // Import via composable so we mutate the shared meterError ref the component consumes.
+    ({ useMeter, __resetUseMeterForTests } = await import('../composables/billing.useMeter.js'));
+    __resetUseMeterForTests();
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
     wrapper?.unmount();
     wrapper = null;
-    delete componentStubs['VDialog'];
+    __resetUseMeterForTests?.();
   });
 
-  it('alreadyActiveDialog is false by default', async () => {
-    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: false } } });
+  it('renders v-alert with refreshFailed copy when meterError is set and meterMode is true', async () => {
+    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: true } } });
     await flushPromises();
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActiveDialog).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it('showAlreadyActiveDialog sets alreadyActiveDialog true and stores valid HTTPS portalUrl', async () => {
-    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: false } } });
+    // Mutate AFTER mount + initial fetch resolves — fetchMissingMeterData clears
+    // meterError on success, so setting it before mount would be wiped.
+    const { meterError } = useMeter({ pollIntervalMs: 0 });
+    meterError.value = new Error('refresh failed');
     await flushPromises();
-    const portalUrl = 'https://billing.stripe.com/portal/sess_abc';
-    wrapper.vm.showAlreadyActiveDialog(portalUrl);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActiveDialog).toBe(true);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActivePortalUrl).toBe(portalUrl);
+    const alert = wrapper.find('.v-alert');
+    expect(alert.exists()).toBe(true);
+    expect(alert.text()).toContain('Could not refresh usage');
   });
 
-  it('showAlreadyActiveDialog rejects non-HTTPS portalUrl', async () => {
-    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: false } } });
+  it('does not render v-alert when meterError is null', async () => {
+    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: true } } });
     await flushPromises();
-    wrapper.vm.showAlreadyActiveDialog('http://evil.example.com/portal');
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActiveDialog).toBe(true);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActivePortalUrl).toBeNull();
+    const { meterError } = useMeter({ pollIntervalMs: 0 });
+    expect(meterError.value).toBeNull();
+    expect(wrapper.find('.v-alert').exists()).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  it('showAlreadyActiveDialog handles invalid URL gracefully', async () => {
+  it('does not render v-alert when meterError is set but meterMode is false (gated)', async () => {
     wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: false } } });
     await flushPromises();
-    wrapper.vm.showAlreadyActiveDialog('not-a-url');
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActiveDialog).toBe(true);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActivePortalUrl).toBeNull();
+    const { meterError } = useMeter({ pollIntervalMs: 0 });
+    meterError.value = new Error('refresh failed');
+    await flushPromises();
+    expect(wrapper.find('.v-alert').exists()).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  it('showAlreadyActiveDialog handles missing portalUrl gracefully', async () => {
-    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: false } } });
+  it('clears meterError on close click and the alert disappears', async () => {
+    wrapper = mountSubscriptions({ serverConfig: { billing: { meterMode: true } } });
+    await flushPromises();
+    const { meterError } = useMeter({ pollIntervalMs: 0 });
+    meterError.value = new Error('refresh failed');
+    await flushPromises();
+    expect(wrapper.find('.v-alert').exists()).toBe(true);
+    // Simulate the v-alert close emit by mutating the bound ref the same way the
+    // template handler does (`meterError = null`).
+    meterError.value = null;
     await flushPromises();
-    wrapper.vm.showAlreadyActiveDialog(null);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActiveDialog).toBe(true);
-    expect(wrapper.vm.alreadyActivePortalUrl).toBeNull();
+    expect(wrapper.find('.v-alert').exists()).toBe(false);
   });
 });