diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/performance/panes/timeline_events/timeline_events_view.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/performance/panes/timeline_events/timeline_events_view.dart
index 3687b02c914..1a44da58283 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/performance/panes/timeline_events/timeline_events_view.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/performance/panes/timeline_events/timeline_events_view.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 // found in the LICENSE file or at https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd.
 
 import 'dart:async';
-import 'dart:math' as math;
 
 import 'package:devtools_app_shared/ui.dart';
 import 'package:devtools_app_shared/utils.dart';
@@ -65,40 +64,21 @@ class _TimelineEventsTabViewState extends State<TimelineEventsTabView>
   }
 
   void _insertOverlay() {
-    final width = math.min(
-      _overlaySize.width,
-      MediaQuery.of(context).size.width - 2 * denseSpacing,
-    );
-    final height = math.min(
-      _overlaySize.height,
-      MediaQuery.of(context).size.height - 2 * denseSpacing,
-    );
     final theme = Theme.of(context);
     _refreshingOverlay?.remove();
     Overlay.of(context).insert(
       _refreshingOverlay = OverlayEntry(
         maintainState: true,
         builder: (context) {
-          return Center(
-            child: Padding(
-              padding: const EdgeInsets.only(top: _overlayOffset),
-              child: RoundedOutlinedBorder(
-                clip: true,
-                child: Container(
-                  width: width,
-                  height: height,
-                  color: theme.colorScheme.semiTransparentOverlayColor,
-                  child: Center(
-                    child: Text(
-                      'Refreshing the timeline...\n\n'
-                      'This may take a few seconds. Please do not\n'
-                      'refresh the page.',
-                      textAlign: TextAlign.center,
-                      style: theme.textTheme.titleMedium,
-                    ),
-                  ),
-                ),
-              ),
+          return DevToolsOverlay(
+            topOffset: _overlayOffset,
+            maxSize: _overlaySize,
+            content: Text(
+              'Refreshing the timeline...\n\n'
+              'This may take a few seconds. Please do not\n'
+              'refresh the page.',
+              textAlign: TextAlign.center,
+              style: theme.textTheme.titleMedium,
             ),
           );
         },
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/editor/editor_client.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/editor/editor_client.dart
index 58ff98cfdb1..dffc8ae6881 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/editor/editor_client.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/editor/editor_client.dart
@@ -317,6 +317,27 @@ class EditorClient extends DisposableController
     }
   }
 
+  Future<bool> isClientClosed() async {
+    try {
+      // Make an empty request to DTD.
+      await _dtd.call('', '');
+    } on StateError catch (e) {
+      // TODO(https://github.com/flutter/devtools/issues/9028): Replace with a
+      // check for whether DTD is closed. Requires a change to package:dtd.
+      //
+      // This is only a temporary fix. If the error in package:json_rpc_2 is
+      // changed, this will no longer catch it. See:
+      // https://github.com/dart-lang/tools/blob/b55643dadafd3ac6b2bd20823802f75929ebf98e/pkgs/json_rpc_2/lib/src/client.dart#L151
+      if (e.message.contains('The client is closed.')) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Ignore other exceptions. If the client is open, we expect this to fail
+      // with the error: 'Unknown method "."'.
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   Future<DTDResponse> _call(
     EditorMethod method, {
     Map<String, Object?>? params,
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/ui/common_widgets.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/ui/common_widgets.dart
index fb8bf822149..20f5610ad8a 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/ui/common_widgets.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/shared/ui/common_widgets.dart
@@ -2283,3 +2283,58 @@ class _PositiveIntegerSettingState extends State<PositiveIntegerSetting>
     );
   }
 }
+
+/// Creates an overlay with the provided [content].
+///
+/// Set [fullScreen] to true to take up the entire screen. Otherwise, a
+/// [maxSize] and [topOffset] can be provided to determine the overlay's size
+/// and location.
+class DevToolsOverlay extends StatelessWidget {
+  const DevToolsOverlay({
+    super.key,
+    required this.content,
+    this.fullScreen = false,
+    this.maxSize,
+    this.topOffset,
+  }) : assert(maxSize != null || topOffset != null ? !fullScreen : true);
+
+  final Widget content;
+  final bool fullScreen;
+  final Size? maxSize;
+  final double? topOffset;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final parentSize = MediaQuery.of(context).size;
+
+    final overlayContent = Container(
+      width: _overlayWidth(parentSize),
+      height: _overlayHeight(parentSize),
+      color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.semiTransparentOverlayColor,
+      child: Center(child: content),
+    );
+
+    return fullScreen
+        ? overlayContent
+        : Center(
+          child: Padding(
+            padding: EdgeInsets.only(top: topOffset ?? 0.0),
+            child: RoundedOutlinedBorder(clip: true, child: overlayContent),
+          ),
+        );
+  }
+
+  double _overlayWidth(Size parentSize) {
+    if (fullScreen) return parentSize.width;
+    final defaultWidth = parentSize.width - largeSpacing;
+    return maxSize != null ? min(maxSize!.width, defaultWidth) : defaultWidth;
+  }
+
+  double _overlayHeight(Size parentSize) {
+    if (fullScreen) return parentSize.height;
+    final defaultHeight = parentSize.height - largeSpacing;
+    return maxSize != null
+        ? min(maxSize!.height, defaultHeight)
+        : defaultHeight;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_controller.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_controller.dart
index 5f8a493a845..572d1509e41 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_controller.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_controller.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file or at https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd.
 
+import 'dart:async';
+
 import 'package:devtools_app_shared/utils.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 
@@ -37,17 +39,31 @@ class PropertyEditorController extends DisposableController
       _editableWidgetData;
   final _editableWidgetData = ValueNotifier<EditableWidgetData?>(null);
 
+  ValueListenable<bool> get shouldReconnect => _shouldReconnect;
+  final _shouldReconnect = ValueNotifier<bool>(false);
+
+  bool get waitingForFirstEvent => _waitingForFirstEvent;
+  bool _waitingForFirstEvent = true;
+
   late final Debouncer _editableArgsDebouncer;
 
+  late final Timer _checkConnectionTimer;
+
   static const _editableArgsDebounceDuration = Duration(milliseconds: 600);
 
+  static const _checkConnectionInterval = Duration(minutes: 1);
+
   @override
   void init() {
     super.init();
     _editableArgsDebouncer = Debouncer(duration: _editableArgsDebounceDuration);
+    _checkConnectionTimer = _periodicallyCheckConnection(
+      _checkConnectionInterval,
+    );
 
     autoDisposeStreamSubscription(
       editorClient.activeLocationChangedStream.listen((event) async {
+        if (_waitingForFirstEvent) _waitingForFirstEvent = false;
         final textDocument = event.textDocument;
         final cursorPosition = event.selections.first.active;
         // Don't do anything if the text document is null.
@@ -78,6 +94,7 @@ class PropertyEditorController extends DisposableController
   @override
   void dispose() {
     _editableArgsDebouncer.dispose();
+    _checkConnectionTimer.cancel();
     super.dispose();
   }
 
@@ -121,6 +138,16 @@ class PropertyEditorController extends DisposableController
     );
   }
 
+  Timer _periodicallyCheckConnection(Duration interval) {
+    return Timer.periodic(interval, (timer) async {
+      final isClosed = await editorClient.isClientClosed();
+      if (isClosed) {
+        _shouldReconnect.value = true;
+        timer.cancel();
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   @visibleForTesting
   void initForTestsOnly({
     EditableArgumentsResult? editableArgsResult,
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_panel.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_panel.dart
index b0c67e9a554..7cb8ff3b5f1 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_panel.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_panel.dart
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import '../../../shared/editor/editor_client.dart';
 import '../../../shared/ui/common_widgets.dart';
 import 'property_editor_controller.dart';
 import 'property_editor_view.dart';
+import 'reconnecting_overlay.dart';
 
 /// The side panel for the Property Editor.
 class PropertyEditorPanel extends StatefulWidget {
@@ -106,24 +107,36 @@ class _PropertyEditorConnectedPanelState
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return Scrollbar(
-      controller: scrollController,
-      thumbVisibility: true,
-      child: SingleChildScrollView(
-        controller: scrollController,
-        child: Padding(
-          padding: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(
-            denseSpacing,
-            defaultSpacing,
-            defaultSpacing, // Additional right padding for scroll bar.
-            defaultSpacing,
-          ),
-          child: Column(
-            crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
-            children: [PropertyEditorView(controller: widget.controller)],
-          ),
-        ),
-      ),
+    return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
+      valueListenable: widget.controller.shouldReconnect,
+      builder: (context, shouldReconnect, _) {
+        return Stack(
+          children: [
+            Scrollbar(
+              controller: scrollController,
+              thumbVisibility: true,
+              child: SingleChildScrollView(
+                controller: scrollController,
+                child: Padding(
+                  padding: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(
+                    denseSpacing,
+                    defaultSpacing,
+                    defaultSpacing, // Additional right padding for scroll bar.
+                    defaultSpacing,
+                  ),
+                  child: Column(
+                    crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.start,
+                    children: [
+                      PropertyEditorView(controller: widget.controller),
+                    ],
+                  ),
+                ),
+              ),
+            ),
+            if (shouldReconnect) const ReconnectingOverlay(),
+          ],
+        );
+      },
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_view.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_view.dart
index 3db138d8e9e..4007a5436f5 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_view.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/property_editor_view.dart
@@ -37,8 +37,14 @@ class PropertyEditorView extends StatelessWidget {
 
         final editableWidgetData = values.third as EditableWidgetData?;
         if (editableWidgetData == null) {
-          return const CenteredMessage(
-            message: 'No Flutter widget found at the current cursor location.',
+          final introSentence =
+              controller.waitingForFirstEvent
+                  ? '👋 Welcome to the Flutter Property Editor!'
+                  : 'No Flutter widget found at the current cursor location.';
+          const howToUseSentence =
+              'Please move your cursor to a Flutter widget constructor invocation to view its properties.';
+          return CenteredMessage(
+            message: '$introSentence\n\n$howToUseSentence',
           );
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/reconnecting_overlay.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/reconnecting_overlay.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..66f9f3394b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/reconnecting_overlay.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// Copyright 2025 The Flutter Authors
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+// found in the LICENSE file or at https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd.
+
+import 'dart:async';
+
+import 'package:devtools_app_shared/ui.dart';
+import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+
+import '../../../shared/ui/common_widgets.dart';
+import 'utils/utils.dart';
+
+class ReconnectingOverlay extends StatefulWidget {
+  const ReconnectingOverlay({super.key});
+
+  @override
+  State<ReconnectingOverlay> createState() => _ReconnectingOverlayState();
+}
+
+class _ReconnectingOverlayState extends State<ReconnectingOverlay> {
+  static const _countdownInterval = Duration(seconds: 1);
+  late final Timer _countdownTimer;
+  int _secondsUntilReconnection = 3;
+
+  @override
+  void initState() {
+    super.initState();
+    _countdownTimer = Timer.periodic(_countdownInterval, _onTick);
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _countdownTimer.cancel();
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final theme = Theme.of(context);
+    return DevToolsOverlay(
+      fullScreen: true,
+      content: Column(
+        mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
+        children: [
+          const CircularProgressIndicator(),
+          const SizedBox(height: defaultSpacing),
+          Text(
+            _secondsUntilReconnection > 0
+                ? 'Reconnecting in $_secondsUntilReconnection'
+                : 'Reconnecting...',
+            style: theme.textTheme.headlineMedium,
+          ),
+        ],
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+
+  void _onTick(Timer timer) {
+    setState(() {
+      _secondsUntilReconnection--;
+      if (_secondsUntilReconnection == 0) {
+        timer.cancel();
+        _reconnect();
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  void _reconnect() {
+    forceReload();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_desktop.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_desktop.dart
index c79da0f1bac..ff2333a299b 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_desktop.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_desktop.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file or at https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd.
 
+void reloadIframe() {
+  // No-op for desktop platforms.
+}
+
 void addBlurListener() {
   // No-op for desktop platforms.
 }
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_web.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_web.dart
index 87b99146ce0..880e275da9c 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_web.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/_utils_web.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import 'dart:js_interop';
 
 import 'package:web/web.dart';
 
+void reloadIframe() {
+  window.location.reload();
+}
+
 void addBlurListener() {
   window.addEventListener('blur', _onBlur.toJS);
 }
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/utils.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/utils.dart
index f33d9789fa5..fa3f1d7e3a7 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/utils.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/standalone_ui/ide_shared/property_editor/utils/utils.dart
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ RichText convertDartDocToRichText(
   return RichText(text: TextSpan(children: children));
 }
 
+/// Workaround to force reload the Property Editor when it disconnects.
+///
+/// See https://github.com/flutter/devtools/issues/9028 for details.
+void forceReload() {
+  reloadIframe();
+}
+
 /// Workaround to prevent TextFields from holding onto focus when IFRAME-ed.
 ///
 /// See https://github.com/flutter/devtools/issues/8929 for details.