diff --git a/e2e/login.spec.ts b/e2e/login.spec.ts
index 07761eecc..152f84f72 100644
--- a/e2e/login.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/login.spec.ts
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ test.describe("login page", () => {
     await page.getByTestId("login-password-submit").click();
 
     expect((await answer).status()).toBe(401);
-    await expect(page.getByText("Invalid credentials")).toBeVisible();
+    // The page says it in its own words, not the server's.
+    await expect(page.getByText("Login failed")).toBeVisible();
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/auth\/login/);
     expect(
       (await context.cookies()).some((c) => c.name === SESSION_COOKIE),
diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
index 7b7df52cf..e7bdd02e2 100644
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ b/public/sw.js
@@ -68,9 +68,11 @@ self.addEventListener("activate", (event) => {
       self.registration.navigationPreload
         ? self.registration.navigationPreload.enable()
         : Promise.resolve(),
-      clearLeftoverAppBadge(),
     ]).then(() => self.clients.claim()),
   );
+  // Not part of the activation: a browser that never settles the badge call
+  // must not keep the worker from taking over its pages.
+  clearLeftoverAppBadge();
 });
 
 self.addEventListener("fetch", (event) => {
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ async function trimCache(cacheName, maxEntries) {
 }
 
 // Earlier releases set a dose count on the app icon; nothing sends one now,
-// so clear what they left. Never fails the activation.
+// so clear what they left. Best effort, outside the activation.
 async function clearLeftoverAppBadge() {
   try {
     await self.navigator?.clearAppBadge?.();