diff --git a/rust/kcl-lib/src/std/args.rs b/rust/kcl-lib/src/std/args.rs
index e8b05a130..0afe72cec 100644
--- a/rust/kcl-lib/src/std/args.rs
+++ b/rust/kcl-lib/src/std/args.rs
@@ -166,8 +166,12 @@ impl Args {
             KclError::new_semantic(KclErrorDetails::new(message, arg.source_ranges()))
         })?;
 
-        // TODO unnecessary cloning
-        Ok(T::from_kcl_val(&arg).unwrap())
+        T::from_kcl_val(&arg).ok_or_else(|| {
+            KclError::new_internal(KclErrorDetails::new(
+                format!("Mismatch between type coercion and value extraction (this isn't your fault).\nTo assist in bug-reporting, expected type: {ty:?}; actual value: {arg:?}"),
+                vec![self.source_range],
+           ))
+        })
     }
 
     /// Get a labelled keyword arg, check it's an array, and return all items in the array
diff --git a/src/components/EngineStream.tsx b/src/components/EngineStream.tsx
index b391b7e8a..8fd579127 100644
--- a/src/components/EngineStream.tsx
+++ b/src/components/EngineStream.tsx
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ export const EngineStream = (props: {
   const { file, project } = useRouteLoaderData(PATHS.FILE) as IndexLoaderData
   const last = useRef<number>(Date.now())
 
-  const [firstPlay, setFirstPlay] = useState(true)
+  const [firstRun, setFirstRun] = useState(true)
+  const [needsExecution, setNeedsExecution] = useState(true)
   const [goRestart, setGoRestart] = useState(false)
   const [timeoutId, setTimeoutId] = useState<
     ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
@@ -183,13 +184,14 @@ export const EngineStream = (props: {
     // Reset the restart timeouts
     setAttemptTimes([0, TIME_1_SECOND])
 
-    console.log(firstPlay)
-    if (!firstPlay) return
+    console.log(needsExecution)
+    if (!needsExecution) return
 
-    setFirstPlay(false)
-    console.log('firstPlay true, zoom to fit')
+    setNeedsExecution(false)
+    console.log('needsExecution true, zoom to fit')
     kmp
       .then(async () => {
+        setFirstRun(false)
         await resetCameraPosition()
 
         if (project && project.path) {
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ export const EngineStream = (props: {
         executeKcl
       )
     }
-  }, [firstPlay])
+  }, [needsExecution])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     // We do a back-off restart, using a fibonacci sequence, since it
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@ export const EngineStream = (props: {
           engineStreamState.context.videoRef.current?.pause()
           engineCommandManager.tearDown()
           startOrReconfigureEngine()
-          setFirstPlay(true)
+          setNeedsExecution(true)
 
           setTimeoutId(undefined)
           setGoRestart(false)
@@ -598,8 +600,13 @@ export const EngineStream = (props: {
         EngineStreamState.Paused,
         EngineStreamState.Resuming,
       ].some((s) => s === engineStreamState.value) && (
-        <Loading dataTestId="loading-engine" className="fixed inset-0 h-screen">
-          Connecting to engine...
+        <Loading
+          isRetrying={timeoutId !== undefined && !firstRun}
+          retryAttemptCountdown={attemptTimes[1]}
+          dataTestId="loading-engine"
+          className="fixed inset-0 h-screen"
+        >
+          Connecting and setting up scene
         </Loading>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/src/components/Loading.tsx b/src/components/Loading.tsx
index 152a4b5ca..53a9483d5 100644
--- a/src/components/Loading.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Loading.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ interface LoadingProps extends React.PropsWithChildren {
   isDummy?: boolean
   className?: string
   dataTestId?: string
+  retryAttemptCountdown?: number
+  isRetrying?: boolean
 }
 
 const markedOptions: MarkedOptions = {
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ export const CONNECTION_ERROR_CALL_TO_ACTION_TEXT: Record<
   [ConnectionError.DataChannelError]:
     'A modeling session was created, but there was an issue creating a modeling commands channel.',
   [ConnectionError.WebSocketError]:
-    "An unexpected issue regarding the connection to Zoo's KittyCAD API happened. We suggest re-opening Zoo Design Studio to try again.",
+    "An unexpected issue regarding the connection to Zoo's KittyCAD API happened. Design Studio will try to reconnect.",
   [ConnectionError.LocalDescriptionInvalid]:
     'The modeling session was created, but there is an issue connecting to the stream.',
   [ConnectionError.MissingAuthToken]:
@@ -73,10 +75,21 @@ const Loading = ({
   children,
   className,
   dataTestId,
+  retryAttemptCountdown,
+  isRetrying,
 }: LoadingProps) => {
   const [error, setError] = useState<ErrorType>({
     error: ConnectionError.Unset,
   })
+  const [countdown, setCountdown] = useState<undefined | number>(
+    isRetrying && retryAttemptCountdown !== undefined
+      ? Math.trunc(retryAttemptCountdown / 1000)
+      : undefined
+  )
+  const [timeoutIdCountdown, setTimeoutIdCountdown] = useState<
+    ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+  >(undefined)
+
   const isUnrecoverableError = error.error > ConnectionError.VeryLongLoadingTime
   const colorClass =
     error.error === ConnectionError.Unset
@@ -84,6 +97,27 @@ const Loading = ({
       : !isUnrecoverableError
         ? 'text-warn-60'
         : 'text-chalkboard-60 dark:text-chalkboard-40'
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (retryAttemptCountdown === undefined) return
+
+    setCountdown(Math.trunc(retryAttemptCountdown / 1000))
+  }, [retryAttemptCountdown])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (countdown === undefined || countdown < 0) return
+
+    clearTimeout(timeoutIdCountdown)
+    setTimeoutIdCountdown(
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        setCountdown(countdown - 1)
+      }, 1000)
+    )
+    return () => {
+      clearTimeout(timeoutIdCountdown)
+    }
+  }, [countdown])
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const onConnectionStateChange = ({ detail: state }: CustomEvent) => {
       if (
@@ -183,6 +217,18 @@ const Loading = ({
       <p className={`text-base mt-4`}>
         {isUnrecoverableError ? '' : children || 'Loading'}
       </p>
+      <div
+        className={
+          `text-base h-[1em] ` +
+          (countdown !== undefined &&
+            countdown <= 1 &&
+            'transition-opacity duration-1000 opacity-0')
+        }
+      >
+        {countdown !== undefined && countdown > 0 && isRetrying && (
+          <span>Connecting in {countdown}s</span>
+        )}
+      </div>
       {CONNECTION_ERROR_TEXT[error.error] && (
         <div>
           <div className="max-w-3xl text-base flex flex-col gap-2 px-2 pt-2 mt-2 pb-6 mb-6 border-b border-chalkboard-30">