diff --git a/Config/BWIBuildSettings.swift b/Config/BWIBuildSettings.swift
index a68e9d1d1..1cc804479 100644
--- a/Config/BWIBuildSettings.swift
+++ b/Config/BWIBuildSettings.swift
@@ -560,4 +560,7 @@ class BWIBuildSettings: NSObject {
     
     // MARK: User Search
     var sortUserSearchResultsAlphabetically = true
+    
+    // MARK: Client error search term
+    var clientErrorSearchTerm = "Request failed: client error"
 }
diff --git a/Riot/Assets/de.lproj/Bwi.strings b/Riot/Assets/de.lproj/Bwi.strings
index ae89a1c82..51cd44b12 100644
--- a/Riot/Assets/de.lproj/Bwi.strings
+++ b/Riot/Assets/de.lproj/Bwi.strings
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 "settings_downtime_message_same_day" = "Der %@ steht von %@-%@ Uhr (UTC%@) nicht zur Verfügung.";
 "settings_downtime_message_different_days" = "Der %@ steht von %@ Uhr (UTC%@) bis %@ Uhr (UTC%@) nicht zur Verfügung.";
 "settings_copyright" = "Copyright";
+"standard_error_alert_title_downtime" = "Der Server ist momentan nicht erreichbar. Versuche es später erneut.";
+"standard_error_alert_title_no_downtime" = "Der Server ist momentan nicht erreichbar. Versuche es später erneut.";
 
 // MARK: - Server Selection (beta)
 
diff --git a/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Bwi.strings b/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Bwi.strings
index e54121835..84c178075 100644
--- a/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Bwi.strings
+++ b/Riot/Assets/en.lproj/Bwi.strings
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 "settings_downtime_message_same_day" = "The BwMessenger is not available between %@-%@ (UTC%@). Messages may not be sent or received during that time.";
 "settings_downtime_message_different_days" = "The BwMessenger is not available from %@ (UTC%@) to %@ (UTC%@). Messages may not be sent or received during that time.";
 "settings_copyright" = "Copyright";
+"standard_error_alert_title_downtime" = "The server is currently unavailable. Try again later.";
+"standard_error_alert_title_no_downtime" = "The server is currently unavailable. Try again later.";
 
 // MARK: - Server Selection (beta)
 
diff --git a/Riot/Generated/BWIStrings.swift b/Riot/Generated/BWIStrings.swift
index 90bf8cd90..9d3121fd1 100644
--- a/Riot/Generated/BWIStrings.swift
+++ b/Riot/Generated/BWIStrings.swift
@@ -1575,6 +1575,14 @@ public class BWIL10n: NSObject {
   public static var splashScreenTitle: String { 
     return BWIL10n.tr("Bwi", "splash_screen_title") 
   }
+  /// Der Server ist momentan nicht erreichbar. Versuche es später erneut.
+  public static var standardErrorAlertTitleDowntime: String { 
+    return BWIL10n.tr("Bwi", "standard_error_alert_title_downtime") 
+  }
+  /// Der Server ist momentan nicht erreichbar. Versuche es später erneut.
+  public static var standardErrorAlertTitleNoDowntime: String { 
+    return BWIL10n.tr("Bwi", "standard_error_alert_title_no_downtime") 
+  }
   /// Starte
   public static var start: String { 
     return BWIL10n.tr("Bwi", "start") 
diff --git a/Riot/Modules/Application/LegacyAppDelegate.m b/Riot/Modules/Application/LegacyAppDelegate.m
index ffe41dac9..4c9b72989 100644
--- a/Riot/Modules/Application/LegacyAppDelegate.m
+++ b/Riot/Modules/Application/LegacyAppDelegate.m
@@ -1021,6 +1021,17 @@ NSString *const AppDelegateUniversalLinkDidChangeNotification = @"AppDelegateUni
 
 - (UIAlertController*)showAlertWithTitle:(NSString*)title message:(NSString*)message
 {
+    // bwi: (#4174) handling of client errors that are shown when the backend is down
+    if ([title containsString:BWIBuildSettings.shared.clientErrorSearchTerm]) {
+        ServerDowntimeDefaultService *service = [[ServerDowntimeDefaultService alloc] init];
+        
+        if ([service isDowntimeNow]) {
+            title = BWIL10n.standardErrorAlertTitleDowntime;
+        } else {
+            title = BWIL10n.standardErrorAlertTitleNoDowntime;
+        }
+    }
+    
     [_errorNotification dismissViewControllerAnimated:NO completion:nil];
 
     _errorNotification = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:title message:message preferredStyle:UIAlertControllerStyleAlert];