diff --git a/docs/architecture/parental-lock.md b/docs/architecture/parental-lock.md
index 31d44c589..a53df232e 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/parental-lock.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/parental-lock.md
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ follow in a second PR.
 - The unit of locking is the category. Nothing is blurred or greyed: a
   withheld category and its rows are absent. The only trace is one
   "N locked · Enter PIN to show" row at the bottom of a portal's category
-  rail, which opens the PIN prompt.
+  rail, which opens the PIN prompt. In fail-closed mode (lock store
+  unreadable) the row shows without a count, since which categories are
+  locked is unknown while every one of them is withheld.
 - The unlock lives in memory only. The app locks again on every restart, on
   "Lock now" (header button, command palette, settings), and after
   `Settings.parentalLockRelockMinutes` minutes without user interaction
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.html b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.html
index 81293079d..1aec3253a 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.html
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.html
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    @if (withheldCategoryCount() > 0) {
+    @if (withheldCategoryCount() > 0 || withholdsAllCategories()) {
         <button
             type="button"
             class="context-locked-row"
@@ -225,8 +225,10 @@
             <mat-icon>lock</mat-icon>
             <span class="context-locked-row__label">
                 {{
-                    'PARENTAL_LOCK.LOCKED_CATEGORIES_ROW'
-                        | translate: { count: withheldCategoryCount() }
+                    withholdsAllCategories()
+                        ? ('PARENTAL_LOCK.LOCKED_COUNT' | translate)
+                        : ('PARENTAL_LOCK.LOCKED_CATEGORIES_ROW'
+                          | translate: { count: withheldCategoryCount() })
                 }}
             </span>
             <span class="context-locked-row__hint">
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.spec.ts b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.spec.ts
index 6b2a69e01..c5983f4dd 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.spec.ts
@@ -906,6 +906,27 @@ describe('WorkspaceContextPanelComponent', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('offers the unlock row in fail-closed mode, when no locked ids are known', () => {
+        const parentalLock = TestBed.inject(ParentalLockService);
+        Object.defineProperty(parentalLock, 'withholdsEverything', {
+            configurable: true,
+            value: signal(true),
+        });
+        fixture.componentRef.setInput('context', {
+            provider: 'stalker',
+            playlistId: 'stalker-1',
+        });
+        fixture.componentRef.setInput('section', 'itv');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(fixture.componentInstance.withheldCategoryCount()).toBe(0);
+        expect(
+            fixture.nativeElement.querySelector(
+                '[data-test-id="context-locked-categories"]'
+            )
+        ).not.toBeNull();
+    });
+
     describe('Stalker lock dialog', () => {
         function enableLock(): void {
             const parentalLock = TestBed.inject(ParentalLockService);
diff --git a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.ts b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.ts
index 17f96bf01..4ce930b78 100644
--- a/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.ts
+++ b/libs/workspace/shell/feature/src/lib/workspace-context-panel/workspace-context-panel.component.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,16 @@ export class WorkspaceContextPanelComponent {
         }
         return 0;
     });
+    /**
+     * Fail-closed mode (the lock store could not be read): every category
+     * is withheld, but which ones are locked is unknown, so the count above
+     * is zero. The rail still offers the unlock row, without a count.
+     */
+    readonly withholdsAllCategories = computed(
+        () =>
+            (this.isXtreamCategories() || this.isStalkerCategories()) &&
+            this.parentalLock.withholdsEverything()
+    );
     readonly xtreamStatusText = computed(() => {
         if (
             !this.isXtreamCategories() ||