diff --git a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
index fe6f91995..bedaa325b 100644
--- a/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/Monitor.cpp
@@ -589,6 +589,9 @@ bool CMonitor::applyMonitorRule(SMonitorRule* pMonitorRule, bool force) {
         force = true;
     }
 
+    if (m_failedModeRetries > 0 /* 0 = success */ && m_failedModeRetries < 5 /* Arbitrary number I chose as reasonable */)
+        force = true;
+
     // Check if the rule isn't already applied
     // TODO: clean this up lol
     if (!force && DELTALESSTHAN(m_pixelSize.x, RULE->resolution.x, 1) /* ↓ */
@@ -836,9 +839,13 @@ bool CMonitor::applyMonitorRule(SMonitorRule* pMonitorRule, bool force) {
 
     if (!success) {
         Debug::log(ERR, "Monitor {} has NO FALLBACK MODES, and an INVALID one was requested: {:X0}@{:.2f}Hz", m_name, RULE->resolution, RULE->refreshRate);
+        m_failedModeRetries++;
+        g_pEventLoopManager->doLater([] { g_pConfigManager->m_wantsMonitorReload = true; });
         return true;
     }
 
+    m_failedModeRetries = 0;
+
     m_vrrActive = m_output->state->state().adaptiveSync // disabled here, will be tested in CConfigManager::ensureVRR()
         || m_createdByUser;                             // wayland backend doesn't allow for disabling adaptive_sync
 
diff --git a/src/helpers/Monitor.hpp b/src/helpers/Monitor.hpp
index 95e5ce5cb..220ce7f98 100644
--- a/src/helpers/Monitor.hpp
+++ b/src/helpers/Monitor.hpp
@@ -128,8 +128,9 @@ class CMonitor {
     std::optional<Vector2D>     m_forceSize;
     SP<Aquamarine::SOutputMode> m_currentMode;
     SP<Aquamarine::CSwapchain>  m_cursorSwapchain;
-    uint32_t                    m_drmFormat     = DRM_FORMAT_INVALID;
-    uint32_t                    m_prevDrmFormat = DRM_FORMAT_INVALID;
+    uint32_t                    m_drmFormat         = DRM_FORMAT_INVALID;
+    uint32_t                    m_prevDrmFormat     = DRM_FORMAT_INVALID;
+    uint32_t                    m_failedModeRetries = 0;
 
     CMonitorZoomController      m_zoomController;