diff --git a/src/deux/runtime/deck.py b/src/deux/runtime/deck.py
index ca78ecd..c1eff04 100644
--- a/src/deux/runtime/deck.py
+++ b/src/deux/runtime/deck.py
@@ -987,20 +987,27 @@ async def refresh(self) -> None:
             for key_index, key_slot in screen.keys.items()
             if key_slot.is_dirty and self._is_dui_key(key_slot)
         ]
-        if dirty_keys:
-            await asyncio.gather(
-                *(self._render_dui_key(ks, ki) for ki, ks in dirty_keys)
-            )
-
-        if screen.key_bg_dirty:
-            await self._render_all_keys()
-            screen.clear_key_bg_dirty()
-
-        if screen.touch_strip is not None and screen.touch_strip.any_dirty:
-            await self._render_touchscreen()
-
-        if screen.info_screen is not None and screen.info_screen.is_dirty:
-            await self._render_info_screen()
+        try:
+            if dirty_keys:
+                await asyncio.gather(
+                    *(self._render_dui_key(ks, ki) for ki, ks in dirty_keys)
+                )
+
+            if screen.key_bg_dirty:
+                await self._render_all_keys()
+                screen.clear_key_bg_dirty()
+
+            if screen.touch_strip is not None and screen.touch_strip.any_dirty:
+                await self._render_touchscreen()
+
+            if screen.info_screen is not None and screen.info_screen.is_dirty:
+                await self._render_info_screen()
+        except (HidWriteTimeout, HidApiError) as exc:
+            # The device was torn down (disconnect, stop) while a
+            # background task (clock tick, spinner, timer) was driving a
+            # refresh.  Refresh is best-effort: swallow the error so the
+            # caller's task doesn't crash with an unhandled exception.
+            logger.debug("Refresh skipped — device unavailable: %s", exc)
 
     async def _check_timeouts(self) -> None:
         """Check all card selection timeouts on the active screen."""
diff --git a/tests/test_deck.py b/tests/test_deck.py
index 9899868..e20ed7c 100644
--- a/tests/test_deck.py
+++ b/tests/test_deck.py
@@ -299,6 +299,40 @@ async def test_skips_clean_touchscreen(self, deck):
         await deck.refresh()
         deck._render_touchscreen.assert_not_awaited()
 
+    async def test_swallows_hidwritetimeout(self, deck):
+        """refresh() must not raise when the device was torn down mid-refresh.
+
+        Background tasks (clock ticks, spinners, timers) call
+        ``request_refresh()`` without knowing the deck's lifecycle, so a
+        disconnect that closes the device between the refresh starting
+        and the executor writing must surface as a silent no-op rather
+        than an unhandled task exception.
+        """
+        from deux.runtime.deck import HidWriteTimeout
+
+        p = deck.screen("main")
+        deck._active_screen = p
+        deck._render_touchscreen = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=HidWriteTimeout("device closed")
+        )
+
+        # Must not raise.
+        await deck.refresh()
+        deck._render_touchscreen.assert_awaited_once()
+
+    async def test_swallows_hidapierror(self, deck):
+        """A bare HidApiError from deeper in the stack is also tolerated."""
+        from deux.runtime.deck import HidApiError
+
+        p = deck.screen("main")
+        deck._active_screen = p
+        deck._render_touchscreen = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=HidApiError("Device is not open")
+        )
+
+        await deck.refresh()
+        deck._render_touchscreen.assert_awaited_once()
+
 
 class TestDeckDispatch:
     async def test_no_active_screen(self, deck):