diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d7534016..c3e81cca 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ accepts both, but the store flags the old spelling as deprecated
 - `src.device_location` — a blank `Location` field on a Starlark (Tidbyt) app
   now renders at the device's City / State / Country (geocoded once via
   Open-Meteo and cached) instead of the app author's hard-coded default,
-  usually San Francisco. A location saved on the app still wins. Clearing an
+  usually San Francisco. A location saved on the app still wins. With no
+  device city set, or when the lookup fails or finds no match, the app keeps
+  its own default (a failed lookup is retried after 30 minutes). Clearing an
   app's location in the web UI now actually clears it; the save used to drop
   the blank field, so the old value stayed.
 
diff --git a/docs/CONFIG_REFERENCE.md b/docs/CONFIG_REFERENCE.md
index b5333ee7..705b353b 100644
--- a/docs/CONFIG_REFERENCE.md
+++ b/docs/CONFIG_REFERENCE.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ tooling against it.
 | `web_display_autostart` | bool, `true` | Whether the web interface service starts with the system | `scripts/utils/start_web_conditionally.py` |
 | `timezone` | string, `"America/New_York"` | IANA timezone for schedules and displays | `ConfigManager.get_timezone()` |
 | `target_fps` | int, `100` | Legacy "Scroll Frame Rate". Core scrolling no longer reads it: scroll frames are presented at `display.hardware.limit_refresh_rate_hz` divided by each scroll's frame hold, and speed comes from each plugin's scroll settings. Still exposed to plugins via `BasePlugin.global_config` | `src/plugin_system/base_plugin.py` |
-| `location` | object | `city` / `state` / `country`. Supplies the **default** for a plugin's own `location_city` / `location_state` / `location_country` setting, so weather, radar and friends follow this device without being configured twice. A value saved on the plugin itself still overrides it. Starlark (Tidbyt) apps get the same treatment: a `Location` field left blank on the app renders at this city (geocoded once via Open-Meteo, coordinates cached permanently) instead of the app author's default, which is usually San Francisco. | `SchemaManager.apply_device_location()`, then plugins via merged config; `src/device_location.py` for Starlark apps |
+| `location` | object | `city` / `state` / `country`. Supplies the **default** for a plugin's own `location_city` / `location_state` / `location_country` setting, so weather, radar and friends follow this device without being configured twice. A value saved on the plugin itself still overrides it. Starlark (Tidbyt) apps get the same treatment: a `Location` field left blank on the app renders at this city (geocoded once via Open-Meteo, coordinates cached permanently) instead of the app author's default, which is usually San Francisco. If the city can't be looked up (no match, or the geocoder is unreachable; retried after 30 minutes), the app keeps its own default. | `SchemaManager.apply_device_location()`, then plugins via merged config; `src/device_location.py` for Starlark apps |
 
 ## `schedule` — display on/off hours
 
diff --git a/docs/STARLARK_APPS_GUIDE.md b/docs/STARLARK_APPS_GUIDE.md
index 7c6362e1..efd5b77d 100644
--- a/docs/STARLARK_APPS_GUIDE.md
+++ b/docs/STARLARK_APPS_GUIDE.md
@@ -139,9 +139,10 @@ Each app may have different configuration options:
 
 - **Location** (lat/lng/timezone): For weather, clocks, transit. Left blank,
   the app renders at this device's location (City / State / Country under
-  General settings). Without that, most community apps fall back to their
-  author's hard-coded default, usually San Francisco. Fill it in only to
-  point one app somewhere else.
+  General settings). If no city is set there, or the city can't be looked up
+  (no match, or the geocoder is unreachable -- retried after 30 minutes), the
+  app gets no location and falls back to its author's hard-coded default,
+  usually San Francisco. Fill it in only to point one app somewhere else.
 - **API Keys**: For services like weather, stocks, sports scores
 - **Display Preferences**: Colors, units, layouts
 - **Dropdown Options**: Team selections, language, themes
diff --git a/web_interface/templates/v3/partials/starlark_config.html b/web_interface/templates/v3/partials/starlark_config.html
index 765eaea2..e099ce1a 100644
--- a/web_interface/templates/v3/partials/starlark_config.html
+++ b/web_interface/templates/v3/partials/starlark_config.html
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@
                                    data-starlark-location-key="timezone">
                         </div>
                     </div>
-                    <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">Leave latitude and longitude blank to use this device's location (City / State / Country in General settings).</p>
+                    <p class="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1">Leave latitude and longitude blank to use this device's location (City / State / Country in General settings). If no city is set there, or it can't be looked up, the app uses its own default.</p>
                     {% if field_desc %}
                     <p class="text-xs text-gray-400 mt-1">{{ field_desc }}</p>
                     {% endif %}