diff --git a/src/actionTypes.js b/src/actionTypes.js
index ac0136a0546..4012b62e32b 100644
--- a/src/actionTypes.js
+++ b/src/actionTypes.js
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ type RehydrateAction = {|
 
 type AppOnlineAction = {|
   type: typeof APP_ONLINE,
-  isOnline: boolean,
+  isOnline: boolean | null,
 |};
 
 type DeadQueueAction = {|
diff --git a/src/boot/AppEventHandlers.js b/src/boot/AppEventHandlers.js
index 303ff024102..2e1fedb969f 100644
--- a/src/boot/AppEventHandlers.js
+++ b/src/boot/AppEventHandlers.js
@@ -65,9 +65,49 @@ class AppEventHandlersInner extends PureComponent<Props> {
 
   handleConnectivityChange = netInfoState => {
     const { dispatch } = this.props;
-    const { type: connectionType } = netInfoState;
-    const isConnected = connectionType !== 'none' && connectionType !== 'unknown';
-    dispatch(appOnline(isConnected));
+
+    dispatch(
+      appOnline(
+        // From reading code at @react-native-community/net-info v6.0.0 (the
+        // docs and types don't really give these answers):
+        //
+        // This will be `null` on both platforms while the first known value
+        // of `true` or `false` is being shipped across the asynchronous RN
+        // bridge.
+        //
+        // On Android, it shouldn't otherwise be `null`. The value is set to the
+        // result of an Android function that only returns a boolean:
+        // https://developer.android.com/reference/android/net/NetworkInfo#isConnected()
+        //
+        // On iOS, this can also be `null` while the app asynchronously
+        // evaluates whether a network change should cause this to go from
+        // `false` to `true`. Read on for details (gathered from
+        // src/internal/internetReachability.ts in the library).
+        //
+        // 1. A request loop is started. A HEAD request is made to
+        //    https://clients3.google.com/generate_204, with a timeout of
+        //    15s, to see if the Internet is reachable.
+        //    - If the `fetch` succeeds and a 204 is received, this will be
+        //      made `true`. We'll then sleep for 60s before making the
+        //      request again.
+        //    - If the `fetch` succeeds and a 204 is not received, or if the
+        //      fetch fails, or if the timeout expires, this will be made
+        //      `false`. We'll then sleep for only 5s before making the
+        //      request again.
+        // 2. The request loop is interrupted if we get a
+        //    'netInfo.networkStatusDidChange' event from the library's
+        //    native code, signaling a change in the network state. If that
+        //    change would make `netInfoState.type` become or remain
+        //    something good (i.e., not 'none' or 'unknown'), and this
+        //    (`.isInternetReachable`) is currently `false`, then this will
+        //    be made `null`, and the request loop described above will
+        //    start again.
+        //
+        // (Several of those parameters are configurable -- timeout durations,
+        // URL, etc.)
+        netInfoState.isInternetReachable,
+      ),
+    );
   };
 
   /** For the type, see docs: https://reactnative.dev/docs/appstate */
diff --git a/src/common/OfflineNotice.js b/src/common/OfflineNotice.js
index f72dd33da43..8f3ba3296a4 100644
--- a/src/common/OfflineNotice.js
+++ b/src/common/OfflineNotice.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type Props = $ReadOnly<{||}>;
  */
 export default function OfflineNotice(props: Props): Node {
   const isOnline = useSelector(state => getSession(state).isOnline);
-  if (isOnline) {
+  if (isOnline === true || isOnline === null) {
     return null;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/directSelectors.js b/src/directSelectors.js
index 1292fc8158a..4ac87dbced9 100644
--- a/src/directSelectors.js
+++ b/src/directSelectors.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export const getAccounts = (state: GlobalState): Account[] => state.accounts;
 
 export const getSession = (state: GlobalState): SessionState => state.session;
 
-export const getIsOnline = (state: GlobalState): boolean => state.session.isOnline;
+export const getIsOnline = (state: GlobalState): boolean | null => state.session.isOnline;
 export const getDebug = (state: GlobalState): Debug => state.session.debug;
 export const getIsHydrated = (state: GlobalState): boolean => state.session.isHydrated;
 
diff --git a/src/session/sessionActions.js b/src/session/sessionActions.js
index e1b38128251..93986f7308c 100644
--- a/src/session/sessionActions.js
+++ b/src/session/sessionActions.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {
   DISMISS_SERVER_COMPAT_NOTICE,
 } from '../actionConstants';
 
-export const appOnline = (isOnline: boolean): Action => ({
+export const appOnline = (isOnline: boolean | null): Action => ({
   type: APP_ONLINE,
   isOnline,
 });
diff --git a/src/session/sessionReducer.js b/src/session/sessionReducer.js
index 55cf4657e00..318efced3a6 100644
--- a/src/session/sessionReducer.js
+++ b/src/session/sessionReducer.js
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ import { getHasAuth } from '../account/accountsSelectors';
  */
 export type SessionState = {|
   eventQueueId: number,
-  isOnline: boolean,
+
+  // `null` if we don't know. See the place where we set this, for what that
+  // means.
+  isOnline: boolean | null,
+
   isHydrated: boolean,
 
   /**
@@ -79,7 +83,11 @@ export type SessionState = {|
 
 const initialState: SessionState = {
   eventQueueId: -1,
-  isOnline: true,
+
+  // This will be `null` on startup, while we wait to hear `true` or `false`
+  // from the native module over the RN bridge; so, have it start as `null`.
+  isOnline: null,
+
   isHydrated: false,
   loading: false,
   needsInitialFetch: false,