diff --git a/backend/services/garmin.py b/backend/services/garmin.py
index b0b2daf..b2f0de7 100644
--- a/backend/services/garmin.py
+++ b/backend/services/garmin.py
@@ -1111,6 +1111,20 @@ def sync_data(user_id, creds, days=None, client=None, trigger="manual"):
 
     try:
         client = client or _connect(creds, user_id)
+    except RateLimited as e:
+        # A genuine 429 at connect time: _connect already wrote the fresh
+        # cooldown, so surface this as rate_limited (the UI draws a distinct
+        # stand-down state for it) rather than a generic error.
+        message = str(e)
+        _set_sync_status(user_id, "rate_limited", now, records_synced=0,
+                         last_error=message)
+        return finish({
+            "status": "rate_limited",
+            "recordsSynced": 0,
+            "message": message,
+            "mfaRequired": False,
+            "lastSyncTime": now,
+        })
     except Exception as e:
         message = describe(e)
         _set_sync_status(user_id, "error", now, records_synced=0, last_error=message)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_garmin_sync.py b/backend/tests/test_garmin_sync.py
index 4a6065b..ddab01e 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_garmin_sync.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_garmin_sync.py
@@ -745,6 +745,26 @@ class TestRateLimiting:
         garmin_svc._connect({}, user_id=user["id"])
         assert calls == [], "an unexpired token needs no refresh"
 
+    def test_a_real_429_at_connect_surfaces_as_rate_limited(self, db, user, monkeypatch):
+        """A genuine 429 while connecting is a stand-down, not a generic
+        failure: sync_data must report status rate_limited so the UI draws the
+        distinct '被限流' state instead of a plain error."""
+        def throttled(_creds, _uid=None):
+            garmin_svc._note_rate_limit(user["id"])  # what _connect does on 429
+            raise garmin_svc.RateLimited(
+                "Garmin 暂时限制了请求频率。这通常是短时间内连接过于频繁，"
+                "等待约半小时后会自动恢复，令牌本身没有失效。"
+            )
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(garmin_svc, "_connect", throttled)
+        out = garmin_svc.sync_data(user["id"], CREDS, days=1)
+
+        assert out["status"] == "rate_limited"
+        assert "令牌本身没有失效" in out["message"]
+        assert garmin_svc.get_sync_status(user["id"])["status"] == "rate_limited"
+        assert garmin_svc.get_sync_history(user["id"])[0]["status"] == "rate_limited"
+        garmin_svc._rate_limited_until.clear()
+
     def test_a_valid_token_is_not_refreshed(self, db, user, monkeypatch):
         """Refreshing on every connect spends quota for nothing — and that is
         what walked the account into a 429 in the first place."""