diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_VoiceRecordComposerTile.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_VoiceRecordComposerTile.scss
index 8c13018c512..5d7e7332134 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_VoiceRecordComposerTile.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_VoiceRecordComposerTile.scss
@@ -46,6 +46,21 @@ limitations under the License.
     mask-image: url('$(res)/img/element-icons/trashcan.svg');
 }
 
+.mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_uploadingState {
+    margin-right: 10px;
+    color: $secondary-fg-color;
+}
+
+.mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_failedState {
+    margin-right: 21px;
+
+    .mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_uploadState_badge {
+        display: inline-block;
+        margin-right: 4px;
+        vertical-align: middle;
+    }
+}
+
 .mx_MessageComposer_row .mx_VoiceMessagePrimaryContainer {
     // Note: remaining class properties are in the PlayerContainer CSS.
 
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/VoiceRecordComposerTile.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/VoiceRecordComposerTile.tsx
index 7949f417845..019e39d4156 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/VoiceRecordComposerTile.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/VoiceRecordComposerTile.tsx
@@ -17,10 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 import AccessibleTooltipButton from "../elements/AccessibleTooltipButton";
 import { _t } from "../../../languageHandler";
 import React, { ReactNode } from "react";
-import {
-    RecordingState,
-    VoiceRecording,
-} from "../../../audio/VoiceRecording";
+import { IUpload, RecordingState, VoiceRecording } from "../../../audio/VoiceRecording";
 import { Room } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/models/room";
 import { MatrixClientPeg } from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
 import classNames from "classnames";
@@ -34,6 +31,10 @@ import { MsgType } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/@types/event";
 import Modal from "../../../Modal";
 import ErrorDialog from "../dialogs/ErrorDialog";
 import MediaDeviceHandler, { MediaDeviceKindEnum } from "../../../MediaDeviceHandler";
+import NotificationBadge from "./NotificationBadge";
+import { StaticNotificationState } from "../../../stores/notifications/StaticNotificationState";
+import { NotificationColor } from "../../../stores/notifications/NotificationColor";
+import InlineSpinner from "../elements/InlineSpinner";
 
 interface IProps {
     room: Room;
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ interface IProps {
 interface IState {
     recorder?: VoiceRecording;
     recordingPhase?: RecordingState;
+    didUploadFail?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -69,9 +71,19 @@ export default class VoiceRecordComposerTile extends React.PureComponent<IProps,
 
         await this.state.recorder.stop();
 
+        let upload: IUpload;
         try {
-            const upload = await this.state.recorder.upload(this.props.room.roomId);
+            upload = await this.state.recorder.upload(this.props.room.roomId);
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error("Error uploading voice message:", e);
+
+            // Flag error and move on. The recording phase will be reset by the upload function.
+            this.setState({ didUploadFail: true });
 
+            return; // don't dispose the recording: the user has a chance to re-upload
+        }
+
+        try {
             // noinspection ES6MissingAwait - we don't care if it fails, it'll get queued.
             MatrixClientPeg.get().sendMessage(this.props.room.roomId, {
                 "body": "Voice message",
@@ -104,12 +116,11 @@ export default class VoiceRecordComposerTile extends React.PureComponent<IProps,
                 "org.matrix.msc3245.voice": {}, // No content, this is a rendering hint
             });
         } catch (e) {
-            console.error("Error sending/uploading voice message:", e);
-            Modal.createTrackedDialog('Upload failed', '', ErrorDialog, {
-                title: _t('Upload Failed'),
-                description: _t("The voice message failed to upload."),
-            });
-            return; // don't dispose the recording so the user can retry, maybe
+            console.error("Error sending voice message:", e);
+
+            // Voice message should be in the timeline at this point, so let other things take care
+            // of error handling. We also shouldn't need the recording anymore, so fall through to
+            // disposal.
         }
         await this.disposeRecording();
     }
@@ -118,7 +129,7 @@ export default class VoiceRecordComposerTile extends React.PureComponent<IProps,
         await VoiceRecordingStore.instance.disposeRecording();
 
         // Reset back to no recording, which means no phase (ie: restart component entirely)
-        this.setState({ recorder: null, recordingPhase: null });
+        this.setState({ recorder: null, recordingPhase: null, didUploadFail: false });
     }
 
     private onCancel = async () => {
@@ -234,7 +245,25 @@ export default class VoiceRecordComposerTile extends React.PureComponent<IProps,
             />;
         }
 
+        let uploadIndicator;
+        if (this.state.recordingPhase === RecordingState.Uploading) {
+            uploadIndicator = <span className='mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_uploadingState'>
+                <InlineSpinner w={16} h={16} />
+            </span>;
+        } else if (this.state.didUploadFail && this.state.recordingPhase === RecordingState.Ended) {
+            uploadIndicator = <span className='mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_failedState'>
+                <span className='mx_VoiceRecordComposerTile_uploadState_badge'>
+                    { /* Need to stick the badge in a span to ensure it doesn't create a block component */ }
+                    <NotificationBadge
+                        notification={StaticNotificationState.forSymbol("!", NotificationColor.Red)}
+                    />
+                </span>
+                <span className='text-warning'>{ _t("Failed to send") }</span>
+            </span>;
+        }
+
         return (<>
+            { uploadIndicator }
             { deleteButton }
             { this.renderWaveformArea() }
             { recordingInfo }
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 51f015d98ca..b1846f5ae9d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1697,7 +1697,6 @@
     "Invited by %(sender)s": "Invited by %(sender)s",
     "Jump to first unread message.": "Jump to first unread message.",
     "Mark all as read": "Mark all as read",
-    "The voice message failed to upload.": "The voice message failed to upload.",
     "Unable to access your microphone": "Unable to access your microphone",
     "We were unable to access your microphone. Please check your browser settings and try again.": "We were unable to access your microphone. Please check your browser settings and try again.",
     "No microphone found": "No microphone found",