diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index d2afd0ad..175545b5 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 Changes for crate
 =================
 
+Unreleased
+================
+
+- Breaking change: ``connect()`` now raises ``ConnectionError`` immediately if
+no configured server node responds.
+
 2026/06/17 2.2.1
 ================
 
diff --git a/docs/by-example/client.rst b/docs/by-example/client.rst
index 995ee745..52897375 100644
--- a/docs/by-example/client.rst
+++ b/docs/by-example/client.rst
@@ -29,12 +29,8 @@ respond, the request is automatically routed to the next server:
     >>> connection = client.connect([invalid_host, crate_host])
     >>> connection.close()
 
-If no ``servers`` are given, the default one ``http://127.0.0.1:4200`` is used:
-
-    >>> connection = client.connect()
-    >>> connection.client._active_servers
-    ['http://127.0.0.1:4200']
-    >>> connection.close()
+If no ``servers`` are supplied to the ``connect`` method, the default address
+``http://127.0.0.1:4200`` is used.
 
 If the option ``error_trace`` is set to ``True``, the client will print a whole
 traceback if a server error occurs:
@@ -77,7 +73,7 @@ connect:
 
 The username for trusted users can also be provided in the URL:
 
-    >>> connection = client.connect(['http://trusted_me@' + crate_host])
+    >>> connection = client.connect([crate_host.replace('://', '://trusted_me@')])
     >>> connection.client.username
     'trusted_me'
     >>> connection.client.password
@@ -97,7 +93,7 @@ also need to provide ``password`` as argument for the ``connect()`` call:
 
 The authentication credentials can also be provided in the URL:
 
-    >>> connection = client.connect(['http://me:my_secret_pw@' + crate_host])
+    >>> connection = client.connect([crate_host.replace('://', '://me:my_secret_pw@')])
     >>> connection.client.username
     'me'
     >>> connection.client.password
diff --git a/docs/connect.rst b/docs/connect.rst
index afc8f59c..7fa7c2eb 100644
--- a/docs/connect.rst
+++ b/docs/connect.rst
@@ -73,13 +73,32 @@ You can pass in as many node URLs as you like.
 
 .. TIP::
 
-    For every query, the client will attempt to connect to each node in sequence
+    When ``connect()`` is called, the client contacts each node to check
+    availability and determine the lowest server version. If no node responds,
+    a ``ConnectionError`` is raised immediately.
+
+    For every subsequent query, the client will attempt each node in sequence
     until a successful connection is made. Nodes are moved to the end of the
     list each time they are tried.
 
     Over multiple query executions, this behaviour functions as client-side
     *round-robin* load balancing. (This is analogous to `round-robin DNS`_.)
 
+.. NOTE::
+
+    Wrap ``connect()`` in a ``try/except`` block to handle an unreachable
+    cluster gracefully:
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        from crate import client
+        from crate.client.exceptions import ConnectionError
+
+        try:
+            connection = client.connect(["node-1:4200", "node-2:4200"])
+        except ConnectionError as e:
+            print(f"Could not reach CrateDB cluster: {e}")
+
 .. _connection-options:
 
 Connection options
diff --git a/src/crate/client/connection.py b/src/crate/client/connection.py
index f722b848..e499ce14 100644
--- a/src/crate/client/connection.py
+++ b/src/crate/client/connection.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 # However, if you have executed another commercial license agreement
 # with Crate these terms will supersede the license and you may use the
 # software solely pursuant to the terms of the relevant commercial agreement.
-
 from typing import Union
 
 from verlib2 import Version
@@ -211,14 +210,21 @@ def get_blob_container(self, container_name):
 
     def _lowest_server_version(self):
         lowest = None
-        for server in self.client.active_servers:
+        servers = self.client.active_servers
+        connection_errors = []
+        for server in servers:
             try:
                 _, _, version = self.client.server_infos(server)
                 version = Version(version)
-            except (ValueError, ConnectionError):
+            except ConnectionError as ex:
+                connection_errors.append(ex)
+                continue
+            except ValueError:
                 continue
             if not lowest or version < lowest:
                 lowest = version
+        if connection_errors and not lowest:
+            raise ConnectionError("; ".join(str(e) for e in connection_errors))
         return lowest or Version("0.0.0")
 
     def __repr__(self):
diff --git a/tests/client/test_connection.py b/tests/client/test_connection.py
index 90b121f2..464ec123 100644
--- a/tests/client/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/client/test_connection.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import pytest
 from urllib3 import Timeout
 
+import crate.client.exceptions
 from crate.client import connect
 from crate.client.connection import Connection
 from crate.client.exceptions import ProgrammingError
@@ -12,6 +13,40 @@
 from .settings import crate_host
 
 
+class _FakeClient:
+    """
+    Minimal stand-in for Client that lets tests control server_infos.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, servers, server_infos_fn):
+        self._servers = list(servers)
+        self._server_infos_fn = server_infos_fn
+
+    @property
+    def active_servers(self):
+        return list(self._servers)
+
+    def server_infos(self, server):
+        return self._server_infos_fn(server)
+
+
+def _bare_conn(client):
+    """
+    Create a Connection that bypasses __init__.
+    """
+
+    conn = Connection.__new__(Connection)
+    conn.client = client
+    return conn
+
+
+def test_invalid_server_address():
+    client = Client(servers="localhost:1234")
+    with pytest.raises(crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError) as excinfo:
+        connect(client=client)
+    assert excinfo.match("Server not available")
+
+
 def test_lowest_server_version():
     """
     Verify the lowest server version is correctly set.
@@ -55,10 +90,13 @@ def test_connection_closes_access():
 
 def test_connection_closes_context_manager():
     """Verify that the context manager of the client closes the connection"""
-    with patch.object(connect, "close", autospec=True) as close_fn:
-        with connect():
-            pass
-        close_fn.assert_called_once()
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        with patch.object(connect, "close", autospec=True) as close_fn:
+            with connect():
+                pass
+            close_fn.assert_called_once()
 
 
 def test_invalid_server_version():
@@ -78,8 +116,11 @@ def test_context_manager():
     """
     close_method = "crate.client.http.Client.close"
     with patch(close_method, return_value=MagicMock()) as close_func:
-        with connect("localhost:4200") as conn:
-            assert not conn._closed
+        with patch.object(
+            Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+        ):
+            with connect("localhost:4200") as conn:
+                assert not conn._closed
 
         assert conn._closed
         # Checks that the close method of the client
@@ -115,7 +156,10 @@ def test_default_repr():
     """
     Verify default repr dunder method.
     """
-    conn = connect()
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        conn = connect()
     assert repr(conn) == "<Connection <Client ['http://127.0.0.1:4200']>>"
 
 
@@ -132,7 +176,10 @@ def test_with_timezone():
     """
 
     tz_mst = datetime.timezone(datetime.timedelta(hours=7), name="MST")
-    connection = connect("localhost:4200", time_zone=tz_mst)
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        connection = connect("localhost:4200", time_zone=tz_mst)
     cursor = connection.cursor()
 
     assert cursor.time_zone.tzname(None) == "MST"
@@ -148,16 +195,22 @@ def test_timeout_float():
     """
     Verify setting the timeout value as a scalar (float) works.
     """
-    with connect("localhost:4200", timeout=2.42) as conn:
-        assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == 2.42
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        with connect("localhost:4200", timeout=2.42) as conn:
+            assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == 2.42
 
 
 def test_timeout_string():
     """
     Verify setting the timeout value as a scalar (string) works.
     """
-    with connect("localhost:4200", timeout="2.42") as conn:
-        assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == 2.42
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        with connect("localhost:4200", timeout="2.42") as conn:
+            assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == 2.42
 
 
 def test_timeout_object():
@@ -165,5 +218,102 @@ def test_timeout_object():
     Verify setting the timeout value as a Timeout object works.
     """
     timeout = Timeout(connect=2.42, read=0.01)
-    with connect("localhost:4200", timeout=timeout) as conn:
-        assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == timeout
+    with patch.object(
+        Client, "server_infos", return_value=(None, None, "0.0.0")
+    ):
+        with connect("localhost:4200", timeout=timeout) as conn:
+            assert conn.client._pool_kw["timeout"] == timeout
+
+
+def test_partial_failure_raises():
+    """
+    When some servers fail with ConnectionError and others produce an
+    unparseable version string (triggering ValueError/InvalidVersion),
+    the method must still raise rather than silently returning Version("0.0.0").
+
+    Risk: len(connection_errors) < server_count because only ConnectionError
+    instances are counted, so the all-failed guard never fires.
+    """
+
+    def server_infos(server):
+        if "4200" in server:
+            raise crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError(
+                "Server not available"
+                )
+        # "bad-version" triggers InvalidVersion inside Version(), which is
+        # caught by the second except branch and never appended to
+        # connection_errors.
+        return (None, None, "bad-version")
+
+    client = _FakeClient(
+        ["http://localhost:4200", "http://localhost:4201"],
+        server_infos,
+    )
+    conn = _bare_conn(client)
+
+    with pytest.raises(crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError):
+        conn._lowest_server_version()
+
+
+def test_error_message_contains_individual_errors():
+    """
+    When all servers fail with ConnectionError the raised exception message
+    must contain each individual server's error text so operators can see
+    which nodes are down.
+    """
+    msgs = {
+        "http://localhost:4200": "node-A refused connection",
+        "http://localhost:4201": "node-B timed out",
+    }
+
+    def server_infos(server):
+        raise crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError(msgs[server])
+
+    client = _FakeClient(list(msgs), server_infos)
+    conn = _bare_conn(client)
+
+    with pytest.raises(crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError) as excinfo:
+        conn._lowest_server_version()
+
+    msg = str(excinfo.value)
+    assert "node-A refused connection" in msg
+    assert "node-B timed out" in msg
+
+
+def test_active_servers_double_evaluation():
+    """
+    active_servers is evaluated twice: once for len() (server_count) and once
+    for the for-loop.  If more servers appear between the two calls, every
+    iterated server can fail with ConnectionError yet len(connection_errors)
+    exceeds the stale server_count, causing the all-failed guard to miss.
+
+    """
+
+    class _UnstableClient:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self._calls = 0
+
+        @property
+        def active_servers(self):
+            self._calls += 1
+            if self._calls == 1:
+                # First access: len() call — reports 2 servers.
+                return ["http://localhost:4200", "http://localhost:4201"]
+            # Second access: for-loop — a third server appeared concurrently.
+            return [
+                "http://localhost:4200",
+                "http://localhost:4201",
+                "http://localhost:4202",
+            ]
+
+        def server_infos(self, server):
+            raise crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError(
+                "Server not available"
+                )
+
+    conn = _bare_conn(_UnstableClient())
+
+    # All 3 iterated servers fail, but server_count=2 (stale).
+    # 3 != 2 → guard never fires → silently returns Version("0.0.0").
+    with pytest.raises(crate.client.exceptions.ConnectionError):
+        conn._lowest_server_version()
diff --git a/tests/client/test_http.py b/tests/client/test_http.py
index 573fca68..3510de41 100644
--- a/tests/client/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/client/test_http.py
@@ -655,7 +655,14 @@ def do_POST(self):
             time.sleep(timeout + 0.1)
 
         def do_GET(self):
-            pass
+            body = json.dumps(
+                {"name": "test", "version": {"number": "0.0.0"}}
+            ).encode()
+            self.send_response(200)
+            self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+            self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body)))
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(body)
 
     # Start the http server.
     with serve_http(TimeoutRequestHandler) as (server, url):
@@ -710,7 +717,14 @@ def do_POST(self):
         self.wfile.write(response.encode("utf-8"))
 
     def do_GET(self):
-        pass
+        body = json.dumps(
+            {"name": "test", "version": {"number": "0.0.0"}}
+        ).encode()
+        self.send_response(200)
+        self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body)))
+        self.end_headers()
+        self.wfile.write(body)
 
 
 def test_default_schema(serve_http):