diff --git a/lib/connector/caplog_reassembler.dart b/lib/connector/caplog_reassembler.dart
index 1bcb447..e412677 100644
--- a/lib/connector/caplog_reassembler.dart
+++ b/lib/connector/caplog_reassembler.dart
@@ -71,23 +71,26 @@ class CaplogBusyException implements Exception {
       'CaplogBusyException: device busy, another stream is in flight';
 }
 
-/// Thrown when the reassembled caplog byte count doesn't match the length the
-/// device announced in its START frame. (#430)
-class CaplogTruncatedException implements Exception {
-  const CaplogTruncatedException({
+/// Result of a caplog download. On a clean transfer [received] == [expected]
+/// and [truncated] is false; on a short transfer [bytes] still carry everything
+/// that was reassembled and [truncated] is true. A partial capture is kept and
+/// handed back rather than discarded, so the user can still save/share it. (#580)
+class CaplogDownload {
+  const CaplogDownload({
+    required this.bytes,
     required this.received,
     required this.expected,
-    this.chunks,
+    required this.chunks,
   });
+
+  /// The reassembled bytes (complete, or partial when [truncated]).
+  final Uint8List bytes;
   final int received;
   final int expected;
 
-  /// Number of CHUNK frames the client accumulated before END, a diagnostic to
-  /// tell client/transport frame loss apart from the firmware streaming short.
-  final int? chunks;
+  /// Number of CHUNK frames accumulated before END, a diagnostic to tell
+  /// client/transport frame loss apart from the firmware streaming short.
+  final int chunks;
 
-  @override
-  String toString() =>
-      'CaplogTruncatedException: received $received of $expected bytes'
-      '${chunks != null ? ' in $chunks chunks' : ''}';
+  bool get truncated => received != expected;
 }
diff --git a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
index 12b0371..8d70b2a 100644
--- a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
+++ b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
   bool _blockDumpInFlight = false;
   final Set<String> _blockKeysTouchedDuringDump = {};
   // Caplog serial-capture download (0xC4) streamed reassembly (#430).
-  Completer<Uint8List>? _caplogCompleter;
+  Completer<CaplogDownload>? _caplogCompleter;
   CaplogReassembler? _caplogReassembler;
   bool _caplogAwaitingStart = false;
   Completer<CaplogAck>? _caplogAckCompleter;
@@ -4638,18 +4638,19 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
   /// (0xC4). Sends the request and reassembles the START/CHUNK*/END stream into
   /// the raw captured bytes.
   ///
-  /// Throws [StateError] if a download is already in flight,
+  /// Returns a [CaplogDownload] carrying the reassembled bytes. A short transfer
+  /// is NOT an error: the result's [CaplogDownload.truncated] is set and the
+  /// partial [CaplogDownload.bytes] are kept so the caller can still save/share
+  /// them (#580). Throws [StateError] if a download is already in flight,
   /// [CaplogBusyException] if the device rejects because another stream is
-  /// already in flight, [CaplogTruncatedException] if the byte count doesn't
-  /// match the announced length, or [TimeoutException] if it never finishes.
-  /// (#430)
-  Future<Uint8List> downloadCaplog({
+  /// already in flight, or [TimeoutException] if it never finishes. (#430)
+  Future<CaplogDownload> downloadCaplog({
     Duration timeout = const Duration(seconds: 30),
   }) async {
     if (_caplogCompleter != null) {
       throw StateError('A caplog download is already in progress');
     }
-    final completer = Completer<Uint8List>();
+    final completer = Completer<CaplogDownload>();
     _caplogCompleter = completer;
     _caplogReassembler = CaplogReassembler();
     _caplogAwaitingStart = true;
@@ -4712,7 +4713,14 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
           '$_caplogChunks chunks',
           tag: 'Caplog',
         );
-        completer.complete(event.bytes);
+        completer.complete(
+          CaplogDownload(
+            bytes: event.bytes!,
+            received: event.bytes!.length,
+            expected: event.bytes!.length,
+            chunks: _caplogChunks,
+          ),
+        );
         break;
       case CaplogStatus.truncated:
         _appDebugLogService?.warn(
@@ -4720,8 +4728,11 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
           '${event.expected} bytes in $_caplogChunks chunks',
           tag: 'Caplog',
         );
-        completer.completeError(
-          CaplogTruncatedException(
+        // Not an error: hand back the partial bytes so the caller can still
+        // save/share them (#580).
+        completer.complete(
+          CaplogDownload(
+            bytes: event.bytes!,
             received: event.bytes!.length,
             expected: event.expected!,
             chunks: _caplogChunks,
diff --git a/lib/screens/serial_capture_screen.dart b/lib/screens/serial_capture_screen.dart
index f5a749d..02564fe 100644
--- a/lib/screens/serial_capture_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/serial_capture_screen.dart
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
   int _durationMinutes = 5;
   bool _busy = false;
   String? _error;
+  String? _warning;
   bool _wasConnected = false;
 
   DateTime? _startedAt;
@@ -247,11 +249,12 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
     setState(() {
       _busy = true;
       _error = null;
+      _warning = null;
     });
     try {
-      final bytes = await c.downloadCaplog();
+      final result = await c.downloadCaplog();
       if (!mounted) return;
-      if (bytes.isEmpty) {
+      if (result.bytes.isEmpty) {
         ScaffoldMessenger.of(context).showSnackBar(
           const SnackBar(
             content: Text('Buffer is empty, nothing to download.'),
@@ -259,15 +262,36 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
         );
         return;
       }
+      // A truncated capture is kept, not discarded: mark the file partial (so a
+      // partial log is never mistaken for a complete one) and warn the user, but
+      // still write and offer to save/share it (#580).
       final dir = await getTemporaryDirectory();
       final ts = DateTime.now();
       final name =
           'serial-capture-'
           '${ts.year}${_pad2(ts.month)}${_pad2(ts.day)}-'
-          '${_pad2(ts.hour)}${_pad2(ts.minute)}${_pad2(ts.second)}.txt';
+          '${_pad2(ts.hour)}${_pad2(ts.minute)}${_pad2(ts.second)}'
+          '${result.truncated ? '-partial' : ''}.txt';
       final file = File('${dir.path}${Platform.pathSeparator}$name');
-      await file.writeAsBytes(bytes);
+      if (result.truncated) {
+        final header = utf8.encode(
+          '# PARTIAL Offband serial capture: '
+          '${result.received} of ${result.expected} bytes in '
+          '${result.chunks} chunks. Incomplete '
+          '(see OffbandMesh/meshcore-firmware#711).\n\n',
+        );
+        await file.writeAsBytes([...header, ...result.bytes]);
+      } else {
+        await file.writeAsBytes(result.bytes);
+      }
       if (!mounted) return;
+      if (result.truncated) {
+        setState(
+          () => _warning =
+              'Partial capture: ${result.received} of ${result.expected} '
+              'bytes. Saving what was captured.',
+        );
+      }
       await LogExport.shareFile(
         context,
         file,
@@ -279,8 +303,6 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
           () => _error = 'Device busy (another transfer in progress). Retry.',
         );
       }
-    } on CaplogTruncatedException catch (e) {
-      if (mounted) setState(() => _error = 'Capture truncated: $e');
     } on TimeoutException {
       if (mounted) setState(() => _error = 'No response from device.');
     } catch (e) {
@@ -381,6 +403,24 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
               ),
             ),
           ),
+        if (_warning != null)
+          Card(
+            color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.tertiaryContainer,
+            child: Padding(
+              padding: const EdgeInsets.all(12),
+              child: Row(
+                children: [
+                  const Icon(Icons.warning_amber_outlined),
+                  const SizedBox(width: 8),
+                  Expanded(child: Text(_warning!)),
+                  IconButton(
+                    icon: const Icon(Icons.close),
+                    onPressed: () => setState(() => _warning = null),
+                  ),
+                ],
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
         Card(
           child: Padding(
             padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16),
@@ -451,7 +491,7 @@ class _SerialCaptureScreenState extends State<SerialCaptureScreen> {
         OutlinedButton.icon(
           onPressed: _busy || capturing ? null : _download,
           icon: Icon(LogExport.icon),
-          label: const Text('Download & share'),
+          label: Text('Download & ${LogExport.actionVerb}'),
         ),
         const SizedBox(height: 8),
         TextButton.icon(
diff --git a/lib/utils/log_export.dart b/lib/utils/log_export.dart
index 271da1f..2532cf4 100644
--- a/lib/utils/log_export.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/log_export.dart
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ class LogExport {
         : context.l10n.debugLog_saveLog;
   }
 
+  /// Short verb for a compound button label like "Download & save". Mobile
+  /// shares via the OS sheet; desktop and web save a file (web via a browser
+  /// download), so "save" fits both. (#580)
+  static String get actionVerb => (!kIsWeb && _isMobile) ? 'share' : 'save';
+
   /// Export the combined on-disk app+BLE log (the App/BLE log screens). On web
   /// there is no on-disk file, so [webContent] supplies the text to download.
   static Future<void> shareLogs(
diff --git a/test/connector/caplog_reassembler_test.dart b/test/connector/caplog_reassembler_test.dart
index 2835202..c4730c7 100644
--- a/test/connector/caplog_reassembler_test.dart
+++ b/test/connector/caplog_reassembler_test.dart
@@ -113,4 +113,27 @@ void main() {
       expect(end.bytes, Uint8List.fromList(expected));
     });
   });
+
+  group('CaplogDownload', () {
+    test('truncated when received < expected, and keeps the partial bytes', () {
+      final d = CaplogDownload(
+        bytes: Uint8List.fromList([1, 2, 3]),
+        received: 3,
+        expected: 10,
+        chunks: 2,
+      );
+      expect(d.truncated, isTrue);
+      expect(d.bytes, Uint8List.fromList([1, 2, 3]));
+    });
+
+    test('not truncated when received == expected', () {
+      final d = CaplogDownload(
+        bytes: Uint8List.fromList([1, 2, 3]),
+        received: 3,
+        expected: 3,
+        chunks: 1,
+      );
+      expect(d.truncated, isFalse);
+    });
+  });
 }