diff --git a/cypress/integration/vault.spec.js b/cypress/integration/vault.spec.js
--- a/cypress/integration/vault.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/vault.spec.js
@@ -404,4 +404,24 @@
 
   });
 
+  it('should offer to recook an object if previous vault task failed', function() {
+
+    cy.visit(this.directoryUrl);
+
+    // Stub responses when requesting the vault API to simulate
+    // the last cooking of the directory tarball has failed
+    cy.route({
+      method: 'GET',
+      url: this.vaultDirectoryUrl,
+      response: this.genVaultDirCookingResponse('failed')
+    }).as('checkVaultCookingTask');
+
+    checkVaultCookingTask('as tarball');
+
+    // Check that recooking the directory is offered to user
+    cy.get('.modal-dialog')
+      .contains('button:visible', 'Ok')
+      .should('be.visible');
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-create-tasks.js b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-create-tasks.js
--- a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-create-tasks.js
+++ b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-create-tasks.js
@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@
     .then(response => response.json())
     .then(data => {
       // object needs to be cooked
-      if (data.exception === 'NotFoundExc') {
+      if (data.exception === 'NotFoundExc' || data.status === 'failed') {
+        // if last cooking has failed, remove previous task info from localStorage
+        // in order to force the recooking of the object
+        swh.vault.removeCookingTaskInfo([objectId]);
         $(`#vault-cook-${objectType}-modal`).modal('show');
-      // object has been cooked and is in the vault cache
+      // object has been cooked and should be in the vault cache,
+      // it will be asked to cook it again if it is not
       } else if (data.status === 'done') {
         $(`#vault-fetch-${objectType}-modal`).modal('show');
       }
diff --git a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-ui.js b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-ui.js
--- a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-ui.js
+++ b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/vault/vault-ui.js
@@ -209,6 +209,17 @@
     .catch(() => {});
 }
 
+export function removeCookingTaskInfo(tasksToRemove) {
+  let vaultCookingTasks = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('swh-vault-cooking-tasks'));
+  if (!vaultCookingTasks) {
+    return;
+  }
+  vaultCookingTasks = $.grep(vaultCookingTasks, task => {
+    return $.inArray(task.object_id, tasksToRemove) === -1;
+  });
+  localStorage.setItem('swh-vault-cooking-tasks', JSON.stringify(vaultCookingTasks));
+}
+
 export function initUi() {
 
   $('#vault-tasks-toggle-selection').change(event => {
@@ -226,11 +237,7 @@
         $(row).remove();
       }
     });
-    let vaultCookingTasks = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('swh-vault-cooking-tasks'));
-    vaultCookingTasks = $.grep(vaultCookingTasks, task => {
-      return $.inArray(task.object_id, tasksToRemove) === -1;
-    });
-    localStorage.setItem('swh-vault-cooking-tasks', JSON.stringify(vaultCookingTasks));
+    removeCookingTaskInfo(tasksToRemove);
     $('#vault-tasks-toggle-selection').prop('checked', false);
     checkVaultId = setTimeout(checkVaultCookingTasks, pollingInterval);
   });