diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
index 3ac87764e..a62ad09bd 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
@@ -302,7 +302,23 @@ class BluetoothConnectionManager(
      * Public: connect/disconnect helpers for debug UI
      */
     fun connectToAddress(address: String): Boolean = clientManager.connectToAddress(address)
-    fun disconnectAddress(address: String) { connectionTracker.disconnectDevice(address) }
+    fun disconnectAddress(address: String) {
+        connectionScope.launch {
+            try {
+                val dc = connectionTracker.getDeviceConnection(address)
+                if (dc != null) {
+                    if (dc.gatt != null) {
+                        try { dc.gatt.disconnect() } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                    } else {
+                        // Try canceling server-side connection if present
+                        try { serverManager.getGattServer()?.cancelConnection(dc.device) } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                    }
+                }
+            } catch (_: Exception) { }
+            // Cleanup tracking regardless
+            connectionTracker.cleanupDeviceConnection(address)
+        }
+    }
 
 
     // Optionally disconnect all connections (server and client)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
index 745a1a397..a9d231182 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
@@ -124,6 +124,23 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
     fun getSubscribedDevices(): List<BluetoothDevice> {
         return subscribedDevices.toList()
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Check whether a given peer already has an active direct connection.
+     */
+    fun isPeerDirectlyConnected(peerID: String): Boolean {
+        val address = getConnectedAddressForPeer(peerID)
+        return address != null
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return the connected device address for a peer, if currently connected.
+     */
+    fun getConnectedAddressForPeer(peerID: String): String? {
+        // Find any address mapped to this peer that is still connected
+        val address = addressPeerMap.entries.firstOrNull { it.value == peerID }?.key
+        return address?.takeIf { connectedDevices.containsKey(it) }
+    }
     
     /**
      * Get current RSSI for a device address
@@ -198,7 +215,8 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
             }
             
             // Update connection attempt atomically
-            val attempts = (currentAttempt?.attempts ?: 0) + 1
+            // If the previous attempt window expired, reset backoff to 1; otherwise increment
+            val attempts = if (currentAttempt?.isExpired() == true) 1 else (currentAttempt?.attempts ?: 0) + 1
             pendingConnections[deviceAddress] = ConnectionAttempt(attempts)
             Log.d(TAG, "Tracker: Added pending connection for $deviceAddress (attempts: $attempts)")
             return true
@@ -283,7 +301,6 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
             subscribedDevices.removeAll { it.address == deviceAddress }
             addressPeerMap.remove(deviceAddress)
         }
-        pendingConnections.remove(deviceAddress)
         firstAnnounceSeen.remove(deviceAddress)
         Log.d(TAG, "Cleaned up device connection for $deviceAddress")
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
index ee5f0f167..111022816 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
@@ -408,18 +408,28 @@ class BluetoothMeshService(private val context: Context) {
                     val deviceAddress = routed.relayAddress
                     val pid = routed.peerID
                     if (deviceAddress != null && pid != null) {
-                        // First ANNOUNCE over a device connection defines a direct neighbor.
+                        // Only process on first ANNOUNCE seen for this device connection
                         if (!connectionManager.hasSeenFirstAnnounce(deviceAddress)) {
-                            // Bind or rebind this device address to the announcing peer
-                            connectionManager.addressPeerMap[deviceAddress] = pid
-                            connectionManager.noteAnnounceReceived(deviceAddress)
-                            Log.d(TAG, "Mapped device $deviceAddress to peer $pid on FIRST-ANNOUNCE for this connection")
+                            // If we're already directly connected to this peer via another address, drop the new one.
+                            val existingAddress = connectionManager.addressPeerMap
+                                .entries.firstOrNull { it.value == pid }?.key
 
-                            // Mark as directly connected (upgrades from routed if needed)
-                            try { peerManager.setDirectConnection(pid, true) } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                            val existingConnected = existingAddress != null &&
+                                connectionManager.isClientConnection(existingAddress!!) != null
 
-                            // Initial sync for this newly direct peer
-                            try { gossipSyncManager.scheduleInitialSyncToPeer(pid, 1_000) } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                            if (existingAddress != null && existingAddress != deviceAddress && existingConnected) {
+                                Log.i(TAG, "Peer $pid already connected via $existingAddress; dropping new connection $deviceAddress")
+                                // Disconnect the newer duplicate connection
+                                connectionManager.disconnectAddress(deviceAddress)
+                            } else {
+                                // Bind this device address to peer and mark direct
+                                connectionManager.addressPeerMap[deviceAddress] = pid
+                                connectionManager.noteAnnounceReceived(deviceAddress)
+                                Log.d(TAG, "Mapped device $deviceAddress to peer $pid on FIRST-ANNOUNCE for this connection")
+
+                                try { peerManager.setDirectConnection(pid, true) } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                                try { gossipSyncManager.scheduleInitialSyncToPeer(pid, 1_000) } catch (_: Exception) { }
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                     // Track for sync