diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_client_state.h b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_client_state.h
index 7a0a8a3e40..013853b2e2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_client_state.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_client_state.h
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ namespace esphome::ble_device_base {
 /// ATT code range so they cannot be mistaken for spec errors. -1 is
 /// understood by API clients as "not connected". Shared by every GATT
 /// client backend.
+static constexpr int GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED = -1;
+static constexpr int GATT_ERR_NO_MEMORY = -2;
+
 /// Safety net shared by every GATT backend: force IDLE when the stack never
 /// delivers its disconnect completion.
 static constexpr uint32_t GATT_DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000;
 
-static constexpr int GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED = -1;
-static constexpr int GATT_ERR_NO_MEMORY = -2;
-
 // Preferred connection parameters shared by every platform's GATT client so
 // the backends cannot drift (units: interval 1.25 ms, timeout 10 ms; latency
 // 0). FAST covers connection setup and service discovery; MEDIUM is the
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
index 0bcaae7717..71e5356244 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -135,13 +135,18 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::tracker_connect_() {
 
 int BluedroidGattClient::disconnect() {
   auto st = this->state_();
-  if (st == ClientState::IDLE || st == ClientState::DISCONNECTING) {
+  if (st == ClientState::DISCONNECTING) {
     return 0;
   }
+  // Nothing was opened, so no completion event will follow: report
+  // not-connected and the hub frees the slot at once (rp2 convention).
+  if (st == ClientState::IDLE) {
+    return ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED;
+  }
   if (st == ClientState::DISCOVERED) {
-    // Never opened: nothing to close.
+    // Parked for the tracker promote loop, never opened.
     this->set_state_(ClientState::IDLE);
-    return 0;
+    return ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED;
   }
   if (st == ClientState::CONNECTING || this->conn_id_ == UNSET_CONN_ID) {
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "[%d] Disconnect scheduled", this->connection_index_);
@@ -279,10 +284,20 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::handle_search_cmpl_() {
   this->update_conn_params_(MEDIUM_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL, MEDIUM_MAX_CONN_INTERVAL, 0, MEDIUM_CONN_TIMEOUT, "medium");
   uint16_t primary = 0;
   uint16_t secondary = 0;
-  esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_PRIMARY_SERVICE, 0x0001, 0xFFFF, 0,
-                               &primary);
-  esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_SECONDARY_SERVICE, 0x0001, 0xFFFF, 0,
-                               &secondary);
+  auto primary_status = esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_PRIMARY_SERVICE,
+                                                     0x0001, 0xFFFF, 0, &primary);
+  auto secondary_status = esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_SECONDARY_SERVICE,
+                                                       0x0001, 0xFFFF, 0, &secondary);
+  if (primary_status != ESP_GATT_OK || secondary_status != ESP_GATT_OK) {
+    // A failed count must not become an authoritative empty database - V3
+    // clients cache the streamed result permanently.
+    auto status = primary_status != ESP_GATT_OK ? primary_status : secondary_status;
+    this->log_gattc_warning_("esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count", status);
+    if (this->listener_ != nullptr) {
+      this->listener_->on_service_discovery_done(status);
+    }
+    return;
+  }
   this->service_total_ = primary + secondary;
   this->listener_->on_service_discovery_done(0);
 }
@@ -358,6 +373,7 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::stream_service_batch(BluetoothConnection &conn) {
         }
         if (char_status != ESP_GATT_OK || cc == 0) {
           if (char_status != ESP_GATT_OK) {
+            this->log_gattc_warning_("esp_ble_gattc_get_all_char", char_status);
             conn.send_service_ = DONE_SENDING_SERVICES;
             return;
           }
@@ -371,8 +387,15 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::stream_service_batch(BluetoothConnection &conn) {
         characteristic_resp.properties = char_result.properties;
 
         uint16_t total_desc_count = 0;
-        esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_DESCRIPTOR, 0, 0,
-                                     char_result.char_handle, &total_desc_count);
+        auto desc_count_status = esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_, ESP_GATT_DB_DESCRIPTOR,
+                                                              0, 0, char_result.char_handle, &total_desc_count);
+        if (desc_count_status != ESP_GATT_OK) {
+          // Abort rather than stream the characteristic descriptor-less: a
+          // missing CCCD in a cached database breaks notifications for good.
+          this->log_gattc_warning_("esp_ble_gattc_get_attr_count", desc_count_status);
+          conn.send_service_ = DONE_SENDING_SERVICES;
+          return;
+        }
         if (total_desc_count > 0) {
           characteristic_resp.descriptors.init(total_desc_count);
           uint16_t desc_offset = 0;
@@ -386,6 +409,7 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::stream_service_batch(BluetoothConnection &conn) {
             }
             if (desc_status != ESP_GATT_OK || dc == 0) {
               if (desc_status != ESP_GATT_OK) {
+                this->log_gattc_warning_("esp_ble_gattc_get_all_descr", desc_status);
                 conn.send_service_ = DONE_SENDING_SERVICES;
                 return;
               }
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_gatt_backend.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_gatt_backend.h
index 0a54622d8e..b164902c12 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_gatt_backend.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_gatt_backend.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #if defined(USE_RP2040_BLE)
 #include "bluetooth_connection_rp2.h"
 #define ESPHOME_BLE_GATT_CONNECTION_TYPE bluetooth_connection::RP2GattClient
-#elif defined(USE_ESP32)
+#elif defined(USE_ESP32_BLE)
 #include "bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h"
 #define ESPHOME_BLE_GATT_CONNECTION_TYPE bluetooth_connection::BluedroidGattClient
 #elif defined(USE_BLE_GATT_CLIENT_STUB_BACKEND)
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
index db110706fa..c2cf849348 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ void BluetoothConnection::disconnect() {
 void BluetoothConnection::check_disconnect_timeout_() {
   // Safety net mirroring the esp32 base class: if the backend's disconnect
   // completion is lost, force the slot free instead of leaking it.
-  static constexpr uint32_t DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000;
-  if (this->state_ == ClientState::DISCONNECTING && millis() - this->disconnecting_started_ > DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+  if (this->state_ == ClientState::DISCONNECTING &&
+      millis() - this->disconnecting_started_ > ble_device_base::GATT_DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] [%s] Disconnect timeout, freeing slot", this->connection_index_, this->address_str_);
     this->reset_connection_(GATT_NOT_CONNECTED);
   }