diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
index abb53a4c8a..e00e0fd0b1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ bool BLEClient::all_nodes_established_() {
 #ifdef USE_BLE_CLIENT_GATT_NODES
 
 void BLEClient::register_gatt_node(BLEClientNode *node) {
+  // Parent before the capacity check so a dropped node still has a usable
+  // parent() (neutral-engine parity).
+  node->set_ble_client_parent(this);
   if (this->gatt_nodes_.size() == ESPHOME_BLE_CLIENT_MAX_NODES) {
     // push_back past capacity is a silent no-op; an undersized slot count
     // must be loud at boot, not an unresolvable node at runtime.
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
index 69a250f809..d52badb623 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ class _PlatformBackend:
     register: Callable[[cg.MockObj, ConfigType], Awaitable[None]]
     # Selects the backend's alias-ladder arm (order-independent arms).
     define: str
+    # The backend's on-demand materializer gate, when it has one.
+    materializer_define: str | None = None
 
 
 # The single registry of platforms with a GATT client backend; a platform
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@ _PLATFORM_BACKENDS: dict[str, _PlatformBackend] = {
         _esp32_schema_fragment,
         _esp32_register,
         "USE_BLE_GATT_BACKEND_BLUEDROID",
+        materializer_define="USE_BLUEDROID_GATT_SERVICE_TABLE",
     ),
     PLATFORM_RP2: _PlatformBackend(
         RP2GattClient, _rp2_schema_fragment, _rp2_register, "USE_BLE_GATT_BACKEND_RP2"
@@ -254,8 +257,8 @@ async def new_gatt_backend(
     entry = _backend_entry()
     ble_device_base.request_gatt_client()
     cg.add_define(entry.define)
-    if service_table:
-        cg.add_define("USE_BLUEDROID_GATT_SERVICE_TABLE")
+    if service_table and entry.materializer_define is not None:
+        cg.add_define(entry.materializer_define)
     backend = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_BACKEND_ID])
     # The backend is the slot's real Component: component keys from the
     # connection entry (setup_priority, ...) apply to it. Consumers whose own
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
index a125c010ff..95b04b597a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ namespace esphome::bluetooth_connection {
 class BluedroidServiceTable {
  public:
   ~BluedroidServiceTable() { this->free(); }
+  // Owns storage_; a copy would double-free.
+  BluedroidServiceTable() = default;
+  BluedroidServiceTable(const BluedroidServiceTable &) = delete;
+  BluedroidServiceTable &operator=(const BluedroidServiceTable &) = delete;
 
   /// The service count build() requires: the stack's PRIMARY+SECONDARY
   /// attribute totals, never the SEARCH_RES event count.