diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ble_client/__init__.py
index 828bd0b7b2..accb690aac 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/__init__.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ _COMMON_SCHEMA = cv.Schema(
 def _esp32_config_schema() -> cv.All:
     """The legacy engine's schema, byte-compatible with what esp32 always had
     (including the Bluedroid security triggers)."""
-    from esphome.components import esp32_ble, esp32_ble_tracker
+    from esphome.components import esp32_ble_tracker
 
     return cv.All(
         _COMMON_SCHEMA.extend(
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def _esp32_config_schema() -> cv.All:
                 ),
             }
         ).extend(esp32_ble_tracker.ESP_BLE_DEVICE_SCHEMA),
-        esp32_ble.consume_connection_slots(1, "ble_client"),
+        bluetooth_connection.consume_gatt_slot("ble_client"),
     )
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
index 095899f78a..63d2887399 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
@@ -152,33 +152,34 @@ void BLEClient::on_service_discovery_done(int error) {
     this->disconnect();
     return;
   }
-  // CONNECTED before the fan-out so nodes may consult connected() from
-  // their own on_connected().
-  this->state_ = State::CONNECTED;
+  ble_device_base::GattServiceTable table{};
   if (!this->nodes_.empty()) {
     // Materialize only when a node will read it: a client with no nodes
     // would pay the build/free cycle on every (re)connect for nothing.
-    auto table = this->backend_->get_service_table();
+    table = this->backend_->get_service_table();
     if (table.service_count == 0) {
       // A failed materialization is indistinguishable from a service-less
-      // peer, and a real GATT peer always exposes at least GAP/GATT: treat
-      // it as a discovery failure so the connection retries instead of
-      // sitting inert behind a successful-looking on_connect.
+      // peer, and a real GATT peer always exposes at least GAP/GATT: fail
+      // the discovery before CONNECTED so the teardown resolves through
+      // connect_failed, never a spurious on_disconnect.
       ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] Service table is empty; treating as failed discovery", this->address_str_);
       this->backend_->release_services();
       this->register_failure_();
       this->disconnect();
       return;
     }
-    for (auto *node : this->nodes_) {
-      node->on_connected(table);
-      if (this->state_ != State::CONNECTED || this->cancel_requested_) {
-        // A node tore the link down mid-fan-out: on_disconnect fires with no
-        // preceding on_connect, so leave a trace of why.
-        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] A node aborted the connection during setup", this->address_str_);
-        this->backend_->release_services();
-        return;
-      }
+  }
+  // CONNECTED before the fan-out so nodes may consult connected() from
+  // their own on_connected().
+  this->state_ = State::CONNECTED;
+  for (auto *node : this->nodes_) {
+    node->on_connected(table);
+    if (this->state_ != State::CONNECTED || this->cancel_requested_) {
+      // A node tore the link down mid-fan-out: on_disconnect fires with no
+      // preceding on_connect, so leave a trace of why.
+      ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] A node aborted the connection during setup", this->address_str_);
+      this->backend_->release_services();
+      return;
     }
   }
   this->backend_->release_services();