diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/__init__.py
index c2520ba0cf..ae03003713 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/__init__.py
@@ -163,8 +163,9 @@ _request_gatt_connection_slot = cg.slot_counter(GATT_CLIENT_COUNT_DEFINE)
 
 def request_gatt_client() -> None:
     """Compile in the neutral GATT client contract (ble_gatt_client.h) and
-    claim one connection slot. Called by bluetooth_connection.new_gatt_backend()
-    once per backend instance."""
+    claim one compiled-in client slot (sizes ESPHOME_BLE_GATT_CLIENT_COUNT;
+    distinct from the proxy's validated connection budget). Called by
+    bluetooth_connection.new_gatt_backend() once per backend instance."""
     cg.add_define("USE_BLE_GATT_CLIENT")
     _request_gatt_connection_slot()
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_gatt_client.h b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_gatt_client.h
index 1ab89e32cb..fa9b299172 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_gatt_client.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_device_base/ble_gatt_client.h
@@ -5,14 +5,11 @@
 // Exactly one GATT backend exists per build, so BLEGattConnection is a
 // compile-time alias (bluetooth_connection_gatt_backend.h), not an abstract
 // interface.
-// A consumer - a streaming consumer that forwards the raw database (the hub
-// BluetoothConnection wrapper) or a direct consumer owning a dedicated
-// backend and resolving handles by UUID - drives it and receives
-// completions through the GattClientListener interface (one build can hold
-// several consumer types while the backend stays a single non-virtual
-// class). All listener
-// calls are delivered on the ESPHome main loop; borrowed data pointers are
-// valid only for the duration of the call.
+// A consumer - the hub wrapper streaming the raw database, or a direct
+// consumer owning a dedicated backend and resolving handles by UUID -
+// drives it and receives completions through the GattClientListener
+// interface. All listener calls are delivered on the ESPHome main loop;
+// borrowed data pointers are valid only for the duration of the call.
 //
 // Error domain (plain int, forwarded to the API without translation):
 //   0            success
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
index 4787a781a8..d86b7de81f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::loop() {
     }
     // Do not wait for REG_EVT; a dropped event must not wedge the slot.
     this->set_idle_();
-  } else if (st == ClientState::DISCONNECTING || this->want_disconnect_) {
+  } else if (st == ClientState::DISCONNECTING || this->disconnect_pending()) {
     // The one teardown safety net: a lost CLOSE_EVT, or a scheduled
     // teardown whose OPEN_EVT never arrives.
     if (millis() - this->disconnecting_started_ > ble_device_base::GATT_DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS) {
@@ -734,7 +734,8 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::handle_open_evt_(esp_ble_gattc_cb_param_t *param) {
     return;
   }
   if (this->disconnect_pending()) {
-    // Earliest point conn_id_ exists; keep it set so CLOSE_EVT still matches.
+    // Open resolved with a teardown scheduled: close now (conn_id_ stays set
+    // so CLOSE_EVT still matches).
     this->unconditional_disconnect_();
     return;
   }
@@ -742,11 +743,10 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::handle_open_evt_(esp_ble_gattc_cb_param_t *param) {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%d] Connection open", this->connection_index_);
   if (this->connection_type_ == ConnectionType::V3_WITH_CACHE) {
     this->set_state(ClientState::ESTABLISHED);
-    // No discovery phase: report immediately; the MTU report below is
-    // suppressed by seen_mtu_ (HA tolerates a post-connect MTU of 23 here,
-    // matching the previous esp32 behavior).
+    // No discovery phase: report immediately with the default MTU. The
+    // cached path never waits for (or reports) the exchange - seen_mtu_
+    // suppresses the CFG_MTU report, matching the previous esp32 behavior.
     this->seen_mtu_ = true;
-    // Cached path never exchanged an MTU; HA has always seen the default.
     this->listener_->on_connection_state(true, ble_device_base::DEFAULT_ATT_MTU, 0);
   } else {
     // Discovery-bound connection: start the search now so it overlaps the
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
index 1d07b9b4a7..6d3ef972a5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class BluedroidGattClient final : public esp32_ble_tracker::ESPBTClient, public
   // The MTU request was refused at CONNECT_EVT; OPEN_EVT reports instead.
   bool mtu_failed_ : 1 {false};
   // Search issued at OPEN_EVT overlaps the MTU exchange; discover_services()
-  // completes from it. Reset per attempt and on idle.
+  // completes from it. Reset by set_idle_().
   SearchState search_state_ : 4 {SearchState::NONE};
   // esp_gatt_status_t of the completed search, held until claimed.
   uint8_t search_status_{0};
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
index 2af705617b..173f1ca8f2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_hub.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ void BluetoothConnection::set_address(uint64_t address) {
 }
 
 void BluetoothConnection::initiate_connection(uint8_t address_type) {
-  // No connect timeout here: the API client's own timeout or
-  // the api-gone sweep drives disconnect().
+  // No connect timeout here: the API client's own timeout or the api-gone
+  // sweep drives disconnect().
   this->state_ = ClientState::CONNECTING;
   int err = this->backend_->connect(this->address_, address_type);
   if (err != 0) {
@@ -309,9 +309,9 @@ void BluetoothConnection::send_service_for_discovery_() {
   }
 
   // The subscriber vanished mid-stream: park the cursor at done WITHOUT
-  // sending services-done (a resubscribing client gets silence and its
-  // 30 s timeout, never an authoritative partial list) and
-  // free the table; the api-gone sweep tears the connection down anyway.
+  // sending services-done (a resubscribing client gets silence and its 30 s
+  // timeout, never an authoritative partial list) and free the table; the
+  // api-gone sweep tears the connection down anyway.
   auto *api_conn = this->proxy_->get_api_connection();
   if (api_conn == nullptr) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] [%s] API connection lost while streaming services", this->connection_index_,