diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
index 18a87877b3..d9927e9bc7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,13 @@ void BLEClient::set_enabled(bool enabled) {
   if (!enabled) {
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%s] Disabling BLE client.", this->address_str());
     this->disconnect();
+    return;
   }
+#ifdef USE_BLE_CLIENT_GATT_NODES
+  // A re-enable clears the backoff (neutral-engine parity).
+  this->gatt_consecutive_failures_ = 0;
+  this->gatt_hold_off_ms_ = 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 bool BLEClient::gattc_event_handler(esp_gattc_cb_event_t event, esp_gatt_if_t esp_gattc_if,
@@ -301,6 +307,7 @@ int BLEClient::notify_characteristic(uint16_t handle, bool enable) {
   if (enable) {
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < this->pending_gatt_reg_count_; i++) {
       if (this->pending_gatt_regs_[i] == handle) {
+        // ESP_OK: the in-flight registration's completion fans out to all nodes.
         ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] Notify registration already pending for handle 0x%04x", this->address_str(), handle);
         return ESP_OK;
       }
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.cpp
index e80f060dbf..66a6cf9824 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ bool BluedroidServiceTable::build(esp_gatt_if_t gattc_if, uint16_t conn_id, uint
                              });
   if (!counted) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Service table walk failed during count", this->log_index_);
+    this->free();
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ bool BluedroidServiceTable::build(esp_gatt_if_t gattc_if, uint16_t conn_id, uint
   if (this->storage_ == nullptr) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Service table allocation failed (%u bytes)", this->log_index_,
              static_cast<unsigned>(total_bytes));
+    this->free();
     return false;
   }
   auto *services = reinterpret_cast<ble_device_base::GattService *>(this->storage_);
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
index 49d9f7f6e9..79c6847e52 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/gatt_service_table_bluedroid.h
@@ -41,13 +41,14 @@ class BluedroidServiceTable {
             this->desc_total_};
   }
 
+  // Always resets the counts: a failed build must never leave a non-zero
+  // service_total_ behind a null table.
   void free() {
-    if (this->storage_ == nullptr) {
-      return;
+    if (this->storage_ != nullptr) {
+      RAMAllocator<uint8_t> allocator(RAMAllocator<uint8_t>::ALLOC_INTERNAL);
+      allocator.deallocate(this->storage_, 0);
+      this->storage_ = nullptr;
     }
-    RAMAllocator<uint8_t> allocator(RAMAllocator<uint8_t>::ALLOC_INTERNAL);
-    allocator.deallocate(this->storage_, 0);
-    this->storage_ = nullptr;
     this->service_total_ = 0;
     this->char_total_ = 0;
     this->desc_total_ = 0;