diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
index 15f854239d..27d6899971 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -45,15 +45,9 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::setup() {
 
 void BluedroidGattClient::loop() {
   if (!esp32_ble::global_ble->is_active()) {
-    // Stack down: no CLOSE_EVT will come. Settle a live link so the consumer
-    // frees its slot, then re-register the app on the next enable.
-    auto down_st = this->state();
-    if (down_st != ClientState::IDLE && down_st != ClientState::INIT) {
-      this->release_services();
-      this->set_idle_();
-      this->listener_->on_connection_state(false, 0, ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED);
-    }
-    this->set_state(ClientState::INIT);
+    // Backstop for the window between disable() and the teardown; the
+    // tracker's before-disabled hook is the primary path.
+    this->reset_for_stack_down_();
     return;
   }
   auto st = this->state();
@@ -87,6 +81,30 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::loop() {
   }
 }
 
+// Stack down: no CLOSE_EVT will come. Settle a live link so the consumer
+// frees its slot, then re-register the app on the next enable.
+void BluedroidGattClient::reset_for_stack_down_() {
+  auto st = this->state();
+  if (st == ClientState::INIT) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (st != ClientState::IDLE) {
+    this->release_services();
+    this->set_idle_();
+    this->listener_->on_connection_state(false, 0, ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED);
+  }
+  // The interface belongs to the torn-down stack; Bluedroid drops an open
+  // issued with it without any event.
+  this->gattc_if_ = ESP_GATT_IF_NONE;
+  this->set_state(ClientState::INIT);
+}
+
+void BluedroidGattClient::ble_before_disabled_event_handler() {
+  this->reset_for_stack_down_();
+  // An idle slot runs no loop; the INIT branch must run to register again.
+  this->enable_loop();
+}
+
 void BluedroidGattClient::dump_config() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "Bluedroid GATT client %d", this->connection_index_);
   if (this->is_failed()) {
@@ -97,9 +115,15 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::dump_config() {
 // ---- contract ops ----
 
 int BluedroidGattClient::connect(uint64_t address, uint8_t addr_type) {
+  auto st = this->state();
+  if (st == ClientState::INIT) {
+    // Nothing can be opened until the app is registered on a running stack.
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Connect rejected, BLE stack not ready", this->connection_index_);
+    return ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED;
+  }
   // Only from idle: clobbering DISCONNECTING would open a new link the
   // stale CLOSE_EVT then tears down.
-  if (this->state() != ClientState::IDLE) {
+  if (st != ClientState::IDLE) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Connect rejected, slot busy", this->connection_index_);
     return ESP_GATT_BUSY;
   }
@@ -121,6 +145,14 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::tracker_connect_() {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Cannot connect, still waiting for CLOSE_EVT", this->connection_index_);
     return;
   }
+  if (this->gattc_if_ == ESP_GATT_IF_NONE) {
+    // REG_EVT has not landed on this stack; Bluedroid drops an open on an
+    // unknown interface without any event, which would wedge the slot.
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] Connect failed, GATT app not registered", this->connection_index_);
+    this->set_idle_();
+    this->listener_->on_connection_state(false, 0, ble_device_base::GATT_ERR_NOT_CONNECTED);
+    return;
+  }
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%d] 0x%02x Connecting", this->connection_index_, this->remote_addr_type_);
   // Per-attempt latches; the search machine is reset by set_idle_(), the
   // one door back to IDLE.
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
index 0d0b4fed5b..55fc06b17a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class BluedroidGattClient final : public esp32_ble_tracker::ESPBTClient, public
   void gap_event_handler(esp_gap_ble_cb_event_t event, esp_ble_gap_cb_param_t *param) override;
   void connect() override;
   void disconnect() override;
+  void ble_before_disabled_event_handler() override;
   bool wants_parsed_advertisements() override { return false; }
   void on_scan_end() override {}
   bool parse_device(const ble_device_base::ESPBTDevice &device) override { return false; }
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ class BluedroidGattClient final : public esp32_ble_tracker::ESPBTClient, public
   void unconditional_disconnect_();
   void set_idle_();
   void set_disconnecting_();
+  void reset_for_stack_down_();
   esp_err_t update_conn_params_(uint16_t min_interval, uint16_t max_interval, uint16_t latency, uint16_t timeout,
                                 const char *param_type);
   int check_and_log_error_(const char *operation, esp_err_t err);
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
index e6cdde9cda..1c49187b23 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ void BLEClientBase::loop() {
 
 float BLEClientBase::get_setup_priority() const { return setup_priority::AFTER_BLUETOOTH; }
 
+void BLEClientBase::ble_before_disabled_event_handler() {
+  // Same reset as the stack-down branch of loop(); an idle client has its
+  // loop disabled, so enable it for the INIT registration on the next enable.
+  this->set_state(espbt::ClientState::INIT);
+  this->enable_loop();
+}
+
 void BLEClientBase::dump_config() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG,
                 "  Address: %s\n"
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.h b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.h
index e4b9cd5100..dd0958d2b8 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.h
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class BLEClientBase : public espbt::ESPBTClient, public Component {
   void connect() override;
   esp_err_t pair();
   void disconnect() override;
+  void ble_before_disabled_event_handler() override;
   void unconditional_disconnect();
   void release_services();
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
index 5339565a32..b3c905c8d8 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,14 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::stop_scan() {
   this->stop_scan_();
 }
 
-void ESP32BLETracker::ble_before_disabled_event_handler() { this->stop_scan_(); }
+void ESP32BLETracker::ble_before_disabled_event_handler() {
+  this->stop_scan_();
+#ifdef ESPHOME_ESP32_BLE_TRACKER_CLIENT_COUNT
+  for (auto *client : this->clients_) {
+    client->ble_before_disabled_event_handler();
+  }
+#endif
+}
 
 bool ESP32BLETracker::stop_scan_() {
   if (this->scanner_state_ != ScannerState::RUNNING && this->scanner_state_ != ScannerState::FAILED) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
index 618444e626..1a424a4a8e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ class ESPBTClient : public ESPBTDeviceListener {
   virtual void gap_event_handler(esp_gap_ble_cb_event_t event, esp_ble_gap_cb_param_t *param) = 0;
   virtual void connect() = 0;
   virtual void disconnect() = 0;
+  /// Called right before the BLE stack is dismantled. Nothing in flight will
+  /// complete, and the GATT app must register again once the stack is back.
+  virtual void ble_before_disabled_event_handler() {}
   bool disconnect_pending() const { return this->want_disconnect_; }
   void cancel_pending_disconnect() { this->want_disconnect_ = false; }