diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
index 8da53e0364..c5744b3745 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ bool BLEClient::parse_device(const ble_device_base::ESPBTDevice &device) {
     return false;
   // The sighting is the source of truth for the address type.
   this->address_type_ = device.get_address_type();
+  this->address_type_known_ = true;
   if (!this->enabled || !this->auto_connect_ || this->state_ != State::IDLE)
     return true;
   if (this->hold_off_ms_ != 0 && millis() - this->hold_off_start_ < this->hold_off_ms_)
@@ -56,6 +57,11 @@ void BLEClient::connect() {
   // An absent peer can inhibit scanning for the backend's full connect
   // timeout, so this is worth a breadcrumb - but it is a supported action.
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%s] Connecting on request", this->address_str_);
+  if (!this->address_type_known_) {
+    // Legacy parity: without a sighting the address type defaults to
+    // public, which never matches a random-static peer.
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] No sighting yet; assuming a public address type", this->address_str_);
+  }
   this->attempt_connect_();
 }
 
@@ -81,9 +87,10 @@ void BLEClient::disconnect() {
   this->cancel_requested_ = true;
   int err = this->backend_->gatt_disconnect();
   if (err != 0) {
-    // Refused synchronously (states diverged; the backend is already down):
-    // settle through the normal path, carrying the real code so the log is
-    // distinguishable from a clean teardown.
+    // Refused synchronously: the backend and the client disagreed about the
+    // link state. Worth a warning of its own - the settle below then runs
+    // the same deliberate-cancel path as a clean teardown.
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%s] Disconnect refused, err=%d; settling locally", this->address_str_, err);
     this->on_connection_state(false, 0, err);
   }
 }
@@ -149,6 +156,9 @@ void BLEClient::on_service_discovery_done(int error) {
   auto table = this->backend_->get_service_table();
   for (auto *node : this->nodes_) {
     node->on_connected(table);
+    if (this->state_ != State::CONNECTED) {
+      return;  // A node tore the link down mid-fan-out; the teardown settled.
+    }
   }
   this->backend_->release_services();
   this->consecutive_failures_ = 0;
diff --git a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.h b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.h
index 407692454e..3291a8e2ef 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ble_client/ble_client_gatt.h
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ class BLEClient : public Component,
   bool connected() const { return this->state_ == State::CONNECTED; }
   bool idle() const { return this->state_ == State::IDLE; }
 
-  /// Action-initiated connect (no sighting needed; uses the last captured or
-  /// configured address type). No-op unless idle.
+  /// Action-initiated connect (no sighting needed; uses the last captured
+  /// address type, public until a sighting arrives). No-op unless idle.
   void connect();
   void disconnect();
 
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ class BLEClient : public Component,
   // Group 6: 1-byte types
   State state_{State::IDLE};
   uint8_t address_type_{0};  // BLE_ADDR_TYPE_*, captured from the sighting
+  // Distinguishes a captured public type from the never-sighted default.
+  bool address_type_known_{false};
   bool auto_connect_{true};
   // A user-initiated teardown in flight; its failure report is not a
   // connect failure and must not feed the backoff.
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/bluetooth_proxy/test_platform_gates.py b/tests/component_tests/bluetooth_proxy/test_platform_gates.py
index 02401d9213..e3e05cc83c 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/bluetooth_proxy/test_platform_gates.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/bluetooth_proxy/test_platform_gates.py
@@ -186,7 +186,9 @@ def test_esp32_explicit_connections_claim_gatt_slots(
     # generated ones; dev historically let them evade the budget.
     set_core_config(PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF)
     bluetooth_proxy.CONFIG_SCHEMA({"active": True, "connections": [{}, {}]})
-    assert "bluetooth_proxy" in bluetooth_connection._ledger().consumers
+    # Exact match (one entry per slot): catches a missed charge and a
+    # double charge alike.
+    assert bluetooth_connection._ledger().consumers == ["bluetooth_proxy"] * 2
 
 
 def test_hub_source_filter_covers_every_hub_platform() -> None:
diff --git a/tests/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py b/tests/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
index eb6e174c0c..40810951ee 100644
--- a/tests/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/components/bluetooth_connection/__init__.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ from tests.testing_helpers import ComponentManifestOverride
 
 
 def override_manifest(manifest: ComponentManifestOverride) -> None:
-    # close_service_batch compiles only under BLUETOOTH_CONNECTION_HAS_GATT;
-    # emit the backend define so the host build exercises it.
+    # close_service_batch compiles only under BLUETOOTH_CONNECTION_SERVES_PROXY
+    # (= USE_BLE_GATT_CLIENT && USE_BLUETOOTH_PROXY); emit both so the host
+    # build exercises it.
     async def to_code_testing(config):
         # These defines are global to the merged host test binary; safe
         # because no co-compiled test observes them.