diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 93dbe2790..f9bdf7a18 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1702,7 +1702,8 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   // A timed-out stop keeps the bridge down until the MQTT task acknowledges it;
   // once that late ack lands, restart the bridge that was meant to be running.
-  if (_bridge_resume_pending && bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+  if (_bridge_resume_pending && _prefs.bridge_enabled && bridge &&
+      bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
     Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
     setBridgeState(true);
   }
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
index 3dd8587b6..4b12f6d0c 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ public:
 #endif
       if (!bridge) return;
     }
+#ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
+    if (!enable) _bridge_resume_pending = false;   // an explicit stop cancels a pending resume
+#endif
     if (enable == bridge->isRunning()) return;
     if (enable)
     {
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index 956b59596..62fe821b2 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1518,7 +1518,8 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   // A timed-out stop keeps the bridge down until the MQTT task acknowledges it;
   // once that late ack lands, restart the bridge that was meant to be running.
-  if (_bridge_resume_pending && bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+  if (_bridge_resume_pending && _prefs.bridge_enabled && bridge &&
+      bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
     Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
     setBridgeState(true);
   }
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
index 0139fa5a7..34cb29591 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
@@ -364,6 +364,9 @@ public:
 #endif
       if (!bridge) return;
     }
+#ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
+    if (!enable) _bridge_resume_pending = false;   // an explicit stop cancels a pending resume
+#endif
     if (enable == bridge->isRunning()) return;
     if (enable)
     {
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
index 1e807d414..a21a75c6c 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ void MQTTBridge::formatMqttStatusReply(char* buf, size_t bufsize, const MQTTPref
   const char* msgs = (obs && obs->mqtt_status_enabled) ? "on" : "off";
   if (s_mqtt_bridge_instance == nullptr || !s_mqtt_bridge_instance->_initialized) {
     snprintf(buf, bufsize, "> msgs: %s (bridge %s)", msgs,
-             s_stop_unproven ? "stopped: previous stop unproven, reboot to recover"
+             s_stop_unproven ? "stopped: waiting for the previous stop to finish; reboot if it persists"
                              : "not running");
     return;
   }
@@ -903,7 +903,7 @@ void MQTTBridge::begin() {
   // refuse. Recovery is the task finishing, or a reboot.
   pollLateStopAck();
   if (!_lifecycle.mayRestart()) {
-    MQTT_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT Bridge start refused: previous stop unproven (%s) - reboot to recover",
+    MQTT_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT Bridge start refused: previous stop unproven (%s) - waiting for the task to acknowledge",
                        MQTTLifecycle::stateName(_lifecycle.state()));
     return;
   }
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ void MQTTBridge::end() {
   s_stop_unproven = _lifecycle.isStopUnproven();
   if (_lifecycle.isStopUnproven()) {
     MQTT_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT Bridge stop UNPROVEN after %lu ms: task did not acknowledge. "
-                       "Nothing released, restart refused, OTA blocked - reboot to recover.",
+                       "Nothing released, OTA blocked; restart waits for its late ack (reboot if it never comes).",
                        (unsigned long)_lifecycle.stopTimeoutMs());
   } else {
     MQTT_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT Bridge stopped (clean)");