diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index f9bdf7a18..a8a0b2018 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1700,12 +1700,15 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
   mesh::Mesh::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 && _prefs.bridge_enabled && bridge &&
-      bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
-    Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
-    setBridgeState(true);
+  // A timed-out stop keeps the bridge down until the MQTT task acknowledges it.
+  // Release the withheld resources whenever that late ack lands, and restart
+  // only a bridge that is still meant to be running.
+  if (bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+    bridge->pollLateStopAck();
+    if (_bridge_resume_pending && _prefs.bridge_enabled) {
+      Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
+      setBridgeState(true);
+    }
   }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index 62fe821b2..7c13018c8 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1516,12 +1516,15 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
   mesh::Mesh::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 && _prefs.bridge_enabled && bridge &&
-      bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
-    Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
-    setBridgeState(true);
+  // A timed-out stop keeps the bridge down until the MQTT task acknowledges it.
+  // Release the withheld resources whenever that late ack lands, and restart
+  // only a bridge that is still meant to be running.
+  if (bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+    bridge->pollLateStopAck();
+    if (_bridge_resume_pending && _prefs.bridge_enabled) {
+      Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
+      setBridgeState(true);
+    }
   }
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
@@ -1619,14 +1622,18 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
     drainOutbound(OTA_TX_DRAIN_TIMEOUT_MS);
 
     bool may_flash = true;
+    if (bridge) bridge->pollLateStopAck();
     if (bridge_was_running) {
       setBridgeState(false);
       // OTA must not write after a forced/timed-out MQTT shutdown: its TLS/heap
       // ownership is uncertain until a subsequent clean start/stop cycle.
       may_flash = bridge && bridge->canFlashAfterStop();
-      if (!may_flash) {
-        Serial.println("OTA: aborted, MQTT stop did not complete cleanly");
-      }
+    } else if (bridge && bridge->isStopUnproven()) {
+      // Reads as stopped, but an unacknowledged MQTT task may still own TLS/client state.
+      may_flash = false;
+    }
+    if (!may_flash) {
+      Serial.println("OTA: aborted, MQTT stop did not complete cleanly");
     }
 
     char ota_reply[160];
diff --git a/lib/PsychicMqttClient/src/PsychicMqttClient.cpp b/lib/PsychicMqttClient/src/PsychicMqttClient.cpp
index ccd11341d..01efb194b 100644
--- a/lib/PsychicMqttClient/src/PsychicMqttClient.cpp
+++ b/lib/PsychicMqttClient/src/PsychicMqttClient.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ PsychicMqttClient::PsychicMqttClient() : _mqtt_cfg()
 
 PsychicMqttClient::~PsychicMqttClient()
 {
-    disconnect();
+    // Owners stop the client before deleting it; stopping it again only logs ESP_FAIL.
+    if (_started) disconnect();
     if (_client != nullptr)
     {
         esp_mqtt_client_destroy(_client);
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
index e733044ff..b88b35a63 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
@@ -602,9 +602,6 @@ private:
   void logMemoryStatus();
   void refreshOriginFromPrefs();
   void applyWifiPowerSave();   // one mapping, applied on every association
-  // Honours a stop acknowledgement that arrived after the deadline: releases the
-  // withheld resources and makes the bridge restartable. Loop task only.
-  void pollLateStopAck();
   // begin()/end()-scoped PSRAM buffers. Each allocation is independent so a
   // transient heap shortage degrades to the existing stack fallback instead
   // of making the bridge unusable.
@@ -746,6 +743,9 @@ public:
   // The unproven stop has since been acknowledged, so begin() will release the
   // withheld resources and start. Loop task only.
   bool stopAcknowledgedLate() const;
+  // Honours a stop acknowledgement that arrived after the deadline: releases the
+  // withheld resources and makes the bridge restartable. Loop task only.
+  void pollLateStopAck();
   // Survives end() clearing the diagnostic singleton, so `get mqtt.status` can
   // still explain why a stopped bridge will not come back without a reboot.
   static bool stopUnprovenLatched();