diff --git a/src/helpers/nrf52/EthernetCLI.h b/src/helpers/nrf52/EthernetCLI.h
index 508d3aa6..34802e56 100644
--- a/src/helpers/nrf52/EthernetCLI.h
+++ b/src/helpers/nrf52/EthernetCLI.h
@@ -98,12 +98,13 @@ static bool ethernet_handle_command(const char* command, char* reply) {
   return false;
 }
 
-// Check for new TCP client connections, replacing any existing connection
+// Check for new TCP client connections, replacing any existing connection.
+// Use accept() (not available()) so we only see newly-accepted sockets;
+// available() also returns existing connected sockets that have data, which
+// would force us to disambiguate every inbound packet from a real new client.
 static void ethernet_check_client() {
-  auto newClient = ethernet_server.available();
+  auto newClient = ethernet_server.accept();
   if (newClient) {
-    // Only replace if this is actually a different client
-    if (newClient == ethernet_client && ethernet_client.connected()) return;
     if (ethernet_client) ethernet_client.stop();
     ethernet_client = newClient;
     IPAddress ip = ethernet_client.remoteIP();
diff --git a/src/helpers/nrf52/SerialEthernetInterface.cpp b/src/helpers/nrf52/SerialEthernetInterface.cpp
index 4288c0f7..70891023 100644
--- a/src/helpers/nrf52/SerialEthernetInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/nrf52/SerialEthernetInterface.cpp
@@ -120,34 +120,21 @@ bool SerialEthernetInterface::isWriteBusy() const {
 }
 
 size_t SerialEthernetInterface::checkRecvFrame(uint8_t dest[]) {
-  // check if new client connected; new connections replace existing ones
-  auto newClient = server.available();
+  // Use accept() (not available()) so we only see newly-accepted sockets.
+  // available() also returns existing connected sockets that have data,
+  // which would cause us to treat each inbound packet as a "new client"
+  // and stop() the underlying socket — disconnecting the companion.
+  auto newClient = server.accept();
   if (newClient) {
     IPAddress new_ip = newClient.remoteIP();
     uint16_t new_port = newClient.remotePort();
     ETHERNET_DEBUG_PRINTLN(
-        "New client available %u.%u.%u.%u:%u",
+        "New client accepted %u.%u.%u.%u:%u",
         new_ip[0],
         new_ip[1],
         new_ip[2],
         new_ip[3],
         new_port);
-    if (client && client.connected()) {
-      IPAddress cur_ip = client.remoteIP();
-      uint16_t cur_port = client.remotePort();
-      ETHERNET_DEBUG_PRINTLN(
-          "Current client %u.%u.%u.%u:%u",
-          cur_ip[0],
-          cur_ip[1],
-          cur_ip[2],
-          cur_ip[3],
-          cur_port);
-      if (cur_ip == new_ip && cur_port == new_port) {
-        ETHERNET_DEBUG_PRINTLN("Ignoring duplicate client");
-        newClient.stop();
-        return 0;
-      }
-    }
 
     deviceConnected = false;
     if (client) {