diff --git a/MQTT_IMPLEMENTATION.md b/MQTT_IMPLEMENTATION.md
index 56f43569a..b46714877 100644
--- a/MQTT_IMPLEMENTATION.md
+++ b/MQTT_IMPLEMENTATION.md
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ the radio actually performs in that case.
 ### NTP Time Synchronization
 - Automatic time synchronization with NTP servers (required for JWT authentication)
 - Default primary: `pool.ntp.org`; built-in fallbacks (tried sequentially on failure): `time.google.com`, `time.cloudflare.com`, `time.aws.com`, `time.nist.gov`
-- Periodic time updates (every hour) on the effective primary only; system time is kept in UTC
+- Periodic time updates (every hour) through the same validated probe, one attempt per server in list order; system time is kept in UTC
 - Replies are validated before they are trusted: the datagram must be a full-length NTPv3/v4 server reply from the queried address and port, from a synchronised server (stratum 1-15, no leap alarm), echoing the random transmit timestamp of the request, with a plausible epoch. Anything else is discarded and the clock, the RTC and JWT issuance are left alone
 - Configure and diagnose with `set mqtt.ntp` / `get mqtt.ntp` / `get mqtt.ntp.diag` — see [MQTT Shared Commands](#mqtt-shared-commands)
 
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 75d9fb4ee..93dbe2790 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1699,6 +1699,15 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
   // MQTT processing runs in a separate FreeRTOS task on Core 0, so we don't call bridge.loop() here
   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 && bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+    Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
+    setBridgeState(true);
+  }
+#endif
+
 #ifdef WITH_BRIDGE
   // bridge.loop() is now handled by FreeRTOS task on Core 0 - no need to call it here
 #endif
@@ -1752,8 +1761,9 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
     // resume the bridge instead of flashing under uncertain ownership.
     if (bridge && !bridge->canFlashAfterStop()) {
       Serial.println("OTA: aborted, MQTT stop did not complete cleanly - resuming bridge");
-      otaAlert("OTA aborted: MQTT stop unclean, bridge resumed");
       setBridgeState(true);
+      otaAlert(bridge->isRunning() ? "OTA aborted: MQTT stop unclean, bridge resumed"
+                                   : "OTA aborted: MQTT stop unproven, bridge resumes when it completes");
     } else if (!_cli.getBoard()->otaFromManifest(getFirmwareVer(), false, ota_reply)) {
       Serial.print("OTA: aborted, resuming bridge - "); Serial.println(ota_reply);
       char ota_alert_msg[160];
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
index 539a17154..3dd8587b6 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.h
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ class MyMesh : public mesh::Mesh, public CommonCLICallbacks
   ESPNowBridge bridge;
 #elif defined(WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE)
   MQTTBridge* bridge;
+  // begin() was refused after an unproven stop; restart once the task acknowledges.
+  bool _bridge_resume_pending = false;
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_SNMP
   MeshSNMPAgent _snmp_agent;
@@ -368,6 +370,7 @@ public:
       bridge->begin();
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
       _alerter.setBridge(bridge);
+      _bridge_resume_pending = !bridge->isRunning() && bridge->isStopUnproven();
 #endif
     }
     else
@@ -375,6 +378,7 @@ public:
       bridge->end();
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
       _alerter.setBridge(nullptr);
+      _bridge_resume_pending = false;
 #endif
     }
   }
@@ -400,6 +404,9 @@ public:
     bridge->setStatsSources(this, _radio, _cli.getBoard(), _ms);
 #endif
     bridge->begin();
+#ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
+    _bridge_resume_pending = !bridge->isRunning() && bridge->isStopUnproven();
+#endif
   }
 
   void restartBridgeSlot(int slot) override {
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index e6bed7d60..956b59596 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1514,6 +1514,15 @@ void MyMesh::loop() {
   // Check radio FIRST to ensure we don't miss incoming packets
   // MQTT processing can take time, so we prioritize radio reception
   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 && bridge && bridge->stopAcknowledgedLate()) {
+    Serial.println("MQTT: stop acknowledged late - resuming bridge");
+    setBridgeState(true);
+  }
+#endif
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   // bridge.loop() is now handled by FreeRTOS task on Core 0 - no need to call it here
 #endif
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
index 47f2f68d7..0139fa5a7 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.h
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ class MyMesh : public mesh::Mesh, public CommonCLICallbacks
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   MQTTBridge* bridge;
+  // begin() was refused after an unproven stop; restart once the task acknowledges.
+  bool _bridge_resume_pending = false;
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_SNMP
   MeshSNMPAgent _snmp_agent;
@@ -385,6 +387,7 @@ public:
       bridge->begin();
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
       _alerter.setBridge(bridge);
+      _bridge_resume_pending = !bridge->isRunning() && bridge->isStopUnproven();
 #endif
     }
     else
@@ -392,6 +395,7 @@ public:
       bridge->end();
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
       _alerter.setBridge(nullptr);
+      _bridge_resume_pending = false;
 #endif
     }
   }
@@ -416,6 +420,9 @@ public:
     bridge->setStatsSources(this, _radio, _cli.getBoard(), _ms);
 #endif
     bridge->begin();
+#ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
+    _bridge_resume_pending = !bridge->isRunning() && bridge->isStopUnproven();
+#endif
   }
 
   void restartBridgeSlot(int slot) override {
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
index d1c866e22..2f8d69ef1 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
@@ -464,6 +464,14 @@ void MQTTBridge::applyWifiPowerSave() {
 
 bool MQTTBridge::stopUnprovenLatched() { return s_stop_unproven; }
 
+bool MQTTBridge::stopAcknowledgedLate() const {
+#ifdef ESP_PLATFORM
+  return _lifecycle.isStopUnproven() && _stop_acked.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+#else
+  return false;
+#endif
+}
+
 uint8_t MQTTBridge::getLastWifiDisconnectReason() { return s_wifi_disconnect_reason; }
 unsigned long MQTTBridge::getLastWifiDisconnectTime() { return s_wifi_disconnect_time; }
 
@@ -1644,9 +1652,9 @@ void MQTTBridge::mqttTaskLoop() {
     // Periodic configuration check (throttled to avoid spam)
     checkConfigurationMismatch();
 
-    // Periodic NTP refresh (every hour) — lightweight, non-blocking.
-    // Uses async SNTP instead of the heavy syncTimeWithNTP() which blocks Core 0
-    // for up to 20+ seconds with DNS lookups, UDP sockets, and retry loops.
+    // Periodic NTP refresh (every hour): a validated probe, one attempt per
+    // server. Blocks this task for about one probe timeout per server that does
+    // not answer (see refreshNTP()).
     if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED && now - _last_ntp_sync > 3600000) {
       refreshNTP();
     }
@@ -4493,10 +4501,11 @@ void MQTTBridge::storeRawRadioData(const uint8_t* raw_data, int len, float snr,
 // let it set the system clock asynchronously — an acceptance path with NO
 // validation of its own (see the syncTimeWithNTP() note below), running every
 // hour for the life of the node. It now goes through the same validated probe
-// as every other sync, which costs the MQTT task about a second per attempt and
-// touches nothing until a reply passes every check.
+// as every other sync and touches nothing until a reply passes every check.
+// One attempt per server bounds the blocking walk on a network that drops
+// UDP/123 to about one probe timeout per server, instead of three.
 void MQTTBridge::refreshNTP() {
-  syncTimeWithNTP(/*force=*/true, /*primary_only=*/false);
+  syncTimeWithNTP(/*force=*/true, /*primary_only=*/false, /*attempts_per_server=*/1);
 }
 
 // One validated NTP exchange with one named server, on a fresh ephemeral socket.
@@ -4599,7 +4608,7 @@ bool MQTTBridge::probeNtpServer(const char* server, uint32_t min_epoch,
   return accepted;
 }
 
-bool MQTTBridge::syncTimeWithNTP(bool force, bool primary_only) {
+bool MQTTBridge::syncTimeWithNTP(bool force, bool primary_only, int attempts_per_server) {
   if (!WiFi.isConnected()) {
     MQTT_DEBUG_PRINTLN("Cannot sync time - WiFi not connected");
     return false;
@@ -4634,7 +4643,7 @@ bool MQTTBridge::syncTimeWithNTP(bool force, bool primary_only) {
   const uint32_t kMinValidEpoch = kNtpMinValidEpoch;
   const char* ntp_server_used = nullptr;
 
-  const int kMaxNtpRetriesPerServer = 2;
+  const int kMaxNtpRetriesPerServer = attempts_per_server > 0 ? attempts_per_server : 1;
   for (int s = 0; s < server_count && !ntp_ok; s++) {
     const char* server = servers[s];
 
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
index 8d180a48b..e733044ff 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
@@ -743,6 +743,9 @@ public:
   // the bridge is down, nothing was released, and it will not restart until the
   // task acknowledges late (pollLateStopAck) or the node reboots.
   bool isStopUnproven() const { return _lifecycle.isStopUnproven(); }
+  // The unproven stop has since been acknowledged, so begin() will release the
+  // withheld resources and start. Loop task only.
+  bool stopAcknowledgedLate() const;
   // 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();
@@ -787,7 +790,7 @@ public:
    *  mistyped hostname fails fast instead of blocking through the whole fallback list.
    *  Performs blocking NTP I/O and must only be called from the MQTT task (Core 0).
    *  Other tasks (e.g. the CLI on Core 1) must use requestForcedNtpSync() instead. */
-  bool syncTimeWithNTP(bool force = false, bool primary_only = false);
+  bool syncTimeWithNTP(bool force = false, bool primary_only = false, int attempts_per_server = 2);
   /** Request a forced NTP sync from another task (e.g. CLI on Core 1). Marshals the
    *  work onto the MQTT task so all NTP I/O stays on Core 0, then blocks up to
    *  timeout_ms for the result. Returns true if the sync succeeded, false on failure,