diff --git a/wear/build.gradle.kts b/wear/build.gradle.kts
index ce6a5ad1..03ae1431 100644
--- a/wear/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/wear/build.gradle.kts
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ android {
 
     defaultConfig {
         applicationId = "com.bitchat.watch"
-        minSdk = 30 // Wear OS 3 (Pixel Watch 1); BLE APIs match the phone app's usage
+        minSdk = 33 // Wear OS 4 (Pixel Watch 1+): the S+ Bluetooth permissions the app
+        // declares only exist from API 31, and API 30 would additionally require location
+        // for BLE scan results, which the app deliberately refuses.
         targetSdk = libs.versions.targetSdk.get().toInt()
         versionCode = 1
         versionName = "0.1.0"
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/MainActivity.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/MainActivity.kt
index b261a77a..7770a6f4 100644
--- a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/MainActivity.kt
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ fun WearNavHost(openDmPeer: String?, onOpenDmHandled: () -> Unit) {
             )
             is WearScreen.TextInput -> {
                 val mesh = WearMeshService.peek()
+                val sendScope = androidx.compose.runtime.rememberCoroutineScope()
                 com.bitchat.watch.ui.TextInputScreen(
                     onSend = { text ->
                         mesh?.let { m ->
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ fun WearNavHost(openDmPeer: String?, onOpenDmHandled: () -> Unit) {
                                 sendPublicMessage(m, text)
                             } else {
                                 val nick = m.getPeerNickname(current.peerID) ?: current.peerID
-                                sendPrivateMessage(m, current.peerID, nick, text)
+                                sendPrivateMessage(m, current.peerID, nick, text, sendScope)
                             }
                         }
                         goBack()
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/mesh/WearMeshService.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/mesh/WearMeshService.kt
index 5e151809..71d707f1 100644
--- a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/mesh/WearMeshService.kt
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/mesh/WearMeshService.kt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class WearMeshService private constructor(private val context: Context) {
 
     private val bleTransport = BleTransport()
     private val meshCore: MeshCore
-    private val connectionManager: BluetoothConnectionManager
+    private var connectionManager: BluetoothConnectionManager
 
     @Volatile
     var nickname: String = loadNickname()
@@ -246,6 +246,15 @@ class WearMeshService private constructor(private val context: Context) {
             Log.w(TAG, "Mesh already active, ignoring duplicate start")
             return
         }
+        if (!connectionManager.isReusable()) {
+            // A previous stopServices() cancelled the manager's coroutine scope; the shared
+            // API marks such managers single-use, so build a fresh one instead of starting
+            // a zombie mesh that reports active while scanning nothing.
+            Log.i(TAG, "Recreating BluetoothConnectionManager after terminal stop")
+            connectionManager = BluetoothConnectionManager(context, myPeerID, meshCore.fragmentManager)
+            bleTransport.connectionManager = connectionManager
+            wireBluetoothDelegate()
+        }
         val started = connectionManager.startServices()
         if (started) {
             isActive = true
diff --git a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/SendHelpers.kt b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/SendHelpers.kt
index 07820f7a..2b79c98f 100644
--- a/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/SendHelpers.kt
+++ b/wear/src/main/java/com/bitchat/watch/ui/SendHelpers.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import com.bitchat.android.services.AppStateStore
 import com.bitchat.watch.mesh.WearMeshService
 import java.io.File
 import java.util.Date
+import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
+import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 
 internal fun sendPublicMessage(mesh: WearMeshService, content: String) {
     mesh.sendMessage(content)
@@ -22,23 +25,49 @@ internal fun sendPublicMessage(mesh: WearMeshService, content: String) {
     )
 }
 
+/**
+ * DM send with honest delivery state. MeshCore drops pre-handshake content (it only kicks
+ * off the Noise handshake), so when no session exists we must not echo "Sent": the echo
+ * stays "Sending" while a retry loop waits for the session and completes the send.
+ */
 internal fun sendPrivateMessage(
     mesh: WearMeshService,
     peerID: String,
     recipientNickname: String,
-    content: String
+    content: String,
+    scope: CoroutineScope
 ) {
-    mesh.sendPrivateMessage(content, peerID, recipientNickname)
+    val established = mesh.hasEstablishedSession(peerID)
+    val messageID = java.util.UUID.randomUUID().toString()
+    if (established) {
+        mesh.sendPrivateMessageWithId(content, peerID, recipientNickname, messageID)
+    } else {
+        mesh.initiateNoiseHandshake(peerID)
+        scope.launch {
+            val deadline = System.currentTimeMillis() + 15_000
+            while (System.currentTimeMillis() < deadline) {
+                if (mesh.hasEstablishedSession(peerID)) {
+                    mesh.sendPrivateMessageWithId(content, peerID, recipientNickname, messageID)
+                    AppStateStore.updatePrivateMessageStatus(messageID, DeliveryStatus.Sent)
+                    return@launch
+                }
+                delay(400)
+            }
+            // Session never came up: the echo honestly stays "Sending" (AppStateStore
+            // refuses status downgrades, so it cannot be marked Failed from here).
+        }
+    }
     AppStateStore.addPrivateMessage(
         peerID,
         BitchatMessage(
+            id = messageID,
             sender = mesh.nickname,
             content = content,
             timestamp = Date(),
             isPrivate = true,
             recipientNickname = recipientNickname,
             senderPeerID = mesh.myPeerID,
-            deliveryStatus = DeliveryStatus.Sent
+            deliveryStatus = if (established) DeliveryStatus.Sent else DeliveryStatus.Sending
         )
     )
 }