diff --git a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectDialogs.kt b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectDialogs.kt
index 48b92bc4..377dd14f 100644
--- a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectDialogs.kt
+++ b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectDialogs.kt
@@ -303,7 +303,8 @@ internal fun PairPinDialog(
                             if (fp.isNotEmpty()) {
                                 onPaired(fp) // verified host fp — caller saves + connects
                             } else {
-                                err = "Pairing failed — wrong PIN, or the host isn't armed."
+                                // Cause-specific: wrong PIN vs not-armed vs unreachable.
+                                err = ConnectErrors.pairMessage(NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError())
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectErrors.kt b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectErrors.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..241e896b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectErrors.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package io.unom.punktfunk
+
+import io.unom.punktfunk.kit.NativeBridge
+
+/**
+ * Cause-specific user-facing messages for failed pair/connect attempts, keyed on the stable
+ * machine token from [NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError]. One vocabulary for both the PIN
+ * ceremony and the request-access (delegated approval) path, so a dead network path is never
+ * reported as "wrong PIN" and an operator denial is never reported as a timeout — the exact
+ * collapse behind more than one support thread.
+ */
+object ConnectErrors {
+    /** Message for a failed SPAKE2 PIN ceremony ([NativeBridge.nativePair] returned `""`). */
+    fun pairMessage(token: String): String = when (token) {
+        "crypto" -> "Wrong PIN — check the PIN on the host's Pairing page and try again."
+        else -> shared(token) ?: transport(token)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Message for a failed connect / request-access ([NativeBridge.nativeConnect] returned `0`).
+     * [requestAccess] tunes the fallback wording for the delegated-approval path.
+     */
+    fun connectMessage(token: String, requestAccess: Boolean): String =
+        shared(token) ?: when (token) {
+            "crypto" ->
+                "The host's identity doesn't match the saved fingerprint — re-pair with this host."
+            "timeout", "io", "" ->
+                if (requestAccess) {
+                    "The request never reached the host, or nobody approved it in time — " +
+                        "check the network path (no VPN, no guest-Wi-Fi isolation) and the " +
+                        "host's console."
+                } else {
+                    transport(token)
+                }
+            else -> "Connection failed — check host/port and logcat."
+        }
+
+    /** The host's typed rejection reasons — identical wording across every punktfunk client. */
+    private fun shared(token: String): String? = when (token) {
+        "not-armed" ->
+            "Pairing isn't armed on the host — arm it on the host's Pairing page, then try again."
+        "bound-other" ->
+            "The host's pairing window is armed for a different device — arm it for this one."
+        "rate-limited" -> "Too many pairing attempts — wait a couple of seconds and try again."
+        "identity-required" ->
+            "The host requires pairing — pair this device (PIN or request access) first."
+        "denied" -> "The host declined this device's request."
+        "approval-timeout" ->
+            "Nobody approved the request on the host in time — approve this device in the " +
+                "host's console or web UI, then request access again."
+        "superseded" ->
+            "A newer request from this device replaced this one — approve the latest request " +
+                "on the host."
+        "wire-version" -> "Client and host versions don't match — update both to the same release."
+        "busy" -> "The host is busy with another session."
+        else -> null
+    }
+
+    /** Transport-level causes (nothing typed arrived from the host). */
+    private fun transport(token: String): String = when (token) {
+        "timeout" ->
+            "The host didn't answer — check that this device and the host are on the same " +
+                "network (no VPN on this device, no guest-Wi-Fi / AP isolation)."
+        "io" ->
+            "Couldn't reach the host — check that this device and the host are on the same " +
+                "network (no VPN on this device, no guest-Wi-Fi / AP isolation)."
+        else -> "Pairing failed — the host didn't answer or closed the connection (see logcat)."
+    }
+}
diff --git a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectScreen.kt b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectScreen.kt
index 62b6a458..e9068a9e 100644
--- a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectScreen.kt
+++ b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectScreen.kt
@@ -305,13 +305,17 @@ fun ConnectScreen(
                 onConnected(handle)
             } else {
                 discovery.start()
-                if (onFailure != null) {
-                    // Hand off to the wake-and-wait flow — clearing `attempt` above and setting
-                    // `waker.waking` here land in one recompose, so the overlay slides
+                val token = NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError()
+                val unreachable = token == "timeout" || token == "io" || token.isEmpty()
+                if (onFailure != null && unreachable) {
+                    // Unreachable — hand off to the wake-and-wait flow — clearing `attempt` above
+                    // and setting `waker.waking` here land in one recompose, so the overlay slides
                     // Connecting → Waking without a blank frame.
                     onFailure()
                 } else {
-                    status = "Connection failed — check host/port, PIN, and logcat"
+                    // A typed host rejection (busy / versions differ / pairing required) means the
+                    // host is awake — waking it would be nonsense; show the stated reason instead.
+                    status = ConnectErrors.connectMessage(token, requestAccess = false)
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -416,7 +420,12 @@ fun ConnectScreen(
                 }
                 onConnected(handle)
             } else {
-                status = "Request timed out — approve this device in the host's console, then retry."
+                // Cause-specific: an operator denial, an approval timeout, and a request that
+                // never reached the host are different problems with different fixes.
+                status = ConnectErrors.connectMessage(
+                    NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError(),
+                    requestAccess = true,
+                )
                 discovery.start()
             }
         }
diff --git a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/GamepadDialogs.kt b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/GamepadDialogs.kt
index ad59720e..2ab5b347 100644
--- a/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/GamepadDialogs.kt
+++ b/clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/GamepadDialogs.kt
@@ -351,7 +351,12 @@ fun GamepadPairPinDialog(pt: PendingTrust, identity: ClientIdentity?, onPaired:
                 NativeBridge.nativePair(pt.host, pt.port, id.certPem, id.privateKeyPem, pin, name)
             }
             pairing = false
-            if (fp.isNotEmpty()) onPaired(fp) else err = "Pairing failed — wrong PIN, or the host isn't armed."
+            if (fp.isNotEmpty()) {
+                onPaired(fp)
+            } else {
+                // Cause-specific: wrong PIN vs not-armed vs unreachable.
+                err = ConnectErrors.pairMessage(NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError())
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/clients/android/kit/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/kit/NativeBridge.kt b/clients/android/kit/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/kit/NativeBridge.kt
index 14b5aad9..2f5a77b6 100644
--- a/clients/android/kit/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/kit/NativeBridge.kt
+++ b/clients/android/kit/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/kit/NativeBridge.kt
@@ -85,6 +85,16 @@ object NativeBridge {
         name: String,
     ): String
 
+    /**
+     * The machine token of the most recent failed [nativeConnect]/[nativePair], cleared on read
+     * (`""` when none) — call right after a `0` handle / `""` fingerprint. A typed host rejection
+     * yields its wire token ("not-armed", "denied", "approval-timeout", "superseded", "busy",
+     * "rate-limited", "bound-other", "identity-required", "wire-version"); transport-level causes
+     * yield "crypto" (wrong PIN / identity mismatch), "timeout", "io", or "error". Lets the UI say
+     * WHY instead of the old catch-all that blamed the PIN for dead network paths.
+     */
+    external fun nativeTakeLastError(): String
+
     /**
      * Signal a **deliberate** user disconnect on [handle] before [nativeClose]: the session closes
      * with `QUIT_CLOSE_CODE` so the host tears it down immediately instead of holding the keep-alive
diff --git a/clients/android/native/src/session/connect.rs b/clients/android/native/src/session/connect.rs
index 46526882..cf94fa59 100644
--- a/clients/android/native/src/session/connect.rs
+++ b/clients/android/native/src/session/connect.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,43 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 
 use super::{hex32, jni_guard, parse_hex32, SessionHandle};
 
+/// Machine token of the most recent `nativeConnect`/`nativePair` failure, taken (and cleared)
+/// by `nativeTakeLastError` so Kotlin can render a cause-specific message instead of the old
+/// catch-all "wrong PIN, or the host isn't armed" (which blamed the PIN for dead network paths
+/// — the moko0878-class support threads). The app runs one attempt at a time, so one slot
+/// suffices; a stale token is harmless (it is taken immediately after the failed call).
+static LAST_ERROR: Mutex<String> = Mutex::new(String::new());
+
+/// Stable token for a failed pair/connect cause, matched by Kotlin (`ConnectErrors.kt`):
+/// a typed host rejection yields its `RejectReason::as_str()` token ("not-armed", "denied",
+/// "approval-timeout", …); transport-level causes map to "crypto" / "timeout" / "io" / "error".
+fn note_error(e: &punktfunk_core::error::PunktfunkError) {
+    use punktfunk_core::error::PunktfunkError as E;
+    let token = match e {
+        E::Rejected(r) => r.as_str(),
+        E::Crypto => "crypto",
+        E::Timeout => "timeout",
+        E::Io(_) => "io",
+        _ => "error",
+    };
+    *LAST_ERROR.lock().unwrap() = token.to_string();
+}
+
+/// `NativeBridge.nativeTakeLastError(): String` — the machine token of the most recent failed
+/// `nativeConnect`/`nativePair`, cleared on read (`""` when none). Call right after a `0`
+/// handle / `""` fingerprint.
+#[no_mangle]
+pub extern "system" fn Java_io_unom_punktfunk_kit_NativeBridge_nativeTakeLastError<'local>(
+    env: JNIEnv<'local>,
+    _this: JObject<'local>,
+) -> jni::sys::jstring {
+    let token = std::mem::take(&mut *LAST_ERROR.lock().unwrap());
+    match env.new_string(token) {
+        Ok(s) => s.into_raw(),
+        Err(_) => JObject::null().into_raw(),
+    }
+}
+
 /// `NativeBridge.nativeGenerateIdentity(): String` — mint a fresh persistent self-signed identity.
 /// Returns `"<certPem>\n-----PUNKTFUNK-KEY-----\n<keyPem>"`, or `""` on failure (logged). Kotlin
 /// persists it (Keystore-wrapped) and only calls this again when the store is genuinely empty.
@@ -185,6 +222,7 @@ pub extern "system" fn Java_io_unom_punktfunk_kit_NativeBridge_nativeConnect<'lo
         }
         Err(e) => {
             log::error!("nativeConnect to {host}:{port} failed: {e}");
+            note_error(&e);
             0
         }
     }
@@ -318,7 +356,9 @@ pub extern "system" fn Java_io_unom_punktfunk_kit_NativeBridge_nativePair<'local
             Ok(host_fp) => hex32(&host_fp),
             Err(e) => {
                 // Crypto error == wrong PIN / MITM; anything else == transport/host reject.
+                // The token lets Kotlin say WHICH (`nativeTakeLastError`).
                 log::error!("nativePair to {host}:{port} failed: {e}");
+                note_error(&e);
                 String::new()
             }
         }
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Session/SessionModel.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Session/SessionModel.swift
index 23d21ca2..cd951d3a 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Session/SessionModel.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Session/SessionModel.swift
@@ -284,10 +284,15 @@ final class SessionModel: ObservableObject {
                         self.errorMessage = "\(host.displayName) is not paired yet. "
                             + "Pair with its PIN before streaming."
                     }
-                case .failure:
+                case .failure(let error):
                     self.phase = .idle
                     self.activeHost = nil
-                    if let onUnreachable, !requestAccess {
+                    if case PunktfunkClientError.rejected(let rejection) = error {
+                        // The host answered and stated its reason (declined / approval timed
+                        // out / busy / versions differ) — show that, and never wake-retry a
+                        // host that is demonstrably awake.
+                        self.errorMessage = "\(host.displayName): \(rejection.userMessage)"
+                    } else if let onUnreachable, !requestAccess {
                         // The caller owns recovery (wake-and-retry) — no error alert here; its
                         // own overlay explains what's happening.
                         onUnreachable()
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Trust/PairSheet.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Trust/PairSheet.swift
index 74d95074..6cf8a40a 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Trust/PairSheet.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Trust/PairSheet.swift
@@ -212,14 +212,18 @@ struct PairSheet: View {
                 case .failure(PunktfunkClientError.wrongPIN):
                     errorText = "Wrong PIN — check the host's web console (port 3000) "
                         + "and try again."
+                case .failure(PunktfunkClientError.rejected(let rejection)):
+                    // The host answered and said why (not armed / rate-limited / armed for
+                    // another device) — show that instead of the guessing-game fallback.
+                    errorText = rejection.userMessage
                 case .failure(is ClientIdentityStore.IdentityError):
                     errorText = "Can't store this Mac's identity in the Keychain, so the "
                         + "pairing would not survive a relaunch. Unlock the login "
                         + "keychain and try again."
                 case .failure:
-                    errorText = "Pairing failed. Is the host reachable, pairing armed "
-                        + "(web console → Pairing), and not mid-session? Retries are "
-                        + "rate-limited to one per 2 seconds."
+                    errorText = "Pairing failed — the host didn't answer. Is it running, "
+                        + "and is this device on the same network (no VPN, no guest-Wi-Fi "
+                        + "isolation)?"
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/ClientIdentity.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/ClientIdentity.swift
index 4d207247..93b8b07b 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/ClientIdentity.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/ClientIdentity.swift
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ public func pair(
     switch rc {
     case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_OK.rawValue: return Data(observed)
     case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_CRYPTO.rawValue: throw PunktfunkClientError.wrongPIN
-    default: throw PunktfunkClientError.status(rc)
+    default:
+        // A typed host rejection (pairing not armed / rate-limited / armed for another
+        // device) carries its own reason — never report it as a bad PIN or dead network.
+        if let rejection = HostRejection(status: rc) {
+            throw PunktfunkClientError.rejected(rejection)
+        }
+        throw PunktfunkClientError.status(rc)
     }
 }
diff --git a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/PunktfunkConnection.swift b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/PunktfunkConnection.swift
index 4bd6084a..ee46e66b 100644
--- a/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/PunktfunkConnection.swift
+++ b/clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkKit/Connection/PunktfunkConnection.swift
@@ -59,6 +59,68 @@ public enum PunktfunkClientError: Error {
     case wrongPIN
     case closed
     case status(Int32)
+    /// The host deliberately turned the attempt away and said why (its typed QUIC
+    /// application close) — distinct from `.connectFailed` (unreachable/timeout) so the UI
+    /// can show the stated reason instead of blaming the network.
+    case rejected(HostRejection)
+}
+
+/// Why a host turned a connect/pair attempt away — decoded from the
+/// `PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_*` block. Lets the UI say "approve the request on the host"
+/// or "pairing isn't armed" instead of a generic "could not connect".
+public enum HostRejection: Sendable {
+    case pairingNotArmed
+    case pairingBoundToOtherDevice
+    case pairingRateLimited
+    case identityRequired
+    case denied
+    case approvalTimeout
+    case superseded
+    case wireVersionMismatch
+    case busy
+
+    init?(status: Int32) {
+        switch status {
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_NOT_ARMED.rawValue: self = .pairingNotArmed
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BOUND_OTHER.rawValue: self = .pairingBoundToOtherDevice
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_RATE_LIMITED.rawValue: self = .pairingRateLimited
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_IDENTITY_REQUIRED.rawValue: self = .identityRequired
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_DENIED.rawValue: self = .denied
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT.rawValue: self = .approvalTimeout
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_SUPERSEDED.rawValue: self = .superseded
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_WIRE_VERSION.rawValue: self = .wireVersionMismatch
+        case PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BUSY.rawValue: self = .busy
+        default: return nil
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// User-facing sentence — wording shared with the desktop clients.
+    public var userMessage: String {
+        switch self {
+        case .pairingNotArmed:
+            return "Pairing isn't armed on the host — arm it on the host's Pairing page, "
+                + "then try again."
+        case .pairingBoundToOtherDevice:
+            return "The host's pairing window is armed for a different device — arm it "
+                + "for this one."
+        case .pairingRateLimited:
+            return "Too many pairing attempts — wait a couple of seconds and try again."
+        case .identityRequired:
+            return "The host requires pairing — pair this device (PIN or request access) first."
+        case .denied:
+            return "The host declined this device's request."
+        case .approvalTimeout:
+            return "Nobody approved the request on the host in time — approve this device "
+                + "in the host's console or web UI, then request access again."
+        case .superseded:
+            return "A newer request from this device replaced this one — approve the "
+                + "latest request on the host."
+        case .wireVersionMismatch:
+            return "Client and host versions don't match — update both to the same release."
+        case .busy:
+            return "The host is busy with another session."
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// `withCString` over an optional — nil maps to a NULL C pointer.
@@ -312,6 +374,10 @@ public final class PunktfunkConnection {
     ) throws {
         if let pin = pinSHA256, pin.count != 32 { throw PunktfunkClientError.invalidPin }
         var observed = [UInt8](repeating: 0, count: 32)
+        // Why a failed connect failed (PunktfunkStatus): lets a typed host rejection
+        // ("denied in the console", "approval timed out", "host busy") surface as
+        // `.rejected` instead of the undifferentiated `.connectFailed`.
+        var connectStatus: Int32 = 0
         // `videoCaps` advertises decode/present capability (PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_CAP_10BIT | _HDR): the
         // host upgrades to a 10-bit / BT.2020 PQ stream only when set. 0 = 8-bit BT.709 SDR.
         // `launchID` (a host library id like "steam:570") asks the host to launch that title in
@@ -322,24 +388,29 @@ public final class PunktfunkConnection {
                     withOptionalCString(launchID) { launch in
                         if let pin = pinSHA256 {
                             return pin.withUnsafeBytes { p in
-                                punktfunk_connect_ex7(
+                                punktfunk_connect_ex8(
                                     cs, port, width, height, refreshHz, compositor.rawValue,
                                     gamepad.rawValue, bitrateKbps, videoCaps, audioChannels,
                                     videoCodecs, preferredCodec, launch,
                                     p.bindMemory(to: UInt8.self).baseAddress, &observed,
-                                    cert, key, timeoutMs)
+                                    cert, key, timeoutMs, &connectStatus)
                             }
                         }
-                        return punktfunk_connect_ex7(
+                        return punktfunk_connect_ex8(
                             cs, port, width, height, refreshHz, compositor.rawValue,
                             gamepad.rawValue, bitrateKbps, videoCaps, audioChannels,
                             videoCodecs, preferredCodec, launch,
-                            nil, &observed, cert, key, timeoutMs)
+                            nil, &observed, cert, key, timeoutMs, &connectStatus)
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
-        guard handle != nil else { throw PunktfunkClientError.connectFailed }
+        guard handle != nil else {
+            if let rejection = HostRejection(status: connectStatus) {
+                throw PunktfunkClientError.rejected(rejection)
+            }
+            throw PunktfunkClientError.connectFailed
+        }
         hostFingerprint = Data(observed)
         var w: UInt32 = 0, h: UInt32 = 0, hz: UInt32 = 0
         _ = punktfunk_connection_mode(handle, &w, &h, &hz)
diff --git a/clients/linux/src/cli.rs b/clients/linux/src/cli.rs
index e4dc33b8..346f2feb 100644
--- a/clients/linux/src/cli.rs
+++ b/clients/linux/src/cli.rs
@@ -128,7 +128,10 @@ pub fn headless_pair(pin: &str) -> glib::ExitCode {
             glib::ExitCode::SUCCESS
         }
         Err(e) => {
-            eprintln!("pairing failed: {e:?} (wrong PIN, or pairing not armed on the host?)");
+            eprintln!(
+                "pairing failed: {} ({e:?})",
+                crate::trust::pair_error_message(&e)
+            );
             glib::ExitCode::FAILURE
         }
     }
diff --git a/clients/linux/src/ui_trust.rs b/clients/linux/src/ui_trust.rs
index 9dbd9d97..b91bd332 100644
--- a/clients/linux/src/ui_trust.rs
+++ b/clients/linux/src/ui_trust.rs
@@ -214,8 +214,10 @@ pub fn pin_dialog(
         };
         let (host, port) = (req.addr.clone(), req.port);
         std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            // Cause-specific wording (wrong PIN vs not-armed vs unreachable vs a typed host
+            // rejection) — never blame the PIN for a dead network path.
             let result = trust::pair_with_host(&host, port, &identity, &pin, &name)
-                .map_err(|e| format!("Pairing failed: {e:?} (wrong PIN, or pairing not armed?)"));
+                .map_err(|e| trust::pair_error_message(&e));
             let _ = tx.send_blocking(result);
         });
         glib::spawn_future_local(async move {
diff --git a/clients/session/src/console.rs b/clients/session/src/console.rs
index b5a8cdbe..9d587849 100644
--- a/clients/session/src/console.rs
+++ b/clients/session/src/console.rs
@@ -421,18 +421,9 @@ impl ServiceState {
                                 console.set_pair(PairPhase::Paired { key: fp_hex });
                             }
                             Err(e) => {
-                                let msg = match e {
-                                    punktfunk_core::PunktfunkError::Crypto => {
-                                        "Wrong PIN — check the host's Pairing page and try again."
-                                            .to_string()
-                                    }
-                                    punktfunk_core::PunktfunkError::Timeout => {
-                                        "The host didn't answer. Is it running and reachable?"
-                                            .to_string()
-                                    }
-                                    other => format!("Pairing failed: {other:?}"),
-                                };
-                                console.set_pair(PairPhase::Failed(msg));
+                                // Cause-specific wording (wrong PIN vs not-armed vs unreachable
+                                // vs a typed host rejection) — shared with every other surface.
+                                console.set_pair(PairPhase::Failed(trust::pair_error_message(&e)));
                             }
                         }
                     })
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/app/pair.rs b/clients/windows/src/app/pair.rs
index c2b1475d..bb96aa86 100644
--- a/clients/windows/src/app/pair.rs
+++ b/clients/windows/src/app/pair.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ pub(crate) fn pair_page(props: &Svc, cx: &mut RenderCx) -> Element {
                             connect(&ctx3, &target3, Some(fp), &ss, &st);
                         }
                         Err(e) => {
-                            st.call(format!("Pairing failed: {e:?} (wrong PIN, or not armed?)"));
+                            // Cause-specific: wrong PIN vs pairing-not-armed vs unreachable —
+                            // never blame the PIN for a dead network path (shared wording).
+                            st.call(trust::pair_error_message(&e));
                             ss.call(Screen::Hosts);
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/trust.rs b/clients/windows/src/trust.rs
index b6662f45..5563907b 100644
--- a/clients/windows/src/trust.rs
+++ b/clients/windows/src/trust.rs
@@ -8,5 +8,6 @@
 //! still load via a serde alias in core.
 
 pub use pf_client_core::trust::{
-    hex, learn_mac, load_or_create_identity, parse_hex32, KnownHost, KnownHosts, Settings,
+    hex, learn_mac, load_or_create_identity, pair_error_message, parse_hex32, KnownHost,
+    KnownHosts, Settings,
 };
diff --git a/crates/pf-client-core/src/session.rs b/crates/pf-client-core/src/session.rs
index 8298ee9b..03078f81 100644
--- a/crates/pf-client-core/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/pf-client-core/src/session.rs
@@ -255,6 +255,10 @@ fn pump(
                         .to_string()
                 }
                 PunktfunkError::Timeout => "Connection timed out".to_string(),
+                // The host said WHY it turned us away (typed application close) — show that
+                // verbatim instead of a generic failure: "the request was denied on the host"
+                // and "connection timed out" call for very different next steps.
+                PunktfunkError::Rejected(reason) => crate::trust::connect_reject_message(reason),
                 other => format!("Connect failed: {other:?}"),
             };
             let _ = ev_tx.send_blocking(SessionEvent::Failed {
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
index d995595d..3e48cfc0 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
@@ -1337,13 +1337,132 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn punktfunk_connect_ex7(
     client_key_pem: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
     timeout_ms: u32,
 ) -> *mut PunktfunkConnection {
+    unsafe {
+        connect_ex_impl(
+            host,
+            port,
+            width,
+            height,
+            refresh_hz,
+            compositor,
+            gamepad,
+            bitrate_kbps,
+            video_caps,
+            audio_channels,
+            video_codecs,
+            preferred_codec,
+            launch_id,
+            pin_sha256,
+            observed_sha256_out,
+            client_cert_pem,
+            client_key_pem,
+            timeout_ms,
+            std::ptr::null_mut(),
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+/// Like [`punktfunk_connect_ex7`], but additionally reports WHY a failed connect failed:
+/// `status_out` (nullable — null is exactly `ex7`) receives a [`PunktfunkStatus`] as `i32` —
+/// `Ok` on success, the mapped error otherwise, including the typed host-rejection block
+/// (`PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_NOT_ARMED` … `PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BUSY`) decoded from the
+/// host's application close. That lets an embedder tell "denied in the console" / "nobody
+/// approved in time" / "host busy" / "versions don't match" apart from plain unreachability
+/// (`Io`/`Timeout`) — a NULL return alone can't say which.
+///
+/// # Safety
+/// Same as [`punktfunk_connect`]; `status_out`, when non-null, must point to a writable `i32`.
+#[cfg(feature = "quic")]
+#[no_mangle]
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn punktfunk_connect_ex8(
+    host: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    port: u16,
+    width: u32,
+    height: u32,
+    refresh_hz: u32,
+    compositor: u32,
+    gamepad: u32,
+    bitrate_kbps: u32,
+    video_caps: u8,
+    audio_channels: u8,
+    video_codecs: u8,
+    preferred_codec: u8,
+    launch_id: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    pin_sha256: *const u8,
+    observed_sha256_out: *mut u8,
+    client_cert_pem: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    client_key_pem: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    timeout_ms: u32,
+    status_out: *mut i32,
+) -> *mut PunktfunkConnection {
+    unsafe {
+        connect_ex_impl(
+            host,
+            port,
+            width,
+            height,
+            refresh_hz,
+            compositor,
+            gamepad,
+            bitrate_kbps,
+            video_caps,
+            audio_channels,
+            video_codecs,
+            preferred_codec,
+            launch_id,
+            pin_sha256,
+            observed_sha256_out,
+            client_cert_pem,
+            client_key_pem,
+            timeout_ms,
+            status_out,
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+/// Shared body of [`punktfunk_connect_ex7`] / [`punktfunk_connect_ex8`]: `status_out`
+/// (nullable) is written on EVERY path — `Ok`, the mapped [`PunktfunkError`],
+/// `InvalidArg` for bad arguments, `Panic` if the connect panicked.
+#[cfg(feature = "quic")]
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+unsafe fn connect_ex_impl(
+    host: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    port: u16,
+    width: u32,
+    height: u32,
+    refresh_hz: u32,
+    compositor: u32,
+    gamepad: u32,
+    bitrate_kbps: u32,
+    video_caps: u8,
+    audio_channels: u8,
+    video_codecs: u8,
+    preferred_codec: u8,
+    launch_id: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    pin_sha256: *const u8,
+    observed_sha256_out: *mut u8,
+    client_cert_pem: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    client_key_pem: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
+    timeout_ms: u32,
+    status_out: *mut i32,
+) -> *mut PunktfunkConnection {
+    let set_status = |s: crate::error::PunktfunkStatus| {
+        if !status_out.is_null() {
+            unsafe { *status_out = s as i32 };
+        }
+    };
     let r = std::panic::catch_unwind(AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
         if host.is_null() {
+            set_status(crate::error::PunktfunkStatus::InvalidArg);
             return std::ptr::null_mut();
         }
         let host = match unsafe { std::ffi::CStr::from_ptr(host) }.to_str() {
             Ok(s) => s,
-            Err(_) => return std::ptr::null_mut(),
+            Err(_) => {
+                set_status(crate::error::PunktfunkStatus::InvalidArg);
+                return std::ptr::null_mut();
+            }
         };
         // A bad-UTF-8 launch id is non-fatal — treat it as "no game" rather than failing connect.
         let launch = match unsafe { opt_cstr(launch_id) } {
@@ -1375,7 +1494,11 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn punktfunk_connect_ex7(
         }) {
             (Ok(Some(c)), Ok(Some(k))) => Some((c.to_string(), k.to_string())),
             (Ok(None), Ok(None)) => None,
-            _ => return std::ptr::null_mut(), // half an identity / bad UTF-8: fail closed
+            _ => {
+                // Half an identity / bad UTF-8: fail closed.
+                set_status(crate::error::PunktfunkStatus::InvalidArg);
+                return std::ptr::null_mut();
+            }
         };
         match crate::client::NativeClient::connect(
             host,
@@ -1404,6 +1527,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn punktfunk_connect_ex7(
                             .copy_from_slice(&c.host_fingerprint);
                     }
                 }
+                set_status(crate::error::PunktfunkStatus::Ok);
                 Box::into_raw(Box::new(PunktfunkConnection {
                     inner: c,
                     last: std::sync::Mutex::new(None),
@@ -1411,10 +1535,16 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn punktfunk_connect_ex7(
                     audio_pcm: std::sync::Mutex::new(AudioPcmState::default()),
                 }))
             }
-            Err(_) => std::ptr::null_mut(),
+            Err(e) => {
+                set_status(e.status());
+                std::ptr::null_mut()
+            }
         }
     }));
-    r.unwrap_or(std::ptr::null_mut())
+    r.unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+        set_status(crate::error::PunktfunkStatus::Panic);
+        std::ptr::null_mut()
+    })
 }
 
 /// Generate a persistent client identity: a self-signed certificate + private key, both
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/error.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/error.rs
index e299e7dc..8bf97d6a 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/error.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ pub enum PunktfunkError {
     Timeout,
     #[error("session closed")]
     Closed,
+    /// The host deliberately turned this connection away and said why (a typed QUIC application
+    /// close, [`crate::reject::RejectReason`]) — distinct from transport trouble ([`Self::Io`] /
+    /// [`Self::Timeout`]) and from a failed PIN proof ([`Self::Crypto`]) so UIs can render the
+    /// real cause instead of a generic "not accepted".
+    #[error("rejected by host: {0}")]
+    Rejected(crate::reject::RejectReason),
 }
 
 pub type Result<T> = core::result::Result<T, PunktfunkError>;
@@ -43,6 +49,18 @@ pub enum PunktfunkStatus {
     NullPointer = -8,
     Timeout = -9,
     Closed = -10,
+    // -11..-19 reserved for future generic errors. The -20 block mirrors
+    // `crate::reject::RejectReason` one-to-one so FFI callers (Swift, JNI) can
+    // render the host's actual rejection reason.
+    RejectedNotArmed = -20,
+    RejectedBoundOther = -21,
+    RejectedRateLimited = -22,
+    RejectedIdentityRequired = -23,
+    RejectedDenied = -24,
+    RejectedApprovalTimeout = -25,
+    RejectedSuperseded = -26,
+    RejectedWireVersion = -27,
+    RejectedBusy = -28,
     Panic = -99,
 }
 
@@ -59,6 +77,20 @@ impl PunktfunkError {
             PunktfunkError::Io(_) => PunktfunkStatus::Io,
             PunktfunkError::Timeout => PunktfunkStatus::Timeout,
             PunktfunkError::Closed => PunktfunkStatus::Closed,
+            PunktfunkError::Rejected(r) => {
+                use crate::reject::RejectReason as R;
+                match r {
+                    R::PairingNotArmed => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedNotArmed,
+                    R::PairingBoundToOtherDevice => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedBoundOther,
+                    R::PairingRateLimited => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedRateLimited,
+                    R::IdentityRequired => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedIdentityRequired,
+                    R::Denied => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedDenied,
+                    R::ApprovalTimeout => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedApprovalTimeout,
+                    R::Superseded => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedSuperseded,
+                    R::WireVersionMismatch => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedWireVersion,
+                    R::Busy => PunktfunkStatus::RejectedBusy,
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/lib.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/lib.rs
index 781034a5..7ef09e75 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ pub mod packet;
 #[cfg(feature = "quic")]
 pub mod quic;
 pub mod reanchor;
+pub mod reject;
 pub mod session;
 pub mod stats;
 pub mod transport;
@@ -65,7 +66,12 @@ pub use stats::Stats;
 /// v6: added the `punktfunk_reanchor_gate_*` surface (post-loss freeze-until-reanchor gate for the
 /// Swift client; Rust embedders use [`reanchor::ReanchorGate`] directly). Additive, client-local —
 /// no wire change, so [`WIRE_VERSION`] is unchanged.
-pub const ABI_VERSION: u32 = 6;
+/// v7: added `punktfunk_connect_ex8` (`status_out` — typed connect-failure reporting, including
+/// the host-rejection block `PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_*` decoded from the host's QUIC
+/// application close) and the `PunktfunkStatus` −20 block itself. Additive — the close codes are
+/// new application-close vocabulary an old peer simply never sends/reads, so [`WIRE_VERSION`] is
+/// unchanged.
+pub const ABI_VERSION: u32 = 7;
 
 /// The punktfunk/1 **wire** version — what `Hello`/`Welcome` carry and hosts equality-check.
 /// Deliberately its own constant: [`ABI_VERSION`] tracks the embeddable **C surface**
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/msgs.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/msgs.rs
index 10ca0da6..3e92eace 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/msgs.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/msgs.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ pub const QUIT_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x51;
 /// returns to its launcher on session end), so it is purely refinement. Shared so host + clients agree.
 pub const APP_EXITED_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x52;
 
+// Typed rejection close codes + [`RejectReason`] live in `crate::reject` (ungated — the
+// error enum references them even in `quic`-less builds) and are re-exported here so the
+// wire vocabulary stays browsable next to QUIT/APP_EXITED.
+pub use crate::reject::*;
+
 /// [`Welcome::host_caps`] bit: the host applies [`InputKind::GamepadState`]
 /// (crate::input::InputKind::GamepadState) snapshot events — full per-pad state with a reorder
 /// sequence number. A capable client then sends gamepad state as snapshots (idempotent on the
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/reject.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/reject.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..118e5816
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/reject.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+//! Why a host turns a connection away: typed QUIC application close codes + the
+//! [`RejectReason`] vocabulary shared by host and every client. Lives OUTSIDE the `quic`
+//! feature gate because [`PunktfunkError::Rejected`](crate::error::PunktfunkError::Rejected)
+//! carries it in every build; `crate::quic` re-exports it.
+
+/// QUIC application error code the host closes with on a `mode_conflict = reject` admission
+/// refusal, carrying the human-readable busy reason (live mode + client label). A distinct code
+/// lets a client tell "host busy" apart from a transport failure. Shared so clients can render it.
+pub const REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x42;
+
+/// QUIC application close codes the host sends on **pairing-gate rejections**, so a client can
+/// tell the user WHY it was turned away instead of collapsing every close into a generic
+/// "not accepted" (the failure mode behind more than one support thread: a PIN attempt against a
+/// disarmed host, an operator denial, and a dead network path all looked identical). Grouped in
+/// their own 0x60 block, disjoint from [`REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE`] (0x42) and the deliberate-end
+/// codes (0x51/0x52). Purely additive: an older client treats them as a bare close (exactly the
+/// pre-code behavior), an older host never sends them. Decode with [`RejectReason::from_close_code`].
+pub const PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x60;
+/// Pairing window armed, but bound to a DIFFERENT device fingerprint (the attempt does not
+/// consume the window). See [`PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE`] for the block's contract.
+pub const PAIR_BOUND_OTHER_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x61;
+/// PIN attempt inside the host's global pairing cooldown — retry shortly.
+pub const PAIR_RATE_LIMITED_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x62;
+/// Unpaired client presented no certificate: nothing to approve, and the SPAKE2 ceremony needs an
+/// identity to bind — the PIN flow with a client identity is the way in.
+pub const PAIR_NO_IDENTITY_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x63;
+/// The operator explicitly denied this pairing request in the host console.
+pub const PAIR_DENIED_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x64;
+/// Nobody decided on the parked pairing request before the host's approval wait elapsed.
+pub const PAIR_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x65;
+/// This parked knock was superseded by a newer connection from the same device — only the
+/// newest is admitted on approval.
+pub const PAIR_SUPERSEDED_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x66;
+/// The client's wire (protocol) version does not match the host's — one side needs updating.
+pub const WIRE_VERSION_CLOSE_CODE: u32 = 0x67;
+
+/// Why a host turned a connection away, decoded from the QUIC application close code — the
+/// client-side view of [`PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE`]..[`WIRE_VERSION_CLOSE_CODE`] plus
+/// [`REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE`]. Surfaces as
+/// [`PunktfunkError::Rejected`](crate::error::PunktfunkError::Rejected) so every client can show
+/// the real reason ("pairing not armed", "denied in the console") instead of a generic failure.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum RejectReason {
+    /// No pairing window is armed on the host (arm it in the console).
+    PairingNotArmed,
+    /// The armed window is bound to a different device fingerprint.
+    PairingBoundToOtherDevice,
+    /// Inside the host's pairing cooldown — retry shortly.
+    PairingRateLimited,
+    /// The client presented no certificate identity to approve/bind.
+    IdentityRequired,
+    /// The operator denied the request in the console.
+    Denied,
+    /// The parked request expired with no operator decision.
+    ApprovalTimeout,
+    /// A newer knock from the same device replaced this one.
+    Superseded,
+    /// Client/host wire versions differ.
+    WireVersionMismatch,
+    /// The host refused admission because a conflicting session is live.
+    Busy,
+}
+
+impl RejectReason {
+    /// Decode a QUIC application close code into a reason; `None` for codes outside the
+    /// shared vocabulary (a bare/legacy close stays a plain transport error).
+    pub fn from_close_code(code: u32) -> Option<Self> {
+        Some(match code {
+            PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE => Self::PairingNotArmed,
+            PAIR_BOUND_OTHER_CLOSE_CODE => Self::PairingBoundToOtherDevice,
+            PAIR_RATE_LIMITED_CLOSE_CODE => Self::PairingRateLimited,
+            PAIR_NO_IDENTITY_CLOSE_CODE => Self::IdentityRequired,
+            PAIR_DENIED_CLOSE_CODE => Self::Denied,
+            PAIR_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_CLOSE_CODE => Self::ApprovalTimeout,
+            PAIR_SUPERSEDED_CLOSE_CODE => Self::Superseded,
+            WIRE_VERSION_CLOSE_CODE => Self::WireVersionMismatch,
+            REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE => Self::Busy,
+            _ => return None,
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// The close code this reason travels as (inverse of [`Self::from_close_code`]).
+    pub fn close_code(self) -> u32 {
+        match self {
+            Self::PairingNotArmed => PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::PairingBoundToOtherDevice => PAIR_BOUND_OTHER_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::PairingRateLimited => PAIR_RATE_LIMITED_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::IdentityRequired => PAIR_NO_IDENTITY_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::Denied => PAIR_DENIED_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::ApprovalTimeout => PAIR_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::Superseded => PAIR_SUPERSEDED_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::WireVersionMismatch => WIRE_VERSION_CLOSE_CODE,
+            Self::Busy => REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Stable machine token (kebab-case) for FFI layers that pass the reason as a string
+    /// (e.g. the Android JNI bridge). Do not reword existing tokens — clients match on them.
+    pub fn as_str(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Self::PairingNotArmed => "not-armed",
+            Self::PairingBoundToOtherDevice => "bound-other",
+            Self::PairingRateLimited => "rate-limited",
+            Self::IdentityRequired => "identity-required",
+            Self::Denied => "denied",
+            Self::ApprovalTimeout => "approval-timeout",
+            Self::Superseded => "superseded",
+            Self::WireVersionMismatch => "wire-version",
+            Self::Busy => "busy",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for RejectReason {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.write_str(match self {
+            Self::PairingNotArmed => "pairing is not armed on the host",
+            Self::PairingBoundToOtherDevice => {
+                "the host's pairing window is armed for a different device"
+            }
+            Self::PairingRateLimited => "pairing attempts are rate-limited — retry shortly",
+            Self::IdentityRequired => "the host requires a client identity",
+            Self::Denied => "the request was denied on the host",
+            Self::ApprovalTimeout => "nobody approved the request on the host in time",
+            Self::Superseded => "a newer request from this device replaced this one",
+            Self::WireVersionMismatch => "client and host versions do not match",
+            Self::Busy => "the host is busy with another session",
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    const ALL: [RejectReason; 9] = [
+        RejectReason::PairingNotArmed,
+        RejectReason::PairingBoundToOtherDevice,
+        RejectReason::PairingRateLimited,
+        RejectReason::IdentityRequired,
+        RejectReason::Denied,
+        RejectReason::ApprovalTimeout,
+        RejectReason::Superseded,
+        RejectReason::WireVersionMismatch,
+        RejectReason::Busy,
+    ];
+
+    #[test]
+    fn close_codes_round_trip() {
+        for r in ALL {
+            assert_eq!(RejectReason::from_close_code(r.close_code()), Some(r));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn codes_are_unique() {
+        let mut codes: Vec<u32> = ALL.iter().map(|r| r.close_code()).collect();
+        codes.sort_unstable();
+        codes.dedup();
+        assert_eq!(codes.len(), ALL.len());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn foreign_codes_stay_untyped() {
+        // Bare closes, the client's own pair-done codes, and the deliberate-end codes must
+        // never read as a host rejection.
+        for code in [0u32, 1, 0x41, 0x51, 0x52, 0x5f, 0x68, u32::MAX] {
+            assert_eq!(RejectReason::from_close_code(code), None);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/include/punktfunk_core.h b/include/punktfunk_core.h
index 5baab469..d7545271 100644
--- a/include/punktfunk_core.h
+++ b/include/punktfunk_core.h
@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@
 // v6: added the `punktfunk_reanchor_gate_*` surface (post-loss freeze-until-reanchor gate for the
 // Swift client; Rust embedders use [`reanchor::ReanchorGate`] directly). Additive, client-local —
 // no wire change, so [`WIRE_VERSION`] is unchanged.
-#define ABI_VERSION 6
+// v7: added `punktfunk_connect_ex8` (`status_out` — typed connect-failure reporting, including
+// the host-rejection block `PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_*` decoded from the host's QUIC
+// application close) and the `PunktfunkStatus` −20 block itself. Additive — the close codes are
+// new application-close vocabulary an old peer simply never sends/reads, so [`WIRE_VERSION`] is
+// unchanged.
+#define ABI_VERSION 7
 
 // The punktfunk/1 **wire** version — what `Hello`/`Welcome` carry and hosts equality-check.
 // Deliberately its own constant: [`ABI_VERSION`] tracks the embeddable **C surface**
@@ -633,6 +638,44 @@
 // [`USER_FLAG_RECOVERY_POINT`]: crate::packet::USER_FLAG_RECOVERY_POINT
 #define REANCHOR_MARKS_TO_LIFT 2
 
+// QUIC application error code the host closes with on a `mode_conflict = reject` admission
+// refusal, carrying the human-readable busy reason (live mode + client label). A distinct code
+// lets a client tell "host busy" apart from a transport failure. Shared so clients can render it.
+#define REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE 66
+
+// QUIC application close codes the host sends on **pairing-gate rejections**, so a client can
+// tell the user WHY it was turned away instead of collapsing every close into a generic
+// "not accepted" (the failure mode behind more than one support thread: a PIN attempt against a
+// disarmed host, an operator denial, and a dead network path all looked identical). Grouped in
+// their own 0x60 block, disjoint from [`REJECT_BUSY_CLOSE_CODE`] (0x42) and the deliberate-end
+// codes (0x51/0x52). Purely additive: an older client treats them as a bare close (exactly the
+// pre-code behavior), an older host never sends them. Decode with [`RejectReason::from_close_code`].
+#define PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE 96
+
+// Pairing window armed, but bound to a DIFFERENT device fingerprint (the attempt does not
+// consume the window). See [`PAIR_NOT_ARMED_CLOSE_CODE`] for the block's contract.
+#define PAIR_BOUND_OTHER_CLOSE_CODE 97
+
+// PIN attempt inside the host's global pairing cooldown — retry shortly.
+#define PAIR_RATE_LIMITED_CLOSE_CODE 98
+
+// Unpaired client presented no certificate: nothing to approve, and the SPAKE2 ceremony needs an
+// identity to bind — the PIN flow with a client identity is the way in.
+#define PAIR_NO_IDENTITY_CLOSE_CODE 99
+
+// The operator explicitly denied this pairing request in the host console.
+#define PAIR_DENIED_CLOSE_CODE 100
+
+// Nobody decided on the parked pairing request before the host's approval wait elapsed.
+#define PAIR_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT_CLOSE_CODE 101
+
+// This parked knock was superseded by a newer connection from the same device — only the
+// newest is admitted on approval.
+#define PAIR_SUPERSEDED_CLOSE_CODE 102
+
+// The client's wire (protocol) version does not match the host's — one side needs updating.
+#define WIRE_VERSION_CLOSE_CODE 103
+
 // Stable C ABI status codes. `Ok` is 0; all errors are negative so callers can
 // test `rc < 0`. Do not renumber existing variants — only append.
 enum PunktfunkStatus
@@ -651,6 +694,15 @@ enum PunktfunkStatus
     PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_NULL_POINTER = -8,
     PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_TIMEOUT = -9,
     PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_CLOSED = -10,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_NOT_ARMED = -20,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BOUND_OTHER = -21,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_RATE_LIMITED = -22,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_IDENTITY_REQUIRED = -23,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_DENIED = -24,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_APPROVAL_TIMEOUT = -25,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_SUPERSEDED = -26,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_WIRE_VERSION = -27,
+    PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BUSY = -28,
     PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_PANIC = -99,
 };
 #ifndef __cplusplus
@@ -1328,6 +1380,38 @@ PunktfunkConnection *punktfunk_connect_ex7(const char *host,
                                            uint32_t timeout_ms);
 #endif
 
+#if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
+// Like [`punktfunk_connect_ex7`], but additionally reports WHY a failed connect failed:
+// `status_out` (nullable — null is exactly `ex7`) receives a [`PunktfunkStatus`] as `i32` —
+// `Ok` on success, the mapped error otherwise, including the typed host-rejection block
+// (`PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_NOT_ARMED` … `PUNKTFUNK_STATUS_REJECTED_BUSY`) decoded from the
+// host's application close. That lets an embedder tell "denied in the console" / "nobody
+// approved in time" / "host busy" / "versions don't match" apart from plain unreachability
+// (`Io`/`Timeout`) — a NULL return alone can't say which.
+//
+// # Safety
+// Same as [`punktfunk_connect`]; `status_out`, when non-null, must point to a writable `i32`.
+PunktfunkConnection *punktfunk_connect_ex8(const char *host,
+                                           uint16_t port,
+                                           uint32_t width,
+                                           uint32_t height,
+                                           uint32_t refresh_hz,
+                                           uint32_t compositor,
+                                           uint32_t gamepad,
+                                           uint32_t bitrate_kbps,
+                                           uint8_t video_caps,
+                                           uint8_t audio_channels,
+                                           uint8_t video_codecs,
+                                           uint8_t preferred_codec,
+                                           const char *launch_id,
+                                           const uint8_t *pin_sha256,
+                                           uint8_t *observed_sha256_out,
+                                           const char *client_cert_pem,
+                                           const char *client_key_pem,
+                                           uint32_t timeout_ms,
+                                           int32_t *status_out);
+#endif
+
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // Generate a persistent client identity: a self-signed certificate + private key, both
 // PEM, NUL-terminated, written into the caller's buffers. Generate ONCE, store both