diff --git a/v2/src-tauri/src/remote.rs b/v2/src-tauri/src/remote.rs
index e7e8dd8..a6a803b 100644
--- a/v2/src-tauri/src/remote.rs
+++ b/v2/src-tauri/src/remote.rs
@@ -269,14 +269,14 @@ impl RemoteManager {
                         "backoffSecs": delay.as_secs(),
                     }));
 
-                    // Try to get config for reconnection
-                    let config = {
+                    // Try to get URL for TCP probe
+                    let url = {
                         let machines = reconnect_machines.lock().await;
-                        machines.get(&reconnect_mid).map(|m| (m.config.url.clone(), m.config.token.clone()))
+                        machines.get(&reconnect_mid).map(|m| m.config.url.clone())
                     };
 
-                    if let Some((url, token)) = config {
-                        if attempt_ws_connect(&url, &token).await.is_ok() {
+                    if let Some(url) = url {
+                        if attempt_tcp_probe(&url).await.is_ok() {
                             log::info!("Reconnection probe succeeded for {reconnect_mid}");
                             // Mark as ready for reconnection — frontend should call connect()
                             let _ = reconnect_app.emit("remote-machine-reconnect-ready", &serde_json::json!({
@@ -412,30 +412,25 @@ impl RemoteManager {
     }
 }
 
-/// Probe whether a relay is reachable (connect + immediate close).
-async fn attempt_ws_connect(url: &str, token: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
-    let request = tokio_tungstenite::tungstenite::http::Request::builder()
-        .uri(url)
-        .header("Authorization", format!("Bearer {token}"))
-        .header("Sec-WebSocket-Key", tokio_tungstenite::tungstenite::handshake::client::generate_key())
-        .header("Sec-WebSocket-Version", "13")
-        .header("Connection", "Upgrade")
-        .header("Upgrade", "websocket")
-        .header("Host", extract_host(url).unwrap_or_default())
-        .body(())
-        .map_err(|e| format!("Request build failed: {e}"))?;
+/// Probe whether a relay is reachable via TCP connect only (no WS upgrade).
+/// This avoids allocating per-connection resources (PtyManager, SidecarManager) on the relay.
+async fn attempt_tcp_probe(url: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let host = extract_host(url).ok_or_else(|| "Invalid URL".to_string())?;
+    // Parse host:port, default to 9750 if no port
+    let addr = if host.contains(':') {
+        host.clone()
+    } else {
+        format!("{host}:9750")
+    };
 
-    let (ws, _) = tokio::time::timeout(
+    tokio::time::timeout(
         std::time::Duration::from_secs(5),
-        tokio_tungstenite::connect_async(request),
+        tokio::net::TcpStream::connect(&addr),
     )
     .await
     .map_err(|_| "Connection timeout".to_string())?
-    .map_err(|e| format!("Connection failed: {e}"))?;
+    .map_err(|e| format!("TCP connect failed: {e}"))?;
 
-    // Close immediately — this was just a probe
-    let (mut tx, _) = ws.split();
-    let _ = tx.close().await;
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/adapters/remote-bridge.ts b/v2/src/lib/adapters/remote-bridge.ts
index 79c1ca6..51a66a9 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/adapters/remote-bridge.ts
+++ b/v2/src/lib/adapters/remote-bridge.ts
@@ -120,3 +120,24 @@ export async function onRemoteError(
     callback(event.payload);
   });
 }
+
+export interface RemoteReconnectingEvent {
+  machineId: string;
+  backoffSecs: number;
+}
+
+export async function onRemoteMachineReconnecting(
+  callback: (msg: RemoteReconnectingEvent) => void,
+): Promise<UnlistenFn> {
+  return listen<RemoteReconnectingEvent>('remote-machine-reconnecting', (event) => {
+    callback(event.payload);
+  });
+}
+
+export async function onRemoteMachineReconnectReady(
+  callback: (msg: RemoteMachineEvent) => void,
+): Promise<UnlistenFn> {
+  return listen<RemoteMachineEvent>('remote-machine-reconnect-ready', (event) => {
+    callback(event.payload);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/stores/machines.svelte.ts b/v2/src/lib/stores/machines.svelte.ts
index 9b08eeb..7f501eb 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/stores/machines.svelte.ts
+++ b/v2/src/lib/stores/machines.svelte.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import {
   onRemoteMachineReady,
   onRemoteMachineDisconnected,
   onRemoteError,
+  onRemoteMachineReconnecting,
+  onRemoteMachineReconnectReady,
   type RemoteMachineConfig,
   type RemoteMachineInfo,
 } from '../adapters/remote-bridge';
@@ -94,4 +96,22 @@ export async function initMachineListeners(): Promise<void> {
       notify('error', `Error from ${machine.label}: ${msg.error}`);
     }
   });
+
+  await onRemoteMachineReconnecting((msg) => {
+    const machine = machines.find(m => m.id === msg.machineId);
+    if (machine) {
+      machine.status = 'reconnecting';
+      notify('info', `Reconnecting to ${machine.label} in ${msg.backoffSecs}s…`);
+    }
+  });
+
+  await onRemoteMachineReconnectReady((msg) => {
+    const machine = machines.find(m => m.id === msg.machineId);
+    if (machine) {
+      notify('info', `${machine.label} reachable — reconnecting…`);
+      connectMachine(msg.machineId).catch((e) => {
+        notify('error', `Auto-reconnect failed for ${machine.label}: ${e}`);
+      });
+    }
+  });
 }