diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5362f205a43..aae6a215a75 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Providers/Bedrock: omit deprecated `temperature` for Claude Opus 4.7 Bedrock model ids, named and application inference profiles, including dotted `opus-4.7` refs, and classify the nested validation response for failover. Fixes #73663. Thanks @bstanbury.
 - Gateway: raise the preauth/connect-challenge timeout to 15s so cold CLI starts on slower hosts have more time to process the WebSocket challenge before the Gateway closes the connection. Fixes #51469; refs #73592 and #62060. Thanks @GothicFox and @jackychen-png.
 - CLI/status: fall back to a bounded local `status` RPC when loopback detail probes time out or report unknown capability, so reachable local gateways are no longer marked unreachable by slow read diagnostics. Fixes #73535; refs #48360, #62762, #51357, and #42019. Thanks @RacecarGuy, @justinschille, @DJBlackhawk, @tianyaqpzm, and @0xrsydn.
+- CLI/gateway: reuse cached paired-device auth during `gateway probe` and report post-connect diagnostic failures as degraded reachability, so healthy local gateways are no longer marked unreachable after loopback auth or read timeouts. Fixes #48360. Thanks @RacecarGuy.
 - Channels/Discord: give Discord Gateway WebSocket handshakes a 30s timeout so stalled TLS/network transitions emit an error and Carbon can continue its reconnect loop instead of leaving the bot silent until restart. Refs #50046. Thanks @codexGW.
 - NVIDIA/NIM: persist the `NVIDIA_API_KEY` provider marker and mark bundled NVIDIA Chat Completions models as string-content compatible, so NIM models load from `models.json` and OpenAI-compatible subagent calls send plain text content. Fixes #73013 and #50107; refs #73014. Thanks @bautrey, @iot2edge, @ifearghal, and @futhgar.
 - Channels/Discord: let text-only configs drop the `GuildVoiceStates` gateway intent and expose a bounded `/gateway/bot` metadata timeout with rate-limited fallback logs, reducing idle CPU and warning floods. Fixes #73709 and #73585. Thanks @sanchezm86 and @trac3r00.
diff --git a/docs/cli/gateway.md b/docs/cli/gateway.md
index 4da4db1b67f..636d8a416d7 100644
--- a/docs/cli/gateway.md
+++ b/docs/cli/gateway.md
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ openclaw gateway probe --json
     - `Capability: read-only|write-capable|admin-capable|pairing-pending|connect-only` reports what the probe could prove about auth. It is separate from reachability.
     - `Read probe: ok` means read-scope detail RPC calls (`health`/`status`/`system-presence`/`config.get`) also succeeded.
     - `Read probe: limited - missing scope: operator.read` means connect succeeded but read-scope RPC is limited. This is reported as **degraded** reachability, not full failure.
+    - `Read probe: failed` after `Connect: ok` means the Gateway accepted the WebSocket connection, but follow-up read diagnostics timed out or failed. This is also **degraded** reachability, not an unreachable Gateway.
     - Like `gateway status`, probe reuses existing cached device auth but does not create first-time device identity or pairing state.
     - Exit code is non-zero only when no probed target is reachable.
 
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@ openclaw gateway probe --json
     Top level:
 
     - `ok`: at least one target is reachable.
-    - `degraded`: at least one target had scope-limited detail RPC.
+    - `degraded`: at least one target accepted a connection but did not complete full detail RPC diagnostics.
     - `capability`: best capability seen across reachable targets (`read_only`, `write_capable`, `admin_capable`, `pairing_pending`, `connected_no_operator_scope`, or `unknown`).
     - `primaryTargetId`: best target to treat as the active winner in this order: explicit URL, SSH tunnel, configured remote, then local loopback.
     - `warnings[]`: best-effort warning records with `code`, `message`, and optional `targetIds`.
diff --git a/docs/gateway/troubleshooting.md b/docs/gateway/troubleshooting.md
index 4d623b1bf81..8ef31c8825c 100644
--- a/docs/gateway/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/docs/gateway/troubleshooting.md
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ Common signatures:
 - `SSH tunnel failed to start; falling back to direct probes.` → SSH setup failed, but the command still tried direct configured/loopback targets.
 - `multiple reachable gateways detected` → more than one target answered. Usually this means an intentional multi-gateway setup or stale/duplicate listeners.
 - `Read-probe diagnostics are limited by gateway scopes (missing operator.read)` → connect worked, but detail RPC is scope-limited; pair device identity or use credentials with `operator.read`.
+- `Gateway accepted the WebSocket connection, but follow-up read diagnostics failed` → connect worked, but the full diagnostic RPC set timed out or failed. Treat this as a reachable Gateway with degraded diagnostics; compare `connect.ok` and `connect.rpcOk` in `--json` output.
 - `Capability: pairing-pending` or `gateway closed (1008): pairing required` → the gateway answered, but this client still needs pairing/approval before normal operator access.
 - unresolved `gateway.auth.*` / `gateway.remote.*` SecretRef warning text → auth material was unavailable in this command path for the failed target.
 
diff --git a/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.test.ts b/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.test.ts
index 0083fc91d47..0b50ba8756b 100644
--- a/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   buildNetworkHints,
   extractConfigSummary,
   isProbeReachable,
+  isPostConnectProbeFailure,
   isScopeLimitedProbeFailure,
   renderProbeSummaryLine,
   resolveAuthForTarget,
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ describe("probe reachability classification", () => {
     expect(renderProbeSummaryLine(probe, false)).toContain("Read probe: limited");
   });
 
-  it("keeps non-scope RPC failures as unreachable", () => {
+  it("treats post-connect read failures as reachable with failed diagnostics", () => {
     const probe = {
       ok: false,
       url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
@@ -269,10 +270,33 @@ describe("probe reachability classification", () => {
     };
 
     expect(isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(probe)).toBe(false);
-    expect(isProbeReachable(probe)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isPostConnectProbeFailure(probe)).toBe(true);
+    expect(isProbeReachable(probe)).toBe(true);
     expect(renderProbeSummaryLine(probe, false)).toContain("Capability: connect-only");
     expect(renderProbeSummaryLine(probe, false)).toContain("Read probe: failed");
   });
+
+  it("keeps failed-before-connect probes unreachable", () => {
+    const probe = {
+      ok: false,
+      url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
+      connectLatencyMs: null,
+      error: "timeout",
+      close: null,
+      auth: {
+        role: null,
+        scopes: [],
+        capability: "unknown" as const,
+      },
+      health: null,
+      status: null,
+      presence: null,
+      configSnapshot: null,
+    };
+
+    expect(isPostConnectProbeFailure(probe)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isProbeReachable(probe)).toBe(false);
+  });
 });
 describe("gateway-status local target scheme", () => {
   it("uses wss for local loopback targets and network hints when gateway TLS is enabled", () => {
diff --git a/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.ts b/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.ts
index 6ec6c1db615..9923e6803d7 100644
--- a/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/commands/gateway-status/helpers.ts
@@ -276,8 +276,12 @@ export function isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(probe: GatewayProbeResult): boolean {
   return MISSING_SCOPE_PATTERN.test(probe.error ?? "");
 }
 
+export function isPostConnectProbeFailure(probe: GatewayProbeResult): boolean {
+  return !probe.ok && probe.connectLatencyMs != null;
+}
+
 export function isProbeReachable(probe: GatewayProbeResult): boolean {
-  return probe.ok || isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(probe);
+  return probe.ok || probe.connectLatencyMs != null;
 }
 
 function getGatewayProbeCapability(probe: GatewayProbeResult): GatewayProbeCapability {
diff --git a/src/commands/gateway-status/output.test.ts b/src/commands/gateway-status/output.test.ts
index 27f2e8a8875..87b3164ed2a 100644
--- a/src/commands/gateway-status/output.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/gateway-status/output.test.ts
@@ -95,11 +95,11 @@ describe("gateway status output", () => {
       discovery: [],
       probed: [
         createTarget(
-          "unreachable-admin",
+          "unreachable-before-connect",
           createProbe("admin_capable", {
             ok: false,
-            connectLatencyMs: 40,
-            error: "unknown method: status",
+            connectLatencyMs: null,
+            error: "timeout",
           }),
         ),
         createTarget(
@@ -132,11 +132,11 @@ describe("gateway status output", () => {
       discovery: [],
       probed: [
         createTarget(
-          "unreachable-admin",
+          "unreachable-before-connect",
           createProbe("admin_capable", {
             ok: false,
-            connectLatencyMs: 40,
-            error: "unknown method: status",
+            connectLatencyMs: null,
+            error: "timeout",
           }),
         ),
         createTarget(
@@ -153,4 +153,57 @@ describe("gateway status output", () => {
 
     expect(runtime.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Capability: read-only");
   });
+
+  it("reports post-connect detail failures as reachable but degraded in json output", () => {
+    const runtime = createRuntimeCapture();
+    writeGatewayStatusJson({
+      runtime,
+      startedAt: Date.now() - 50,
+      overallTimeoutMs: 5_000,
+      discoveryTimeoutMs: 500,
+      network: {
+        localLoopbackUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
+        localTailnetUrl: null,
+        tailnetIPv4: null,
+      },
+      discovery: [],
+      probed: [
+        createTarget(
+          "detail-timeout",
+          createProbe("read_only", {
+            ok: false,
+            connectLatencyMs: 40,
+            error: "timeout",
+          }),
+        ),
+      ],
+      warnings: [
+        {
+          code: "probe_detail_failed",
+          message:
+            "Gateway accepted the WebSocket connection, but follow-up read diagnostics failed: timeout",
+          targetIds: ["detail-timeout"],
+        },
+      ],
+      primaryTargetId: "detail-timeout",
+    });
+
+    expect(writeRuntimeJson).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      runtime,
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        ok: true,
+        degraded: true,
+        primaryTargetId: "detail-timeout",
+        targets: [
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            connect: expect.objectContaining({
+              ok: true,
+              rpcOk: false,
+              error: "timeout",
+            }),
+          }),
+        ],
+      }),
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/commands/gateway-status/output.ts b/src/commands/gateway-status/output.ts
index 8ce7d38aa88..a17c31d3377 100644
--- a/src/commands/gateway-status/output.ts
+++ b/src/commands/gateway-status/output.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { colorize, theme } from "../../terminal/theme.js";
 import { serializeGatewayDiscoveryBeacon } from "./discovery.js";
 import {
   isProbeReachable,
+  isPostConnectProbeFailure,
   isScopeLimitedProbeFailure,
   summarizeGatewayProbeCapability,
   renderProbeSummaryLine,
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ export function buildGatewayStatusWarnings(params: {
   const degradedScopeLimited = params.probed.filter((entry) =>
     isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(entry.probe),
   );
+  const degradedDetailFailed = params.probed.filter(
+    (entry) => isPostConnectProbeFailure(entry.probe) && !isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(entry.probe),
+  );
   const warnings: GatewayStatusWarning[] = [];
   if (params.sshTarget && !params.sshTunnelStarted) {
     warnings.push({
@@ -83,6 +87,14 @@ export function buildGatewayStatusWarnings(params: {
       targetIds: [result.target.id],
     });
   }
+  for (const result of degradedDetailFailed) {
+    const detail = result.probe.error ? `: ${result.probe.error}` : ".";
+    warnings.push({
+      code: "probe_detail_failed",
+      message: `Gateway accepted the WebSocket connection, but follow-up read diagnostics failed${detail}`,
+      targetIds: [result.target.id],
+    });
+  }
   return warnings;
 }
 
@@ -98,7 +110,7 @@ export function writeGatewayStatusJson(params: {
   primaryTargetId: string | null;
 }) {
   const reachable = params.probed.filter((entry) => isProbeReachable(entry.probe));
-  const degraded = params.probed.some((entry) => isScopeLimitedProbeFailure(entry.probe));
+  const degraded = params.probed.some((entry) => isPostConnectProbeFailure(entry.probe));
   const capability = summarizeGatewayProbeCapability(reachable.map((entry) => entry.probe));
   writeRuntimeJson(params.runtime, {
     ok: reachable.length > 0,
diff --git a/src/gateway/probe.test.ts b/src/gateway/probe.test.ts
index 9ba82e5cdae..7469d2de368 100644
--- a/src/gateway/probe.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/probe.test.ts
@@ -203,7 +203,18 @@ describe("probeGateway", () => {
     expect(gatewayClientState.options?.scopes).toEqual(["operator.read"]);
   });
 
-  it("keeps device identity disabled for unauthenticated loopback probes", async () => {
+  it("reuses cached device identity for unauthenticated loopback probes", async () => {
+    await probeGateway({
+      url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
+      timeoutMs: 1_000,
+    });
+
+    expect(gatewayClientState.options?.deviceIdentity).toEqual(deviceIdentityState.value);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps device identity disabled for first-time unauthenticated loopback probes", async () => {
+    deviceIdentityState.cachedToken = null;
+
     await probeGateway({
       url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
       timeoutMs: 1_000,
@@ -220,7 +231,7 @@ describe("probeGateway", () => {
     });
 
     expect(result.ok).toBe(true);
-    expect(gatewayClientState.options?.deviceIdentity).toBeNull();
+    expect(gatewayClientState.options?.deviceIdentity).toEqual(deviceIdentityState.value);
     expect(gatewayClientState.requests).toEqual([]);
   });
 
diff --git a/src/gateway/probe.ts b/src/gateway/probe.ts
index 574f58f931b..991687bdea7 100644
--- a/src/gateway/probe.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/probe.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import type { SystemPresence } from "../infra/system-presence.js";
 import { MAX_SAFE_TIMEOUT_DELAY_MS, resolveSafeTimeoutDelayMs } from "../utils/timer-delay.js";
 import { GatewayClient, GatewayClientRequestError } from "./client.js";
 import { READ_SCOPE } from "./method-scopes.js";
-import { isLoopbackHost } from "./net.js";
 import { GATEWAY_CLIENT_MODES, GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES } from "./protocol/client-info.js";
 
 export type GatewayProbeAuth = {
@@ -162,24 +161,18 @@ export async function probeGateway(opts: {
   const detailLevel = opts.includeDetails === false ? "none" : (opts.detailLevel ?? "full");
 
   const deviceIdentity = await (async () => {
-    let hostname: string;
-    try {
-      hostname = new URL(opts.url).hostname;
-    } catch {
-      return null;
-    }
-    // Keep probes non-mutating: only attach a device identity when this CLI
-    // already has a cached operator device token. Fresh diagnostics should not
-    // create a read-only pairing baseline that later blocks admin commands.
-    if (isLoopbackHost(hostname) && !(opts.auth?.token || opts.auth?.password)) {
-      return null;
-    }
     try {
+      if (!URL.canParse(opts.url)) {
+        return null;
+      }
       const { loadDeviceIdentityIfPresent } = await import("../infra/device-identity.js");
       const identity = loadDeviceIdentityIfPresent();
       if (!identity) {
         return null;
       }
+      // Keep probes non-mutating: only attach a device identity when this CLI
+      // already has a cached operator device token. Fresh diagnostics should not
+      // create a read-only pairing baseline that later blocks admin commands.
       const cachedOperatorToken = loadDeviceAuthToken({
         deviceId: identity.deviceId,
         role: "operator",