diff --git a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/AbDeviceReplyException.cs b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/AbDeviceReplyException.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e68d4daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/AbDeviceReplyException.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     An <see cref="AbTransportException"/> whose status came OFF THE WIRE: the device (or the bridge's Execute PCCC
+///     object) replied with a non-zero CIP envelope status or PCCC STS. It lets a driver tell a refusal the device
+///     ANSWERED from the same <see cref="AbStatus"/> raised locally before anything was sent — most importantly
+///     <see cref="AbStatus.Unsupported"/>, which a native runtime also throws for operations it refuses pre-wire
+///     (review lane K I2).
+/// </summary>
+/// <param name="status">The status mapped from the reply.</param>
+/// <param name="message">The exception message.</param>
+public sealed class AbDeviceReplyException(AbStatus status, string message) : AbTransportException(status, message);
diff --git a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/Pccc/PcccServices.cs b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/Pccc/PcccServices.cs
index edd193ee..326dca03 100644
--- a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/Pccc/PcccServices.cs
+++ b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport/Pccc/PcccServices.cs
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public static class PcccServices
     public static ReadOnlyMemory<byte> ParseReply(CipReply reply, ushort expectedTns, byte[]? expectedRequestorId = null)
     {
         if (reply.GeneralStatus != 0)
-            throw new AbTransportException(reply.Status, $"Execute PCCC CIP status 0x{reply.GeneralStatus:X2}.");
+            throw new AbDeviceReplyException(reply.Status, $"Execute PCCC CIP status 0x{reply.GeneralStatus:X2}.");
         var r = new CipReader(reply.Data.Span);
         var idLen = r.U8();
         if (idLen < 1) throw new AbTransportException(AbStatus.BadReply, "Empty requestor id in PCCC reply.");
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public static class PcccServices
             throw new AbTransportException(AbStatus.BadReply, $"PCCC TNS {tns} != {expectedTns}.");
         byte? ext = sts == 0xF0 ? r.U8() : null;
         if (sts != 0)
-            throw new AbTransportException(AbStatusCodes.FromPccc(sts, ext),
+            throw new AbDeviceReplyException(AbStatusCodes.FromPccc(sts, ext),
                 $"PCCC STS 0x{sts:X2}{(ext is { } e ? $" EXT 0x{e:X2}" : "")}.");
         return reply.Data[r.Position..];
     }
diff --git a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy/AbLegacyDriver.cs b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy/AbLegacyDriver.cs
index 4d7657d7..9fdcddf9 100644
--- a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy/AbLegacyDriver.cs
+++ b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy/AbLegacyDriver.cs
@@ -789,9 +789,9 @@ public sealed partial class AbLegacyDriver : IDriver, IReadable, IWritable, ITag
             results[item.Index] = new DataValueSnapshot(null, AbLegacyStatusMapper.BadNotSupported, null, now);
             return (OpVerdict.Neutral, null);
         }
-        catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsDeviceRefusal(ex.Status))
+        catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsAnsweredRefusal(ex))
         {
-            // The native runtime raises a device's refusal (e.g. STS 0x20 "file not found") as an exception.
+            // The native runtime raises a device's refusal (e.g. STS 0x50 "addressing problem") as an exception.
             WarnRefusalOnce(device, def, "read", ex.Message, AbLegacyStatusMapper.MapStatus(ex.Status));
             results[item.Index] = new DataValueSnapshot(null, AbLegacyStatusMapper.MapStatus(ex.Status), null, now);
             return (OpVerdict.Answered, null);
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ public sealed partial class AbLegacyDriver : IDriver, IReadable, IWritable, ITag
                 results[i] = new WriteResult(AbLegacyStatusMapper.BadCommunicationError);
                 outcome.FaultMessage ??= tex.Message;
             }
-            catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsDeviceRefusal(ex.Status))
+            catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsAnsweredRefusal(ex))
             {
                 device.RecordAnswered();
                 outcome.AnyAnswered = true;
@@ -1210,7 +1210,7 @@ public sealed partial class AbLegacyDriver : IDriver, IReadable, IWritable, ITag
                 try { probeRuntime?.Dispose(); } catch { }
                 probeRuntime = null;
                 state.ProbeInitialized = false;
-                if (ex is AbTransportException ate && IsDeviceRefusal(ate.Status)) state.RecordAnswered();
+                if (IsAnsweredRefusal(ex)) state.RecordAnswered();
                 else if (ex is not AbTransportException { Status: var st } || IsNoReply(st)) state.RecordCommsFault(Clock());
             }
 
@@ -1478,7 +1478,7 @@ public sealed partial class AbLegacyDriver : IDriver, IReadable, IWritable, ITag
             {
                 return (null, AbLegacyStatusMapper.BadNotSupported, false, false);
             }
-            catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsDeviceRefusal(ex.Status))
+            catch (AbTransportException ex) when (IsAnsweredRefusal(ex))
             {
                 // The device answered: the index file/element does not exist. Per-tag, not a comms fault.
                 return (null, AbLegacyStatusMapper.MapStatus(ex.Status), false, false);
@@ -1617,10 +1617,26 @@ public sealed partial class AbLegacyDriver : IDriver, IReadable, IWritable, ITag
     ///     all PLC-5 writes), and libplctag's ErrorUnsupported maps to it too. It says nothing about the
     ///     device's reachability, so it must not evict the handle or degrade driver health.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    ///     An Unsupported that came OFF THE WIRE (<see cref="AbDeviceReplyException"/>: CIP 0x08 / 0x1C / 0x20 on the
+    ///     Execute PCCC envelope, PCCC STS 0x10) is NOT local — the device answered — and is classified by
+    ///     <see cref="IsAnsweredRefusal"/> instead (review lane K I2).
+    /// </remarks>
     /// <param name="ex">The exception to classify.</param>
     /// <returns><see langword="true"/> if the exception is a local refusal that never reached the wire.</returns>
     internal static bool IsLocalRefusal(Exception ex) =>
-        ex is AbTransportException { Status: AbStatus.Unsupported };
+        ex is AbTransportException { Status: AbStatus.Unsupported } and not AbDeviceReplyException;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     True for an exception proving the device ANSWERED and refused this operation: a device-refusal status
+    ///     (<see cref="IsDeviceRefusal"/>), or an <see cref="AbStatus.Unsupported"/> that came off the wire
+    ///     (<see cref="AbDeviceReplyException"/>). Per-tag Bad, keeps the handle, advances <c>LastSuccessfulRead</c>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="ex">The exception to classify.</param>
+    /// <returns><see langword="true"/> for an answered refusal.</returns>
+    internal static bool IsAnsweredRefusal(Exception ex) =>
+        ex is AbTransportException ate
+        && (IsDeviceRefusal(ate.Status) || ate is AbDeviceReplyException { Status: AbStatus.Unsupported });
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     Initializes a freshly created runtime. A NATIVE runtime whose init (one read) is refused locally is
diff --git a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport.Tests/Pccc/PcccServicesTests.cs b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport.Tests/Pccc/PcccServicesTests.cs
index d8c6edb7..fbac7f56 100644
--- a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport.Tests/Pccc/PcccServicesTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.Ab.Transport.Tests/Pccc/PcccServicesTests.cs
@@ -148,7 +148,23 @@ public sealed class PcccServicesTests
 
     [Fact]
     public void ParseReply_cip_error_status_throws() =>
-        Should.Throw<AbTransportException>(() => PcccServices.ParseReply(Reply("", 0x08), 1)).Status.ShouldBe(AbStatus.Unsupported);
+        Should.Throw<AbDeviceReplyException>(() => PcccServices.ParseReply(Reply("", 0x08), 1)).Status.ShouldBe(AbStatus.Unsupported);
+
+    /// <summary>Review I2: a status the device REPLIED with is marked as such (envelope CIP status and PCCC STS).</summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParseReply_marks_device_statuses_as_device_replies()
+    {
+        Should.Throw<AbDeviceReplyException>(() => PcccServices.ParseReply(Reply("", 0x20), 1)).Status.ShouldBe(AbStatus.Unsupported);
+        Should.Throw<AbDeviceReplyException>(() => PcccServices.ParseReply(Reply(Id + "4F10 9987"), 0x8799)).Status.ShouldBe(AbStatus.Unsupported);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Positive control: a refusal raised by a builder before anything is sent is NOT a device reply.</summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void A_pre_wire_builder_refusal_is_not_a_device_reply()
+    {
+        var ex = Should.Throw<AbTransportException>(() => PcccServices.SlcTypedRead(1, A("N7:0"), 999));
+        ex.ShouldNotBeOfType<AbDeviceReplyException>();
+    }
 
     [Fact]
     public void ParseReply_wrong_command_byte_is_BadReply() =>
diff --git a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy.Tests/NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests.cs b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy.Tests/NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests.cs
index 4829c654..58eecee7 100644
--- a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy.Tests/NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.AbLegacy.Tests/NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ public sealed class NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests
 {
     private static readonly byte[] FixedId = [0x07, 0x3D, 0xF3, 0x45, 0x43, 0x50, 0x21];
 
+    /// <summary>A fake whose Execute PCCC envelope itself is refused with CIP general status <paramref name="general"/>.</summary>
+    private static FakeEipServer CipEnvelopeServer(byte general)
+    {
+        var server = new FakeEipServer { ZeroReplyContext = true };
+        server.Handler = req => FakeEipServer.Command(req) == Ab.Transport.Eip.EncapCommand.SendRRData
+            ? FakeEipServer.RRReply(req, [0xCB, 0x00, general, 0x00])
+            : null;
+        return server;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>A PCCC fake that answers every request with one fixed STS.</summary>
     private static FakeEipServer StsServer(byte sts)
     {
@@ -87,5 +97,35 @@ public sealed class NativePcccBridgeStatusHealthTests
         await driver.ShutdownAsync(ct);
         server.HandlerErrors.ShouldBeEmpty();
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Review I2: a refusal that came OFF THE WIRE — the device (or the bridge's Execute PCCC object) answered with
+    ///     CIP 0x08 / 0x1C / 0x20 on the envelope, or PCCC STS 0x10 — is an answered refusal: per-tag BadNotSupported,
+    ///     Healthy, <c>LastSuccessfulRead</c> advanced. It must not land in the "refused before the wire" neutral class
+    ///     (which advances nothing). The local-refusal counterpart stays neutral (NativeAbLegacyRefusedWriteTests).
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="general">The CIP general status of the envelope reply, or 0 for a PCCC STS 0x10 reply.</param>
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData((byte)0x08)]
+    [InlineData((byte)0x1C)]
+    [InlineData((byte)0x20)]
+    [InlineData((byte)0x00)]
+    public async Task A_wire_Unsupported_reply_is_an_answered_refusal(byte general)
+    {
+        var ct = TestContext.Current.CancellationToken;
+        await using var server = general == 0 ? StsServer(0x10) : CipEnvelopeServer(general);
+        var driver = await DriverAsync(server);
+        var before = driver.GetHealth().LastSuccessfulRead;
+
+        var result = (await driver.ReadAsync(["T"], ct)).Single();
+
+        result.StatusCode.ShouldBe(AbLegacyStatusMapper.BadNotSupported);
+        var health = driver.GetHealth();
+        health.State.ShouldBe(DriverState.Healthy);
+        health.LastSuccessfulRead.ShouldNotBeNull();
+        health.LastSuccessfulRead.ShouldNotBe(before);
+        await driver.ShutdownAsync(ct);
+        server.HandlerErrors.ShouldBeEmpty();
+    }
 #pragma warning restore OTOPCUA0001
 }