diff --git a/archreview/plans/R2-01-s7-fault-hardening-plan.md.tasks.json b/archreview/plans/R2-01-s7-fault-hardening-plan.md.tasks.json
index 106e06ab..1eff77e8 100644
--- a/archreview/plans/R2-01-s7-fault-hardening-plan.md.tasks.json
+++ b/archreview/plans/R2-01-s7-fault-hardening-plan.md.tasks.json
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     {
       "id": 9,
       "subject": "RED->GREEN: probe marks handle dead under the gate (T8 persistent probe fault + T9 probe timeout; ProbeLoopAsync inner catch restructure, STAB-15b)",
-      "status": "pending",
+      "status": "completed",
       "blockedBy": [8]
     },
     {
diff --git a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7/S7Driver.cs b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7/S7Driver.cs
index 91d1d7f8..df642c02 100644
--- a/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7/S7Driver.cs
+++ b/src/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7/S7Driver.cs
@@ -1596,17 +1596,39 @@ public sealed class S7Driver
                 await _gate.WaitAsync(probeCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
                 try
                 {
-                    // EnsureConnectedAsync doubles as the reconnect backstop: if a read/write
-                    // marked the handle dead (or the socket dropped between ticks), the probe
-                    // reopens it here so recovery doesn't wait for the next data call.
-                    var plc = await EnsureConnectedAsync(probeCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                    await plc.ReadStatusAsync(probeCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                    success = true;
+                    try
+                    {
+                        // EnsureConnectedAsync doubles as the reconnect backstop: if a read/write
+                        // marked the handle dead (or the socket dropped between ticks), the probe
+                        // reopens it here so recovery doesn't wait for the next data call.
+                        var plc = await EnsureConnectedAsync(probeCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                        await plc.ReadStatusAsync(probeCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                        success = true;
+                    }
+                    catch (OperationCanceledException) when (ct.IsCancellationRequested)
+                    {
+                        // Loop teardown — rethrow to the outer filter (after finally releases the gate).
+                        throw;
+                    }
+                    catch (OperationCanceledException)
+                    {
+                        // Probe deadline fired mid-PDU: the CPU-status response may still be in
+                        // flight, so the handle can't be reused (half-read ⇒ desync). We hold _gate
+                        // here, keeping _plcDead gate-guarded (STAB-15b).
+                        _plcDead = true;
+                    }
+                    catch (Exception ex)
+                    {
+                        // STAB-15b: classify + mark while holding _gate so a wire-dead/desynced
+                        // handle whose TcpClient still claims Connected is reopened by the NEXT
+                        // tick's EnsureConnectedAsync instead of being re-probed forever.
+                        MarkConnectionDeadIfFatal(ex);
+                    }
                 }
                 finally { _gate.Release(); }
             }
             catch (OperationCanceledException) when (ct.IsCancellationRequested) { return; }
-            catch { /* transport/timeout/exception — treated as Stopped below */ }
+            catch { /* gate-wait timeout / other — treated as Stopped below (gate contention is not a connection fault) */ }
 
             TransitionTo(success ? HostState.Running : HostState.Stopped);
 
diff --git a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7.Tests/S7DriverReconnectTests.cs b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7.Tests/S7DriverReconnectTests.cs
index 026f4abd..c9372b3c 100644
--- a/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7.Tests/S7DriverReconnectTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Drivers/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Driver.S7.Tests/S7DriverReconnectTests.cs
@@ -351,6 +351,83 @@ public sealed class S7DriverReconnectTests
         factory.Created[0].Disposed.ShouldBeTrue();
     }
 
+    // ---- STAB-15b: the probe must mark a lying/hung handle dead so the next tick reopens ----
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     T8 (STAB-15b). A probe failure on a handle whose <c>TcpClient.Connected</c> still lies
+    ///     true (a wire-dead or desynced socket) must mark the handle dead under the gate, so the
+    ///     NEXT probe tick's <c>EnsureConnectedAsync</c> disposes it and reopens. Before the fix the
+    ///     probe swallowed the failure without marking dead, so the lying handle was re-probed
+    ///     forever (<c>Created.Count</c> pinned at 1).
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Probe_failure_on_connected_socket_marks_dead_and_next_tick_reopens()
+    {
+        var opts = ProbeEnabledOptions();
+        var factory = new FakeS7PlcFactory();
+        using var drv = new S7Driver(opts, "s7-probe-fail", factory);
+        await drv.InitializeAsync("{}", TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
+        // Arm connection #1 to fail EVERY probe with a connection-fatal fault (persistent). Later
+        // connections stay healthy (default ReadStatusThrows == null).
+        factory.Created[0].ReadStatusThrows = new System.Net.Sockets.SocketException();
+
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => factory.Created.Count >= 2, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        factory.Created.Count.ShouldBeGreaterThanOrEqualTo(2);
+        factory.Created[0].Disposed.ShouldBeTrue();
+
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => drv.GetHostStatuses()[0].State == HostState.Running, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        drv.GetHostStatuses()[0].State.ShouldBe(HostState.Running);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     T9 (STAB-15b). A probe that TIMES OUT mid-<c>ReadStatusAsync</c> (the CPU-status PDU may
+    ///     still be in flight ⇒ desync) likewise marks the handle dead under the gate so the next
+    ///     tick reopens. Before the fix the probe-deadline OCE fell to the bare swallow and the
+    ///     handle was reused forever.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Probe_timeout_marks_dead()
+    {
+        var opts = ProbeEnabledOptions();
+        var factory = new FakeS7PlcFactory();
+        using var drv = new S7Driver(opts, "s7-probe-timeout", factory);
+        await drv.InitializeAsync("{}", TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
+        factory.Created[0].ReadStatusHangsUntilCancelled = true;
+
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => factory.Created.Count >= 2, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        factory.Created.Count.ShouldBeGreaterThanOrEqualTo(2);
+        factory.Created[0].Disposed.ShouldBeTrue();
+
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => drv.GetHostStatuses()[0].State == HostState.Running, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        drv.GetHostStatuses()[0].State.ShouldBe(HostState.Running);
+    }
+
+    private static S7DriverOptions ProbeEnabledOptions() => new()
+    {
+        Host = "192.0.2.1",
+        Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(250),
+        Probe = new S7ProbeOptions
+        {
+            Enabled = true,
+            Interval = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50),
+            Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(250),
+        },
+        Tags = [new S7TagDefinition("W0", "DB1.DBW0", S7DataType.UInt16, Writable: false)],
+    };
+
+    /// <summary>Polls <paramref name="condition"/> until it holds or <paramref name="timeout"/> elapses (returns either way).</summary>
+    private static async Task WaitUntilAsync(Func<bool> condition, TimeSpan timeout)
+    {
+        var deadline = DateTime.UtcNow + timeout;
+        while (DateTime.UtcNow < deadline)
+        {
+            if (condition()) return;
+            await Task.Delay(25).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
+    }
+
     // ---- fakes ----
 
     private sealed class FakeS7PlcFactory : IS7PlcFactory