diff --git a/StikDebug/Services/LocationSimulationKeepAlive.swift b/StikDebug/Services/LocationSimulationKeepAlive.swift
index ccb1038..65b08ad 100644
--- a/StikDebug/Services/LocationSimulationKeepAlive.swift
+++ b/StikDebug/Services/LocationSimulationKeepAlive.swift
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ final class LocationSimulationKeepAlive {
     private var coordinate: CLLocationCoordinate2D?
     private var timer: DispatchSourceTimer?
     private var isHolding = false
+    private var consecutiveResendFailures = 0
 
     /// Main-thread only, mirroring `DebugKeepAliveLease`.
     private var backgroundTaskID: UIBackgroundTaskIdentifier = .invalid
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ final class LocationSimulationKeepAlive {
         stateLock.lock()
         let isFirstHold = coordinate == nil
         coordinate = newCoordinate
+        if isFirstHold {
+            consecutiveResendFailures = 0
+        }
         stateLock.unlock()
 
         persist(newCoordinate)
@@ -126,6 +130,7 @@ final class LocationSimulationKeepAlive {
         coordinate = nil
         timer?.cancel()
         timer = nil
+        consecutiveResendFailures = 0
         stateLock.unlock()
 
         persist(nil)
@@ -170,13 +175,40 @@ final class LocationSimulationKeepAlive {
         // set fails, so a dropped tunnel (e.g. a Wi-Fi<->cellular handoff) heals
         // on the next tick. A failure here is expected and transient; the next
         // resend retries.
-        LocationSimulationCommandQueue.shared.async {
-            _ = simulate_location(
+        LocationSimulationCommandQueue.shared.async { [weak self] in
+            let code = simulate_location(
                 DeviceConnectionContext.targetIPAddress,
                 target.latitude,
                 target.longitude,
                 PairingFileStore.prepareURL().path
             )
+            self?.noteResendResult(code)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Surfaces hold health in the log without spamming it: the first failure,
+    /// the recovery, and a heartbeat roughly every five minutes while failing.
+    private func noteResendResult(_ code: Int32) {
+        stateLock.lock()
+        let previousFailures = consecutiveResendFailures
+        consecutiveResendFailures = code == 0 ? 0 : previousFailures + 1
+        let failures = consecutiveResendFailures
+        stateLock.unlock()
+
+        if code == 0 {
+            if previousFailures > 0 {
+                LogManager.shared.addInfoLog(
+                    "Simulated location resend recovered after \(previousFailures) failed attempt(s)"
+                )
+            }
+        } else if failures == 1 {
+            LogManager.shared.addWarningLog(
+                "Simulated location resend failed (error \(code)); retrying every \(Int(Self.resendInterval))s"
+            )
+        } else if failures % 75 == 0 {
+            LogManager.shared.addWarningLog(
+                "Simulated location resend still failing after \(failures) attempts (error \(code)) — the held location is NOT being applied"
+            )
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/StikDebug/Services/TunnelManager.swift b/StikDebug/Services/TunnelManager.swift
index afec7b0..c13ffcb 100644
--- a/StikDebug/Services/TunnelManager.swift
+++ b/StikDebug/Services/TunnelManager.swift
@@ -127,23 +127,37 @@ final class TunnelManager: ObservableObject {
 
         let previous = lastInterfaceName
         lastInterfaceName = status.interfaceName
+        let interfaceChanged = previous != nil && previous != status.interfaceName
 
-        if !isConnected {
-            LogManager.shared.addInfoLog("Network path changed (\(status.description)); connecting tunnel")
-            start(showErrorUI: false)
+        // A tunnel established earlier survives a Wi-Fi↔cellular handoff: the
+        // connection rides LocalDevVPN's loopback, so the physical interface
+        // underneath it doesn't matter (verified on device — an active session
+        // kept working across the switch). Rebuilding here would tear down a
+        // live tunnel and, on cellular, fail to replace it.
+        guard !isConnected else {
+            if interfaceChanged {
+                LogManager.shared.addInfoLog(
+                    "Interface changed (\(previous ?? "?") → \(status.interfaceName)); keeping existing tunnel"
+                )
+            }
             return
         }
 
-        // isConnected only means "the last connect succeeded" — nothing in the app
-        // notices a tunnel that died quietly, which is exactly what a handoff does.
-        // So don't trust it: if the physical interface actually changed, treat the
-        // old tunnel as dead and rebuild. startTunnel() is semaphore-guarded and
-        // recreates its adapter, so reconnecting a live tunnel is safe.
-        guard let previous, previous != status.interfaceName else { return }
-        LogManager.shared.addInfoLog(
-            "Interface changed (\(previous) → \(status.interfaceName)); rebuilding tunnel"
-        )
-        markDisconnected()
+        // A fresh connect needs the on-device service listening on port 49152,
+        // and iOS only binds it when a real local network interface exists.
+        // Cellular-only refuses the connect outright, so an automatic retry
+        // cycle just burns battery. Manual attempts (the user tapping) still go
+        // through start() directly.
+        guard status.interface != .cellular else {
+            if interfaceChanged {
+                LogManager.shared.addInfoLog(
+                    "On cellular without Wi-Fi; deferring tunnel reconnect until a local network is available"
+                )
+            }
+            return
+        }
+
+        LogManager.shared.addInfoLog("Network path changed (\(status.description)); reconnecting tunnel")
         start(showErrorUI: false)
     }