diff --git a/gateway/delivery_ledger.py b/gateway/delivery_ledger.py
index 0bda393f3d..255ca60d09 100644
--- a/gateway/delivery_ledger.py
+++ b/gateway/delivery_ledger.py
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ def _raw_flood_wait(text: str) -> Optional[float]:
         return None
 
 
+def is_reconnect_only(error: Any) -> bool:
+    """True for a row that only an adapter reconnect may retry (no timer, no backoff)."""
+    return str(error or "").strip().lower() in _RUNTIME_RETRYABLE_ERRORS
+
+
 def is_flood_error(error: Any) -> bool:
     """True for a flood refusal: the adapters' fail-closed ``flood_control:<seconds>`` result, or a
     row still carrying the platform's own flood wording (see ``_RAW_FLOOD_RE``)."""
@@ -153,7 +158,7 @@ def retry_not_before(updated_at: Any, last_error: Any, attempts: Any) -> Optiona
     if is_flood_error(last_error):
         return flood_not_before(updated_at, last_error)
     text = str(last_error or "").strip().lower()
-    if text in _RUNTIME_RETRYABLE_ERRORS:
+    if is_reconnect_only(text):
         return _failed_stamp(updated_at)
     if classify_dead_error(text):
         return None
@@ -485,7 +490,7 @@ def pending_retries(now: Optional[float] = None) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     for platform, adapter_profile, updated_at, last_error, attempts, created_at in rows:
         # Reconnect-only rows (a claim released because the adapter was gone) are re-claimed by the
         # reconnect sweep; a timer would claim and release them every tick until the adapter is back.
-        if str(last_error or "").strip().lower() in _RUNTIME_RETRYABLE_ERRORS:
+        if is_reconnect_only(last_error):
             continue
         due = retry_not_before(updated_at, last_error, attempts)
         if due is None or attempts >= MAX_ATTEMPTS or (now - created_at) > STALE_AFTER_SECONDS:
diff --git a/gateway/platforms/base.py b/gateway/platforms/base.py
index 935ff4878a..83b8a03985 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/base.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/base.py
@@ -4009,13 +4009,13 @@ class BasePlatformAdapter(ABC):
         backoff has passed instead of waiting for the next restart (#91653)."""
         try:
             from gateway.dead_targets import classify_dead_error
-            from gateway.delivery_ledger import mark_delivered, mark_failed
+            from gateway.delivery_ledger import is_reconnect_only, mark_delivered, mark_failed
             if getattr(result, "success", False):
                 await asyncio.to_thread(mark_delivered, obligation_id)
                 return
             error = str(getattr(result, "error", "") or "")
             await asyncio.to_thread(mark_failed, obligation_id, error)
-            if error == "send_path_degraded":
+            if is_reconnect_only(error):
                 redeliver = getattr(
                     self.gateway_runner, "_redeliver_failed_obligations_for_platform", None)
                 live = self._final_delivery_adapter(event.source)
diff --git a/gateway/run_startup.py b/gateway/run_startup.py
index ca06c85794..4686582bb4 100644
--- a/gateway/run_startup.py
+++ b/gateway/run_startup.py
@@ -449,10 +449,16 @@ class GatewayStartupMixin:
             adapter = self.adapters.get(platform)
         # A runtime claim whose reconnect vanished before dispatch is released without spending an
         # attempt; startup claims keep their state (attempts cap + stale cutoff bound retries).
+        # Only a flood row keeps its error (the platform's wait must be honoured); any other row
+        # becomes reconnect-only, or the redelivery timer would claim and release it until the
+        # adapter is back.
         if adapter is None and row.get("runtime_recovery"):
+            from gateway.delivery_ledger import is_flood_error
+
+            last_error = row.get("last_error")
             await self._release_runtime_claim_quiet(
                 row["obligation_id"], "failed to release undispatched runtime obligation %s",
-                error=row.get("last_error") or "send_path_degraded",
+                error=last_error if is_flood_error(last_error) else "send_path_degraded",
             )
         return adapter