diff --git a/ios/Sources/CompanionCore/Failover.swift b/ios/Sources/CompanionCore/Failover.swift
index 6efb13f91..b5ce43bb1 100644
--- a/ios/Sources/CompanionCore/Failover.swift
+++ b/ios/Sources/CompanionCore/Failover.swift
@@ -312,17 +312,36 @@ extension Connection {
     /// legacy fields because they can represent hosted HTTPS. A connection
     /// either walks that complete typed set or, for an older desktop, derives
     /// direct routes from the legacy fields — never a lossy mixture of both.
+    ///
+    /// A protected route that already carried the bearer leads when — and
+    /// only when — the priority sort would otherwise hand the rotation to a
+    /// cleartext route. Without this, a hand-typed LAN origin (`priority: 0`)
+    /// wins the sort after restart and the rotation hands the token to
+    /// cleartext again. But when the sort's head is itself protected (a
+    /// tailnet invite whose active tailnet route sits behind an advertised
+    /// hosted HTTPS), the advertised priority order stands. Typing a local
+    /// address resets `activeEndpoint`, so the priority order remains the
+    /// escape hatch.
     public var orderedEndpoints: [CompanionEndpoint] {
         var candidates = endpoints ?? []
         if !candidates.isEmpty {
             if let activeEndpoint, !candidates.contains(where: { $0.url == activeEndpoint.url }) {
                 candidates.append(activeEndpoint)
             }
-            candidates = candidates.enumerated().sorted {
+            // Route policy is part of candidate selection, not a final display
+            // filter. A disallowed cleartext route must not trigger the trust
+            // ratchet and hoist an otherwise lower-priority protected route.
+            candidates = endpointsAllowedByRoutePolicy(candidates).enumerated().sorted {
                 $0.element.priority == $1.element.priority
                     ? $0.offset < $1.offset
                     : $0.element.priority < $1.element.priority
             }.map(\.element)
+            if let activeEndpoint = activeEndpoint.flatMap({ active in
+                candidates.first(where: { $0.url == active.url })
+            }), activeEndpoint.protectsCredentials,
+               let sortedHead = candidates.first, !sortedHead.protectsCredentials {
+                candidates = [activeEndpoint] + candidates.filter { $0.url != activeEndpoint.url }
+            }
         } else {
             candidates = orderedHosts.enumerated().compactMap { offset, candidate in
                 CompanionEndpoint.direct(host: candidate, port: port, priority: offset)
diff --git a/ios/Tests/CompanionCoreTests/FailoverTests.swift b/ios/Tests/CompanionCoreTests/FailoverTests.swift
index e601479e9..85752e9e6 100644
--- a/ios/Tests/CompanionCoreTests/FailoverTests.swift
+++ b/ios/Tests/CompanionCoreTests/FailoverTests.swift
@@ -244,6 +244,122 @@ final class FailoverTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertEqual(connection.orderedEndpoints.map(\.url), [hosted.url, lan.url])
     }
 
+    func testPromotingAProtectedRouteLeadsAfterRestartDespiteAPriorityZeroLocalRoute() throws {
+        let local = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "http://192.168.1.42:8810",
+            kind: .lan,
+            priority: 0
+        ))
+        let hosted = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "https://mac.companion.example",
+            kind: .hosted,
+            priority: 100
+        ))
+        var connection = Connection(
+            name: "Mac",
+            host: local.host,
+            port: local.port,
+            activeEndpoint: local,
+            endpoints: [local, hosted]
+        )
+
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            connection.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind),
+            [.lan, .hosted],
+            "a hand-typed local route leads until a protected route wins"
+        )
+
+        connection.promote(hosted)
+
+        XCTAssertEqual(connection.activeEndpoint, hosted)
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            connection.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind),
+            [.hosted, .lan],
+            "the upgrade must live in the stored order, not only this process's rotation"
+        )
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            connection.automaticEndpoints.map(\.kind),
+            [.hosted],
+            "the next launch must not retry the superseded cleartext route"
+        )
+
+        var persisted = try JSONDecoder().decode(
+            Connection.self,
+            from: try JSONEncoder().encode(connection)
+        )
+        XCTAssertEqual(persisted.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind), [.hosted, .lan])
+        let rotation = CandidateRotation(endpoints: persisted.orderedEndpoints)
+        XCTAssertEqual(rotation.currentEndpoint?.kind, .hosted)
+        XCTAssertTrue(rotation.endpoints.allSatisfy(\.protectsCredentials))
+
+        // Typing the LAN address again is the escape hatch when hosted is down.
+        persisted.resetRoutePolicy(selecting: local)
+        XCTAssertEqual(persisted.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind), [.lan, .hosted])
+    }
+
+    func testAPriorityPreferredProtectedHeadOutranksTheActiveProtectedRoute() throws {
+        // A tailnet invite keeps the active tailnet route protected, but the
+        // desktop advertises its hosted HTTPS with a better priority: the
+        // trust ratchet must not hoist the active route above another
+        // protected head — only above a cleartext one.
+        let hosted = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "https://mac.companion.example",
+            kind: .hosted,
+            priority: 0
+        ))
+        let tailnet = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "http://mac.tail1234.ts.net:8810",
+            kind: .tailnet,
+            priority: 100
+        ))
+        let connection = Connection(
+            name: "Mac",
+            host: tailnet.host,
+            port: tailnet.port,
+            activeEndpoint: tailnet,
+            endpoints: [tailnet, hosted]
+        )
+
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            connection.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind),
+            [.hosted, .tailnet],
+            "an advertised protected head keeps its priority lead over the active route"
+        )
+        XCTAssertEqual(connection.automaticEndpoints.map(\.kind), [.hosted, .tailnet])
+    }
+
+    func testADisallowedCleartextHeadCannotHoistTheActiveProtectedRoute() throws {
+        let lan = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "http://192.168.1.42:8810",
+            kind: .lan,
+            priority: 0
+        ))
+        let hosted = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "https://mac.companion.example",
+            kind: .hosted,
+            priority: 50
+        ))
+        let tailnet = try XCTUnwrap(CompanionEndpoint(
+            url: "http://mac.tail1234.ts.net:8810",
+            kind: .tailnet,
+            priority: 100
+        ))
+        let connection = Connection(
+            name: "Mac",
+            host: tailnet.host,
+            port: tailnet.port,
+            activeEndpoint: tailnet,
+            endpoints: [lan, hosted, tailnet],
+            allowedRouteKinds: [.hosted, .tailnet]
+        )
+
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            connection.orderedEndpoints.map(\.kind),
+            [.hosted, .tailnet],
+            "a route forbidden by policy must not influence protected-route ordering"
+        )
+    }
+
     func testPromotingAWorkingLegacyEndpointKeepsEveryLegacyFallback() throws {
         var connection = Connection(
             name: "Mac",