diff --git a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
index 1f08bb8..48240e7 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { renderQrPng } from "../whatsapp/qr-renderer.js";
 import { syncGroupsForAccount } from "../whatsapp/group-sync.js";
 import { writeAuditLog } from "../audit.js";
 import { pgNotifyWeb } from "./notify.js";
+import { decidePairListenerOnClose } from "./pair-state.js";
 
 const PAIR_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 const offByAccount = new Map<string, () => void>();
@@ -150,40 +151,33 @@ export async function handleStartPairing(accountId: string): Promise<void> {
           count: synced,
         });
         off();
-      } else if (event.type === "close" && event.restartRequired) {
-        // After the user scans, WhatsApp tells Baileys to "restart"
-        // the connection. The socket closes with status 515 and the
-        // session-manager will reopen it with the new credentials —
-        // the next `open` event is what completes the pairing.
-        // This is NOT a failure: keep the listener attached so we see
-        // that subsequent `open` event, and don't surface a timeout
-        // to the UI. The DB row stays in `pending` until `open`.
-        logger.info(
-          { accountId: id },
-          "pair: restart-required close (post-pair reconnect) — keeping listener alive",
-        );
-        // The session-manager handles the actual reconnect; nothing to
-        // do here other than NOT tear our listener / DB state down.
       } else if (event.type === "close") {
-        // Swallow the leaked close from the *previous* pairing attempt
-        // being torn down inside this handler's own
-        // `await sessionManager.stop()`. The old session's close is
-        // broadcast asynchronously and lands here AFTER we've attached
-        // the new listener; treating it as a real timeout would flash
-        // "Pairing timed out" before any QR even arrives.
-        if (pairingWarmingUp.has(id)) {
+        const decision = decidePairListenerOnClose({
+          warmingUp: pairingWarmingUp.has(id),
+          restartRequired: event.restartRequired,
+        });
+        if (decision === "ignore-leaked-close") {
           logger.info(
             { accountId: id },
             "pair: ignoring close from previous attempt while warming up",
           );
           return;
         }
-        // During the pairing window, any other close means the QR window
-        // ended without a successful link — Baileys' default is to
-        // close after exhausting QR refs (~2.5 min). Surface this to
-        // the UI so the user gets a "pairing timed out" screen, and
-        // park the row in a stable state so it shows up cleanly on
-        // the accounts list with a "Re-pair" affordance.
+        if (decision === "post-pair-restart") {
+          // After the user scans, WhatsApp tells Baileys to "restart"
+          // the connection. The socket closes with status 515 and the
+          // session-manager will reopen it with the new credentials —
+          // the next `open` event finishes the pairing. Keep the
+          // listener attached and don't surface a timeout to the UI.
+          logger.info(
+            { accountId: id },
+            "pair: restart-required close (post-pair reconnect) — keeping listener alive",
+          );
+          return;
+        }
+        // decision === "treat-as-timeout": ephemeral close on a live
+        // attempt. Park the row as `unpaired` and push session.timeout
+        // so the operator sees the "Re-pair" affordance.
         const t = pairTimeouts.get(id);
         if (t) {
           clearTimeout(t);
diff --git a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.test.ts b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.test.ts
index 52c8205..6134ccc 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.test.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
 import {
   decideOnPairClose,
   decideOnPairTimeout,
+  decidePairListenerOnClose,
   shouldAutoReconnect,
 } from "./pair-state.js";
 
@@ -82,3 +83,45 @@ describe("shouldAutoReconnect", () => {
     expect(shouldAutoReconnect({ loggedOut: false, hasEverConnected: false })).toBe(false);
   });
 });
+
+describe("decidePairListenerOnClose (back→re-pair flicker regression)", () => {
+  it("ignores a close while warming up — even if also restartRequired", () => {
+    // The exact bug: stop() was awaited, listener attached, then the OLD
+    // session's close arrives and races our new listener. Warming-up
+    // wins over every other branch so the UI never sees a spurious
+    // session.timeout before the new QR is rendered.
+    expect(
+      decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: true, restartRequired: false }),
+    ).toBe("ignore-leaked-close");
+    expect(
+      decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: true, restartRequired: true }),
+    ).toBe("ignore-leaked-close");
+  });
+
+  it("treats a close on a live attempt (warmingUp=false) as a real timeout", () => {
+    // Refs exhausted, network blip, etc. — operator gets the
+    // "Pairing timed out" screen and a Re-pair affordance.
+    expect(
+      decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: false, restartRequired: false }),
+    ).toBe("treat-as-timeout");
+    expect(decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: false })).toBe("treat-as-timeout");
+  });
+
+  it("preserves the restart-required (post-pair-success) branch when not warming up", () => {
+    // Status 515 close: the session-manager will reconnect and the next
+    // `open` finishes the pair. We must NOT push session.timeout here.
+    expect(
+      decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: false, restartRequired: true }),
+    ).toBe("post-pair-restart");
+  });
+
+  it("warming-up overrides restartRequired so 515 from a stale session is also swallowed", () => {
+    // Defense-in-depth: if Baileys' restart-required close from the OLD
+    // session somehow leaks through, treating it as a real 515 would
+    // KEEP the listener attached forever (no reconnect comes from a
+    // session we just stopped). Ignore it entirely until a fresh qr/open.
+    expect(
+      decidePairListenerOnClose({ warmingUp: true, restartRequired: true }),
+    ).toBe("ignore-leaked-close");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.ts b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.ts
index df76e31..7901c3d 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-state.ts
@@ -80,3 +80,37 @@ export function decideOnPairTimeout({ current }: { current: AccountStatus }): St
   if (current !== "pending") return null;
   return { next: "unpaired", clearQrPng: true };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Decide how the pair-handler should react to a `close` event delivered
+ * to its listener. Three outcomes:
+ *
+ *   - "ignore-leaked-close": the new attempt is still warming up and
+ *     we're seeing the OLD session's tail close. Do nothing — don't
+ *     emit timeout to the UI, don't touch the DB row.
+ *   - "post-pair-restart": status-515 close from a successful scan.
+ *     The session-manager will reconnect; we keep the listener alive
+ *     and wait for the subsequent `open` event.
+ *   - "treat-as-timeout": a real ephemeral close on a live attempt
+ *     (refs exhausted, etc.). Park the row as `unpaired` and push
+ *     `session.timeout` to the UI.
+ *
+ * Captures the regression where, after the user pulled up a QR and
+ * navigated back, clicking Pair again would instantly flash "Pairing
+ * timed out" because the await on stop() returned before
+ * sessionManager.handleEvent finished broadcasting the old session's
+ * close — and the new listener was already attached.
+ */
+export type PairListenerCloseDecision =
+  | "ignore-leaked-close"
+  | "post-pair-restart"
+  | "treat-as-timeout";
+
+export function decidePairListenerOnClose(input: {
+  warmingUp: boolean;
+  restartRequired?: boolean;
+}): PairListenerCloseDecision {
+  if (input.warmingUp) return "ignore-leaked-close";
+  if (input.restartRequired) return "post-pair-restart";
+  return "treat-as-timeout";
+}