diff --git a/secret-rotator/src/main.rs b/secret-rotator/src/main.rs
index d1c3d670..7d98ae67 100644
--- a/secret-rotator/src/main.rs
+++ b/secret-rotator/src/main.rs
@@ -173,18 +173,28 @@ fn rotate_ha_token() -> Result<String, Box<dyn Error>> {
         return Err(e);
     }
 
-    // Only now is the old token expendable — the replacement is stored.
-    match ha.revoke(&old_id) {
+    // Revoke over a FRESH connection authenticated with the NEW token, not the
+    // one we've been using. HA binds the WebSocket session to the refresh token
+    // behind its access token, so deleting the OLD token over the OLD token's
+    // own session tears that session down before the delete-ack can be read —
+    // the delete succeeds server-side but surfaces as "connection closed by
+    // HA", a false failure. Reconnecting with the new token keeps the session
+    // alive through the revoke. (Verified live: the old flow reported failure
+    // while the old token was in fact already gone.)
+    drop(ha);
+    let mut ha2 = ha::Ha::connect(&ha_url, &fresh)?;
+    match ha2.revoke(&old_id) {
         Ok(()) => Ok(format!(
             "rotated {bao_path}#{field}: minted '{unique_name}', revoked old '{old_name}' ({old_id}) — value not logged"
         )),
         Err(e) => {
-            // Not fatal: the new token is already live and stored. But an old
-            // token that was meant to be retired and is still valid is a real
-            // finding, so say so loudly.
-            eprintln!("warning: new token is live, but the OLD token '{old_name}' ({old_id}) REMAINS VALID: {e}");
+            // Reaching here means the new token is live and stored but the old
+            // one may genuinely still be valid. Now that the session is NOT the
+            // one being deleted, this is a real finding rather than the
+            // self-inflicted false negative above — surface it loudly.
+            eprintln!("warning: new token is live and stored, but revoking the OLD token '{old_name}' ({old_id}) failed and it MAY REMAIN VALID: {e}");
             Ok(format!(
-                "rotated {bao_path}#{field}: minted '{client_name}'; old token NOT revoked (see warning)"
+                "rotated {bao_path}#{field}: minted '{unique_name}'; old token '{old_name}' ({old_id}) NOT confirmed revoked (see warning)"
             ))
         }
     }