diff --git a/.skills/compose-ui/strings-index.txt b/.skills/compose-ui/strings-index.txt
index fdd16ebf5..341ba4288 100644
--- a/.skills/compose-ui/strings-index.txt
+++ b/.skills/compose-ui/strings-index.txt
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ bluetooth_feature_config_description
 bluetooth_feature_discovery
 bluetooth_feature_discovery_description
 bluetooth_permission
+bluetooth_scan_missing_permission
 bluetooth_scan_start_failed
 bold_heading
 bonding_failed_permissions
diff --git a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/BleScanStartException.kt b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/BleScanStartException.kt
index 5c26b679b..737b51803 100644
--- a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/BleScanStartException.kt
+++ b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/BleScanStartException.kt
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ enum class BleScanStartFailureReason(val androidCode: String, val description: S
         androidCode = "SCAN_FAILED_APPLICATION_REGISTRATION_FAILED(2)",
         description = "Android could not register the app for BLE scanning",
     ),
+    MissingScanPermission(
+        androidCode = "MISSING_SCAN_PERMISSION",
+        description = "A runtime permission required for BLE scanning is not granted",
+    ),
 }
 
 /** A discovery scan-start failure. No advertisements can be delivered until a future scan starts successfully. */
diff --git a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleScanner.kt b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleScanner.kt
index c4e53bbbf..12dfb4e70 100644
--- a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleScanner.kt
+++ b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleScanner.kt
@@ -98,15 +98,20 @@ private fun Throwable.asBleScanStartExceptionOrNull(): BleScanStartException? {
     var current: Throwable? = this
     var depth = 0
     while (current != null && depth < MAX_SCAN_START_FAILURE_CAUSE_DEPTH) {
-        if (current.isApplicationRegistrationFailure()) {
-            return BleScanStartException(BleScanStartFailureReason.ApplicationRegistrationFailed, this)
-        }
+        val reason = current.scanStartFailureReasonOrNull()
+        if (reason != null) return BleScanStartException(reason, this)
         current = current.cause
         depth++
     }
     return null
 }
 
+private fun Throwable.scanStartFailureReasonOrNull(): BleScanStartFailureReason? = when {
+    isApplicationRegistrationFailure() -> BleScanStartFailureReason.ApplicationRegistrationFailed
+    isMissingScanPermission() -> BleScanStartFailureReason.MissingScanPermission
+    else -> null
+}
+
 // Kable exposes Android scan-start registration failure as an IllegalStateException message,
 // so keep this matcher narrow and local to the scanner adapter.
 private fun Throwable.isApplicationRegistrationFailure(): Boolean = this is IllegalStateException &&
@@ -114,3 +119,11 @@ private fun Throwable.isApplicationRegistrationFailure(): Boolean = this is Ille
         failureMessage.contains("app cannot be registered", ignoreCase = true) ||
             failureMessage.contains("SCAN_FAILED_APPLICATION_REGISTRATION_FAILED", ignoreCase = true)
     } == true
+
+// Kable's scan-permission check throws a plain IllegalStateException "Missing required <permission> for scanning"
+// (ACCESS_COARSE/FINE_LOCATION on Android <12, BLUETOOTH_SCAN on 12+). Match the stable message anchors.
+private fun Throwable.isMissingScanPermission(): Boolean = this is IllegalStateException &&
+    message?.let { failureMessage ->
+        failureMessage.contains("Missing required", ignoreCase = true) &&
+            failureMessage.contains("for scanning", ignoreCase = true)
+    } == true
diff --git a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/MeshtasticBleDevice.kt b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/MeshtasticBleDevice.kt
index 0e2cb7140..b4e1f03f6 100644
--- a/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/MeshtasticBleDevice.kt
+++ b/core/ble/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/MeshtasticBleDevice.kt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 package org.meshtastic.core.ble
 
 import com.juul.kable.Advertisement
-import com.juul.kable.ExperimentalApi
+import com.juul.kable.ExperimentalKableApi
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.StateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asStateFlow
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class MeshtasticBleDevice(
 
     override val rssi: Int? = advertisement?.rssi
 
-    @OptIn(ExperimentalApi::class)
+    @OptIn(ExperimentalKableApi::class)
     override suspend fun readRssi(): Int {
         val active = ActiveBleConnection.active
         return if (active != null && active.address == address) {
diff --git a/core/ble/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleConnectionTest.kt b/core/ble/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleConnectionTest.kt
index 7af428d76..491b9d44a 100644
--- a/core/ble/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleConnectionTest.kt
+++ b/core/ble/src/commonTest/kotlin/org/meshtastic/core/ble/KableBleConnectionTest.kt
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ class KableBleConnectionTest {
         assertEquals(BleScanStartFailureReason.ApplicationRegistrationFailed, failure.reason)
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `scan wraps missing scan permission failure`() = runTest {
+        val message = "Missing required android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION for scanning"
+        val scanner = TestKableBleScanner(scanResults = flow { throw IllegalStateException(message) })
+
+        val failure = assertFailsWith<BleScanStartException> { scanner.scan(timeout = 1.seconds).toList() }
+
+        assertEquals(BleScanStartFailureReason.MissingScanPermission, failure.reason)
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `scan preserves unrelated illegal state failure`() = runTest {
         val scanner =
diff --git a/core/resources/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml b/core/resources/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
index 5918d4c36..2bfb65559 100644
--- a/core/resources/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
+++ b/core/resources/src/commonMain/composeResources/values/strings.xml
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@
     <string name="bluetooth_feature_discovery">Discovery</string>
     <string name="bluetooth_feature_discovery_description">Find and identify Meshtastic devices near you.</string>
     <string name="bluetooth_permission">Bluetooth</string>
+    <string name="bluetooth_scan_missing_permission">Bluetooth scan needs permission. Grant the Nearby devices (or Location) permission to find devices.</string>
     <string name="bluetooth_scan_start_failed">Bluetooth scan couldn't start. Try again, or toggle Bluetooth if the problem continues.</string>
     <string name="bold_heading">Bold Heading</string>
     <string name="bonding_failed_permissions">Pairing failed. Grant nearby device permissions and try again.</string>
diff --git a/feature/connections/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/connections/ScannerViewModel.kt b/feature/connections/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/connections/ScannerViewModel.kt
index 80e4c38a5..24ca4fc1d 100644
--- a/feature/connections/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/connections/ScannerViewModel.kt
+++ b/feature/connections/src/commonMain/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/connections/ScannerViewModel.kt
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.update
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import org.meshtastic.core.ble.BleDevice
 import org.meshtastic.core.ble.BleScanStartException
+import org.meshtastic.core.ble.BleScanStartFailureReason
 import org.meshtastic.core.ble.BleScanner
 import org.meshtastic.core.ble.MeshtasticBleConstants
 import org.meshtastic.core.common.util.safeCatchingAll
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ import org.meshtastic.core.repository.RadioPrefs
 import org.meshtastic.core.repository.ServiceRepository
 import org.meshtastic.core.repository.UiPrefs
 import org.meshtastic.core.resources.Res
+import org.meshtastic.core.resources.bluetooth_scan_missing_permission
 import org.meshtastic.core.resources.bluetooth_scan_start_failed
 import org.meshtastic.core.resources.getStringSuspend
 import org.meshtastic.core.ui.viewmodel.safeLaunch
@@ -396,9 +398,13 @@ open class ScannerViewModel(
         Logger.w(exception) {
             "BLE scan could not start: ${exception.reason.androidCode} (${exception.reason.description})"
         }
+        val messageRes =
+            when (exception.reason) {
+                BleScanStartFailureReason.MissingScanPermission -> Res.string.bluetooth_scan_missing_permission
+                BleScanStartFailureReason.ApplicationRegistrationFailed -> Res.string.bluetooth_scan_start_failed
+            }
         val errorMessage =
-            safeCatchingAll { getStringSuspend(Res.string.bluetooth_scan_start_failed) }
-                .getOrDefault(BLE_SCAN_START_FAILURE_MESSAGE_FALLBACK)
+            safeCatchingAll { getStringSuspend(messageRes) }.getOrDefault(BLE_SCAN_START_FAILURE_MESSAGE_FALLBACK)
         serviceRepository.setErrorMessage(text = errorMessage, severity = Severity.Warn)
     }
 
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 681ebea47..fbd06ae67 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ uri-kmp = "0.0.21"
 osmdroid-android = "6.1.20"
 spotless = "8.8.0"
 vico = "3.3.0-next.1"
-kable = "0.43.1"
+kable = "0.44.0"
 mqttastic = "0.4.0"
 jmdns = "3.6.3"
 qrcode-kotlin = "4.5.0"