diff --git a/src/routing_layer/conn_mgr_indirect.c b/src/routing_layer/conn_mgr_indirect.c
index 35ae6305..01059c5b 100644
--- a/src/routing_layer/conn_mgr_indirect.c
+++ b/src/routing_layer/conn_mgr_indirect.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ void cm_start_phase_indirect(struct CONN_MGR_ENTRY* entry) {
     struct CONN_MGR* mgr = entry->mgr;
     if (!entry->indirect_started) {
         entry->indirect_started = 1; entry->exchange_request_id = ++mgr->next_request_id;
+        if (!entry->exchange_request_id) entry->exchange_request_id = ++mgr->next_request_id;
         DEBUG_INFO(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "conn_mgr: INDIRECT start peer=%016llx elapsed=%llums candidates=%u",
                    (unsigned long long)entry->node_id, (unsigned long long)((get_time_tb() - entry->start_tb) / 10),
                    mgr->best_candidate_count);
@@ -185,7 +186,8 @@ void cm_handle_interm_ack(struct CONN_MGR* mgr, uint64_t src, const uint8_t* dat
 
 void cm_handle_interm_exchange_req(uint64_t src, struct CONN_MGR* mgr, struct CM_EXCHANGE_REQ* req) {
     if (!mgr) return;
-    if (req->candidate_count > CONN_MGR_MAX_CANDIDATES || !topo_node_registry_find(mgr->instance->topo_groups, src)) {
+    if (!req->request_id || !src || src == mgr->instance->node_id || req->candidate_count > CONN_MGR_MAX_CANDIDATES ||
+        !topo_node_registry_find(mgr->instance->topo_groups, src)) {
         DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_GENERAL, "conn_mgr: invalid EXCHANGE_REQ peer=%016llx count=%u", (unsigned long long)src, req->candidate_count);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/tests/test_conn_mgr_handles.c b/tests/test_conn_mgr_handles.c
index 472500fe..56437d70 100644
--- a/tests/test_conn_mgr_handles.c
+++ b/tests/test_conn_mgr_handles.c
@@ -178,14 +178,25 @@ static void test3_verify(void* arg) {
 #ifdef __linux__
     if (rejected_soon) { fail("test4: cleanup attempted to allocate call_soon"); return; }
 #endif
-    fprintf(stderr, "Test 5: remote cleanup detaches handles and cancels pending UP\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "Test 5: obsolete DISCONNECT preserves demand; local cleanup detaches handles\n");
     if (conn_mgr_open(g_a, TOPO_GROUP_UTUN, g_nid_b, ccb1, NULL, &gh1) != 0) {
         fail("test5: open failed"); return;
     }
     cb1_ok = 0;
     conn_mgr_routes_changed(mgr);
     if (!gh1->entry->refresh_token) { fail("test5: refresh not scheduled"); return; }
-    cm_handle_disconnect(mgr, g_nid_b);
+    struct CONN_MGR_ENTRY* attached = gh1->entry;
+    struct ll_entry* obsolete = ll_alloc_lldgram(ROUTER_SVC_HDR_SIZE + 10);
+    if (!obsolete) { fail("test5: packet allocation failed"); return; }
+    memset(obsolete->dgram, 0, ROUTER_SVC_HDR_SIZE + 10); obsolete->len = ROUTER_SVC_HDR_SIZE + 10;
+    memcpy(obsolete->dgram + ROUTER_SVC_GROUP_OFF, &mgr->group->group_id, 8);
+    memcpy(obsolete->dgram + ROUTER_SVC_SRC_OFF, &g_nid_b, 8);
+    obsolete->dgram[ROUTER_SVC_PAYLOAD_OFF] = ETCP_RT_ID_CONN_MGR;
+    obsolete->dgram[ROUTER_SVC_PAYLOAD_OFF + 1] = 0x06;
+    memcpy(obsolete->dgram + ROUTER_SVC_PAYLOAD_OFF + 2, &g_nid_b, 8);
+    conn_mgr_router_recv_handler(instance_find_conn(g_a, g_nid_b), obsolete);
+    if (gh1->entry != attached) { fail("test5: remote packet detached local demand"); return; }
+    cm_entry_cleanup(attached);
     if (gh1->entry || gh1->deliver_up_token || conn_mgr_get_conn(gh1)) { fail("test5: handle not detached"); return; }
     conn_mgr_close(gh1); gh1 = NULL;
     uasync_poll(ua, 0);