diff --git a/src/routing_layer/nat_detection.c b/src/routing_layer/nat_detection.c
index c981b04b..54059339 100644
--- a/src/routing_layer/nat_detection.c
+++ b/src/routing_layer/nat_detection.c
@@ -1060,9 +1060,9 @@ static void owner_start(struct nat_socket *state) {
         state->using_fallback = 0; state->prefer_fresh = 1;
     }
     history_load(state);
-    if (select_pair(state)) { owner_finish(state, state->reason); return; }
     if (random_id(&state->round)) { owner_finish(state, NAT_REASON_SEND_ERROR); return; }
     state->rounds++;
+    if (select_pair(state)) { owner_finish(state, state->reason); return; }
     memset(&state->helper_seen, 0, sizeof(state->helper_seen)); memset(&state->alternate_seen, 0, sizeof(state->alternate_seen));
     state->retries = 0; state->pre_received = 0; state->post_received = 0; state->filter_clean = 0; state->pre_healthy = 0;
     state->deadline = get_time_tb() + NAT_ROUND_TB; state->reason = NAT_REASON_NONE;
diff --git a/tests/stream_netns/node.c b/tests/stream_netns/node.c
index 1ad5f1d2..4aa2504b 100644
--- a/tests/stream_netns/node.c
+++ b/tests/stream_netns/node.c
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ static void statistics(struct lab *lab, uint64_t id, int loads) {
                    stun.members, stun.generation, stun.evidence_id);
             json_string(sockaddr_storage_to_str(&stun.local).str); printf("}");
         }
-        printf(",\"phase\":%u,\"reason\":\"%s\",\"observer\":\"%" PRIu64 "\",\"helper\":\"%" PRIu64 "\","
+        printf(",\"phase\":%u,\"reason\":\"%s\",\"group\":\"%" PRIu64 "\",\"observer\":\"%" PRIu64 "\",\"helper\":\"%" PRIu64 "\","
                "\"rounds\":%u,\"helper_reselections\":%u,\"history_complete\":%u,\"contacts\":[", status.phase,
-               nat_check_reason_name(status.reason), status.observer, status.helper, status.rounds,
+               nat_check_reason_name(status.reason), status.group_id, status.observer, status.helper, status.rounds,
                status.helper_reselections, status.history_complete);
         uint8_t local[ROUTE_ADDR_WIRE_SIZE]; sqlite3_stmt *contacts = NULL; int contact_separator = 0;
         if (!socket->is_tcp && !route_ping_addr_encode(local, &socket->local_addr) &&
@@ -322,6 +322,16 @@ static struct TOPO_NODE *parse_snapshot(struct lab *lab, const char *json) {
 
 /* Стенд переносит подписанные снимки через RPC только до запуска группы.
  * NCD handshake, наблюдения и весь трафик всё равно проходят по настоящей сети. */
+/* NAT-стенд имеет настоящую общую группу; UP прямого транспорта начинает групповой обмен. */
+static void nat_link_ready(struct NODE_CONN_DIRECT *handle, enum ncd_event event, void *arg) {
+    struct lab *lab = arg;
+    if (event != NCD_EVENT_UP) return;
+    struct TOPO_GROUP *group = topo_groups_find(lab->inst->topo_groups, TOPO_GROUP_UTUN);
+    struct ETCP_CONN *connection = node_conn_direct_get_conn(handle);
+    if (!group || !connection || topo_group_new_conn(group, connection))
+        DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_NAT, "lab: NAT group connection unavailable");
+}
+
 static int nat_command(struct lab *lab, const char *json, const char *operation, uint64_t id) {
     if (!strcmp(operation, "chat_start")) {
         int result = chat_service_start(lab->inst);
@@ -329,6 +339,7 @@ static int nat_command(struct lab *lab, const char *json, const char *operation,
         reply(id, result); return 1;
     }
     if (!strcmp(operation, "nat_release")) {
+        if (topo_groups_find(lab->inst->topo_groups, TOPO_GROUP_UTUN)) topo_groups_remove_group(lab->inst->topo_groups, TOPO_GROUP_UTUN);
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < lab->nat_handle_count; i++) node_conn_direct_close(lab->nat_handles[i]);
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < lab->nat_record_count; i++) topo_node_registry_unref(lab->inst->topo_groups, lab->nat_records[i]);
         lab->nat_handle_count = lab->nat_record_count = 0; reply(id, 0); return 1;
@@ -369,7 +380,7 @@ static int nat_command(struct lab *lab, const char *json, const char *operation,
         if (!socket) { DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_NAT, "lab: native link source/handle unavailable"); result = -1; }
         else {
             struct NODE_CONN_DIRECT *handle = NULL;
-            int opened = node_conn_direct_open_node(lab->inst, node->node_id, NULL, NULL, &handle, node, socket);
+            int opened = node_conn_direct_open_node(lab->inst, node->node_id, nat_link_ready, lab, &handle, node, socket);
             if (opened == NCD_ERR || !handle) result = -1;
             else lab->nat_handles[lab->nat_handle_count++] = handle;
         }
@@ -518,7 +529,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     if (!lab->inst || utun_core_start(lab->inst) || (!core_only && chat_service_start(lab->inst))) {
         DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_STREAM, "lab: service startup failed"); return 1;
     }
-    if (core_only) nat_detection_set_automatic(lab->inst->nat_det, 0);
+    if (core_only) {
+        nat_detection_set_automatic(lab->inst->nat_det, 0);
+        if (!topo_groups_create_group(lab->inst->topo_groups, TOPO_GROUP_UTUN, TOPO_GROUP_TYPE_UTUN, "")) {
+            DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_NAT, "lab: NAT control group creation failed"); return 1;
+        }
+    }
     debug_enable_console(0);
     if (!core_only) stream_set_event_callback(lab->inst, event, lab);
     if (fcntl(STDIN_FILENO, F_SETFL, fcntl(STDIN_FILENO, F_GETFL) | O_NONBLOCK) < 0) {