diff --git a/src/chat/chat_sync.c b/src/chat/chat_sync.c
index 502d73cb..1f503e24 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_sync.c
+++ b/src/chat/chat_sync.c
@@ -1185,6 +1185,7 @@ void chat_sync_on_channel_deleted(struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst, const char* ch_id)
     while (*link) {
         struct join_pending* item = *link;
         if (strcmp(item->ch_id, ch_id)) { link = &item->next; continue; }
+        if (item->route.handle && inst->join_carrier) inst->join_carrier->close(inst->join_carrier->ctx, item->route.handle, 0);
         *link = item->next; u_free(item);
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < cs->pending_inv_in_count; ) {
@@ -1535,7 +1536,11 @@ static int cs_pending_add(struct chat_sync* cs, uint64_t node_id, const char* ch
     struct join_pending** link = &cs->join_pending;
     while (*link) {
         struct join_pending* item = *link;
-        if (item->expires <= now) { *link = item->next; u_free(item); continue; }
+        if (item->expires <= now) {
+            if (item->route.handle && cs->inst->join_carrier)
+                cs->inst->join_carrier->close(cs->inst->join_carrier->ctx, item->route.handle, 0);
+            *link = item->next; u_free(item); continue;
+        }
         if (item->node_id == node_id) {
             if (item->attempt == attempt && !strcmp(item->ch_id, ch_id)) {
                 if (item->route.handle == route->handle && !memcmp(item->route.public_key, route->public_key, 32)) return 0;
diff --git a/tools/cgathui_common/ble_etcp.c b/tools/cgathui_common/ble_etcp.c
index 0bedc1fd..21a97715 100644
--- a/tools/cgathui_common/ble_etcp.c
+++ b/tools/cgathui_common/ble_etcp.c
@@ -186,7 +186,9 @@ static void service_link(struct ble_etcp_link* c) {
     }
     if (!c->ready) return;
     if (c->invitation_only) {
-        if (get_time_us() >= c->deadline + 40000000ULL) { fail(c, "invitation-only connection expired"); return; }
+        if (!ble_join_holds(d->bootstrap, c->id) && get_time_us() >= c->deadline + 40000000ULL) {
+            fail(c, "invitation-only connection expired"); return;
+        }
         if (enabled(d) && !ble_join_holds(d->bootstrap, c->id) && get_time_us() >= c->admission_retry_us) {
             c->admission_retry_us = get_time_us() + 1000000ULL;
             if (topo_groups_peer_key_known(d->instance, c->peer_key)) {