diff --git a/src/etcp_connections.c b/src/etcp_connections.c
index 3f88fe5b..aa05de04 100644
--- a/src/etcp_connections.c
+++ b/src/etcp_connections.c
@@ -1695,6 +1695,15 @@ void etcp_connections_read_callback_socket(socket_t sock, void* arg) {
     // Check if link already exists (for CHANNEL_INIT recovery)
 
     struct ETCP_LINK* existing_link = etcp_link_find_by_remote_id(conn, req->link_id);
+    if (!existing_link) {
+        existing_link = etcp_link_find_by_addr(e_sock, &addr);
+        if (existing_link && existing_link->etcp == conn) {
+            DEBUG_INFO(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CONNECTION, "[%s] found existing outbound link by addr for incoming INIT, reusing link=%p",
+                       conn->log_name, existing_link);
+        } else {
+            existing_link = NULL;
+        }
+    }
 
     uint8_t send_reset = 0;