diff --git a/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.integration.test.ts b/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.integration.test.ts
index 06d427bd3f..a3306d1b8a 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.integration.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.integration.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@ import {
   seedCommonTestPgFixtures,
 } from "../../database/test-db-pg";
 import type { StudioDatabase } from "../../database";
-import { createDownstreamTokenRoutes } from "./downstream-token";
+const mockClearRefreshBackoff = mock((_connectionId?: string) => {});
+mock.module("../../oauth/token-refresh", () => ({
+  canRefresh: () => false,
+  clearRefreshBackoff: mockClearRefreshBackoff,
+}));
+
+const { createDownstreamTokenRoutes } = await import("./downstream-token");
 
 describe("Downstream Token Routes", () => {
   let database: StudioDatabase;
@@ -104,6 +110,20 @@ describe("Downstream Token Routes", () => {
     expect(body.expiresAt).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
+  it("clears the token-refresh backoff entry on save", async () => {
+    // Regression: a stale backoff from the previous dead token would falsely bounce a refresh right after reconnect.
+    mockClearRefreshBackoff.mockClear();
+
+    const res = await app.request("/connections/conn_1/oauth-token", {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ accessToken: "at", refreshToken: "rt" }),
+    });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(mockClearRefreshBackoff).toHaveBeenCalledWith("conn_1");
+  });
+
   it("stores expiresIn: 0 as already-expired, not never-expiring", async () => {
     const res = await app.request("/connections/conn_1/oauth-token", {
       method: "POST",
diff --git a/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.ts b/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.ts
index aa60d6986e..94ef581bbe 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/api/routes/downstream-token.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 import { Hono } from "hono";
 import type { StudioContext } from "../../core/studio-context";
-import { canRefresh } from "../../oauth/token-refresh";
+import { canRefresh, clearRefreshBackoff } from "../../oauth/token-refresh";
 import { resolveOriginTokenEndpoint } from "../../oauth/resolve-token-endpoint";
 import {
   DownstreamTokenStorage,
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ export const createDownstreamTokenRoutes = () => {
 
     const token = await tokenStorage.upsert(tokenData);
 
+    // A freshly saved token has never failed - drop any backoff armed by the previous dead token.
+    clearRefreshBackoff(connectionId);
+
     return c.json({
       success: true,
       expiresAt: token.expiresAt,