diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
index f6dc194d..db1745f5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionManager.kt
@@ -85,10 +85,6 @@ class BluetoothConnectionManager(
     // Public property for address-peer mapping
     val addressPeerMap get() = connectionTracker.addressPeerMap
 
-    // Expose first-announce helpers to higher layers
-    fun noteAnnounceReceived(address: String) { connectionTracker.noteAnnounceReceived(address) }
-    fun hasSeenFirstAnnounce(address: String): Boolean = connectionTracker.hasSeenFirstAnnounce(address)
-    
     init {
         powerManager.delegate = this
         // Observe debug settings to enforce role state while active
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
index 85e5f452..7e022f33 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothConnectionTracker.kt
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
     private val connectedDevices = ConcurrentHashMap<String, DeviceConnection>()
     private val subscribedDevices = CopyOnWriteArrayList<BluetoothDevice>()
     val addressPeerMap = ConcurrentHashMap<String, String>()
-    // Track whether we have seen the first ANNOUNCE on a given device connection
-    private val firstAnnounceSeen = ConcurrentHashMap<String, Boolean>()
     
     // RSSI tracking from scan results (for devices we discover but may connect as servers)
     private val scanRSSI = ConcurrentHashMap<String, Int>()
@@ -93,8 +91,6 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
         Log.d(TAG, "Tracker: Adding device connection for $deviceAddress (isClient: ${deviceConn.isClient}")
         connectedDevices[deviceAddress] = deviceConn
         pendingConnections.remove(deviceAddress)
-        // Mark as awaiting first ANNOUNCE on this connection
-        firstAnnounceSeen[deviceAddress] = false
     }
     
     /**
@@ -323,7 +319,6 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
             subscribedDevices.removeAll { it.address == deviceAddress }
             addressPeerMap.remove(deviceAddress)
         }
-        firstAnnounceSeen.remove(deviceAddress)
         Log.d(TAG, "Cleaned up device connection for $deviceAddress")
     }
     
@@ -357,23 +352,8 @@ class BluetoothConnectionTracker(
         addressPeerMap.clear()
         pendingConnections.clear()
         scanRSSI.clear()
-        firstAnnounceSeen.clear()
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Mark that we have received the first ANNOUNCE over this device connection.
-     */
-    fun noteAnnounceReceived(deviceAddress: String) {
-        firstAnnounceSeen[deviceAddress] = true
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Check whether the first ANNOUNCE has been seen for a device connection.
-     */
-    fun hasSeenFirstAnnounce(deviceAddress: String): Boolean {
-        return firstAnnounceSeen[deviceAddress] == true
-    }
-    
     /**
      * Start periodic cleanup of expired connections
      */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
index 600ff170..f5289878 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
@@ -464,21 +464,24 @@ class BluetoothMeshService(private val context: Context) {
                     // Process the announce
                     val isFirst = messageHandler.handleAnnounce(routed)
 
-                    // Map device address -> peerID on first announce seen over this device connection
+                    // Map device address -> peerID based on TTL (max TTL = direct neighbor)
+                    // Matches iOS logic: any announce with max TTL on a link defines the direct peer
                     val deviceAddress = routed.relayAddress
                     val pid = routed.peerID
                     if (deviceAddress != null && pid != null) {
-                        // First ANNOUNCE over a device connection defines a direct neighbor.
-                        if (!connectionManager.hasSeenFirstAnnounce(deviceAddress)) {
+                        // Check if this is a direct connection (MAX TTL)
+                        // Note: packet.ttl is UByte, compare with AppConstants.MESSAGE_TTL_HOPS
+                        val isDirect = routed.packet.ttl == com.bitchat.android.util.AppConstants.MESSAGE_TTL_HOPS
+                        
+                        if (isDirect) {
                             // Bind or rebind this device address to the announcing peer
                             connectionManager.addressPeerMap[deviceAddress] = pid
-                            connectionManager.noteAnnounceReceived(deviceAddress)
-                            Log.d(TAG, "Mapped device $deviceAddress to peer $pid on FIRST-ANNOUNCE for this connection")
+                            Log.d(TAG, "Mapped device $deviceAddress to peer $pid (TTL=${routed.packet.ttl})")
 
-                            // Mark as directly connected (upgrades from routed if needed)
+                            // Mark as directly connected
                             try { peerManager.setDirectConnection(pid, true) } catch (_: Exception) { }
 
-                            // Initial sync for this newly direct peer
+                            // Initial sync for this direct peer
                             try { gossipSyncManager.scheduleInitialSyncToPeer(pid, 1_000) } catch (_: Exception) { }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/docs/device_manager.md b/docs/device_manager.md
index 092403b0..c42cd2c5 100644
--- a/docs/device_manager.md
+++ b/docs/device_manager.md
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ Timers:
 - Added a `DeviceMonitoringManager` instance and provided a `disconnectCallback` that:
   - disconnects client GATT connections via `BluetoothConnectionTracker`.
   - cancels server connections via `BluetoothGattServer.cancelConnection`.
-- Exposed `noteAnnounceReceived(address)` as a small helper for higher layers.
 - Updated `componentDelegate.onPacketReceived` to notify per-device activity to the monitor.
 
 2) GATT Client
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ Timers:
 
 4) ANNOUNCE Binding
 - File: `BluetoothMeshService.kt` (in the ANNOUNCE handler where we first map device → peer)
-- After mapping a device address to a peer on first verified ANNOUNCE, call `connectionManager.noteAnnounceReceived(address)` to cancel the 15s timer for that device.
 
 ## Behavior Summary