diff --git a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd.go b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd.go
index a9b14c002..002e73c88 100644
--- a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd.go
+++ b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd.go
@@ -154,23 +154,7 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) applyManagedObjects(objects map[dbus.ObjectPath]map[string]
 		}
 		if _, hasDevice := interfaces[iwdDeviceInterface]; hasDevice {
 			b.devicePath = path
-
-			if devProps, ok := interfaces[iwdDeviceInterface]; ok {
-				if nameVar, ok := devProps["Name"]; ok {
-					if name, ok := nameVar.Value().(string); ok {
-						b.stateMutex.Lock()
-						b.state.WiFiDevice = name
-						b.stateMutex.Unlock()
-					}
-				}
-				if poweredVar, ok := devProps["Powered"]; ok {
-					if powered, ok := poweredVar.Value().(bool); ok {
-						b.stateMutex.Lock()
-						b.state.WiFiEnabled = powered
-						b.stateMutex.Unlock()
-					}
-				}
-			}
+			b.applyDeviceProps(interfaces[iwdDeviceInterface])
 		}
 		if _, hasAdapter := interfaces[iwdAdapterInterface]; hasAdapter {
 			b.adapterPath = path
@@ -193,6 +177,47 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) applyManagedObjects(objects map[dbus.ObjectPath]map[string]
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (b *IWDBackend) applyDeviceProps(props map[string]dbus.Variant) {
+	if nameVar, ok := props["Name"]; ok {
+		if name, ok := nameVar.Value().(string); ok {
+			b.stateMutex.Lock()
+			b.state.WiFiDevice = name
+			b.stateMutex.Unlock()
+		}
+	}
+	if poweredVar, ok := props["Powered"]; ok {
+		if powered, ok := poweredVar.Value().(bool); ok {
+			b.stateMutex.Lock()
+			b.state.WiFiEnabled = powered
+			b.stateMutex.Unlock()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// setDevice records a device that appeared at a new path, which is what
+// happens when iwd restarts and recreates wlan0. It returns the path it
+// replaced so the caller can move the signal match over.
+func (b *IWDBackend) setDevice(path dbus.ObjectPath, props map[string]dbus.Variant) (prev dbus.ObjectPath, changed bool) {
+	if path == "" || path == b.devicePath {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	prev = b.devicePath
+	b.devicePath = path
+	b.applyDeviceProps(props)
+	return prev, true
+}
+
+func (b *IWDBackend) clearDevice(path dbus.ObjectPath) bool {
+	if path == "" || path != b.devicePath {
+		return false
+	}
+	b.devicePath = ""
+	b.stateMutex.Lock()
+	b.state.WiFiEnabled = false
+	b.stateMutex.Unlock()
+	return true
+}
+
 func (b *IWDBackend) GetCurrentState() (*BackendState, error) {
 	b.stateMutex.RLock()
 	defer b.stateMutex.RUnlock()
diff --git a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_signals.go b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_signals.go
index e4541f5f2..60ea87625 100644
--- a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_signals.go
+++ b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_signals.go
@@ -26,12 +26,7 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) StartMonitoring(onStateChange func()) error {
 	b.conn.Signal(sigChan)
 
 	if b.devicePath != "" {
-		err := b.conn.AddMatchSignal(
-			dbus.WithMatchObjectPath(b.devicePath),
-			dbus.WithMatchInterface(dbusPropertiesInterface),
-			dbus.WithMatchMember("PropertiesChanged"),
-		)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := b.addDeviceSignalMatch(b.devicePath); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to add device signal match: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -86,6 +81,48 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) addStationSignalMatch(path dbus.ObjectPath) error {
 	)
 }
 
+func (b *IWDBackend) addDeviceSignalMatch(path dbus.ObjectPath) error {
+	return b.conn.AddMatchSignal(
+		dbus.WithMatchObjectPath(path),
+		dbus.WithMatchInterface(dbusPropertiesInterface),
+		dbus.WithMatchMember("PropertiesChanged"),
+	)
+}
+
+func (b *IWDBackend) removeDeviceSignalMatch(path dbus.ObjectPath) {
+	err := b.conn.RemoveMatchSignal(
+		dbus.WithMatchObjectPath(path),
+		dbus.WithMatchInterface(dbusPropertiesInterface),
+		dbus.WithMatchMember("PropertiesChanged"),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Debugf("Failed to remove iwd device signal match for %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (b *IWDBackend) handleDeviceAdded(path dbus.ObjectPath, props map[string]dbus.Variant) bool {
+	prev, changed := b.setDevice(path, props)
+	if !changed {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if prev != "" {
+		b.removeDeviceSignalMatch(prev)
+	}
+	if err := b.addDeviceSignalMatch(path); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("Failed to add iwd device signal match for %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func (b *IWDBackend) handleDeviceRemoved(path dbus.ObjectPath) bool {
+	if !b.clearDevice(path) {
+		return false
+	}
+	b.removeDeviceSignalMatch(path)
+	return true
+}
+
 func (b *IWDBackend) handleStationAdded(path dbus.ObjectPath) bool {
 	if path == "" || path == b.stationPath {
 		return false
@@ -139,6 +176,12 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) signalHandler(sigChan chan *dbus.Signal) {
 				if len(sig.Body) >= 2 {
 					path, _ := sig.Body[0].(dbus.ObjectPath)
 					if interfaces, ok := sig.Body[1].(map[string]map[string]dbus.Variant); ok {
+						// Device before Station: handleStationAdded reads Powered from devicePath.
+						if props, ok := interfaces[iwdDeviceInterface]; ok {
+							if b.handleDeviceAdded(path, props) && b.onStateChange != nil {
+								b.onStateChange()
+							}
+						}
 						if _, ok := interfaces[iwdStationInterface]; ok {
 							if b.handleStationAdded(path) && b.onStateChange != nil {
 								b.onStateChange()
@@ -159,17 +202,19 @@ func (b *IWDBackend) signalHandler(sigChan chan *dbus.Signal) {
 					path, _ := sig.Body[0].(dbus.ObjectPath)
 					if interfaces, ok := sig.Body[1].([]string); ok {
 						for _, iface := range interfaces {
-							if iface == iwdStationInterface {
+							switch iface {
+							case iwdDeviceInterface:
+								if b.handleDeviceRemoved(path) && b.onStateChange != nil {
+									b.onStateChange()
+								}
+							case iwdStationInterface:
 								if b.handleStationRemoved(path) && b.onStateChange != nil {
 									b.onStateChange()
 								}
-								break
-							}
-							if iface == iwdKnownNetworkInterface {
+							case iwdKnownNetworkInterface:
 								if b.refreshWiFiNetworkState() && b.onStateChange != nil {
 									b.onStateChange()
 								}
-								break
 							}
 						}
 					}
diff --git a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_test.go b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_test.go
index 1d0102d5d..2a1d883a6 100644
--- a/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_test.go
+++ b/core/internal/server/network/backend_iwd_test.go
@@ -460,3 +460,71 @@ func TestConnectAttempt_DoubleFinalization(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "bad-credentials", backend.state.LastError)
 	backend.stateMutex.RUnlock()
 }
+
+func TestIWDBackend_SetDevice_FollowsRecreatedDevice(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, _ := NewIWDBackend()
+	err := backend.applyManagedObjects(map[dbus.ObjectPath]map[string]map[string]dbus.Variant{
+		"/net/connman/iwd/0/3": {
+			iwdDeviceInterface:  {"Name": dbus.MakeVariant("wlan0"), "Powered": dbus.MakeVariant(true)},
+			iwdStationInterface: {},
+		},
+	})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// iwd restarts: the old objects go away and wlan0 comes back with a new ifindex.
+	assert.True(t, backend.handleStationRemoved("/net/connman/iwd/0/3"))
+	assert.True(t, backend.clearDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/3"))
+
+	prev, changed := backend.setDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/7", map[string]dbus.Variant{
+		"Name":    dbus.MakeVariant("wlan0"),
+		"Powered": dbus.MakeVariant(true),
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, changed)
+	assert.Empty(t, prev)
+	assert.Equal(t, dbus.ObjectPath("/net/connman/iwd/0/7"), backend.devicePath)
+
+	enabled, _ := backend.GetWiFiEnabled()
+	assert.True(t, enabled, "Wi-Fi must be enabled again once the recreated device reports Powered")
+}
+
+func TestIWDBackend_SetDevice_ReplacesPathWithoutRemovalSignal(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, _ := NewIWDBackend()
+	backend.devicePath = "/net/connman/iwd/0/3"
+
+	prev, changed := backend.setDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/7", map[string]dbus.Variant{
+		"Powered": dbus.MakeVariant(true),
+	})
+
+	assert.True(t, changed)
+	assert.Equal(t, dbus.ObjectPath("/net/connman/iwd/0/3"), prev)
+	assert.Equal(t, dbus.ObjectPath("/net/connman/iwd/0/7"), backend.devicePath)
+}
+
+func TestIWDBackend_SetDevice_SamePathIsNoop(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, _ := NewIWDBackend()
+	backend.devicePath = "/net/connman/iwd/0/3"
+
+	_, changed := backend.setDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/3", map[string]dbus.Variant{
+		"Powered": dbus.MakeVariant(false),
+	})
+	assert.False(t, changed)
+
+	_, changed = backend.setDevice("", nil)
+	assert.False(t, changed)
+}
+
+func TestIWDBackend_ClearDevice(t *testing.T) {
+	backend, _ := NewIWDBackend()
+	backend.devicePath = "/net/connman/iwd/0/3"
+
+	assert.False(t, backend.clearDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/9"), "unrelated path must be ignored")
+	assert.Equal(t, dbus.ObjectPath("/net/connman/iwd/0/3"), backend.devicePath)
+
+	assert.True(t, backend.clearDevice("/net/connman/iwd/0/3"))
+	assert.Empty(t, backend.devicePath)
+
+	enabled, _ := backend.GetWiFiEnabled()
+	assert.False(t, enabled)
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, backend.SetWiFiEnabled(true), "no WiFi device available")
+}