diff --git a/roles/base/defaults/main.yml b/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
index 0fdb354..9cebece 100644
--- a/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@
 base__firewall_mgmt_interface: wt0   # SSH accepted only on this iface (NetBird, ADR-016)
 base__firewall_ssh_port: 22
 base__firewall_rollback_timeout: 45  # seconds before the auto-revert fires on a bad apply
+base__firewall_confirm_timeout: 20   # seconds to re-establish a fresh connection post-apply
 base__firewall_dropin_dir: /etc/nftables.d
 base__firewall_apply: true           # set false to render+validate without applying (CI/Molecule)
diff --git a/roles/base/tasks/firewall.yml b/roles/base/tasks/firewall.yml
index dc8b2d0..0045e61 100644
--- a/roles/base/tasks/firewall.yml
+++ b/roles/base/tasks/firewall.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@
       ansible.builtin.command: nft -f /etc/nftables.conf
       changed_when: true
 
+    - name: Drop the persistent connection so the confirm uses a fresh one
+      ansible.builtin.meta: reset_connection
+
+    - name: Confirm a NEW connection survives the applied ruleset
+      ansible.builtin.wait_for_connection:
+        timeout: "{{ base__firewall_confirm_timeout }}"
+
     - name: Stop the rollback timer after connectivity confirmed
       ansible.builtin.systemd:
         name: "{{ item }}"