diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
index 4ee19131..c6631df8 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -788,9 +788,9 @@ int MyMesh::getDiscoverResults(DiscoverResult dest[], int max_count) {
 }
 
 void MyMesh::onControlDataRecv(mesh::Packet *packet) {
-  // handle node discovery responses when in standalone UI mode (no companion app connected)
-  if (!_serial->isBLEConnected() &&
-      (packet->payload[0] & 0xF0) == CTL_TYPE_NODE_DISCOVER_RESP &&
+  // If we have an active standalone discover, check if this is a matching response.
+  // Tag matching provides isolation — no isBLEConnected check needed.
+  if ((packet->payload[0] & 0xF0) == CTL_TYPE_NODE_DISCOVER_RESP &&
       packet->payload_len >= 6 + PUB_KEY_SIZE &&
       _pending_node_discover_tag != 0 &&
       !millisHasNowPassed(_pending_node_discover_until)) {
@@ -817,8 +817,8 @@ void MyMesh::onControlDataRecv(mesh::Packet *packet) {
         r.timestamp = getRTCClock()->getCurrentTime();
       }
       if (_ui) _ui->notify(UIEventType::newContactMessage);
+      return;  // our discover — don't forward to BLE app
     }
-    return;
   }
 
   if (packet->payload_len + 4 > sizeof(out_frame)) {
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/NearbyScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/NearbyScreen.h
index ec3f5421..59d131c9 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/NearbyScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/NearbyScreen.h
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class NearbyScreen : public UIScreen {
 
         display.setColor(DisplayDriver::LIGHT);
 
-        // name: known contact → actual name; unknown → "[Type]"
+        // left: contact name if known, otherwise "[Type]"
         char label[32];
         if (r.name[0]) {
           strncpy(label, r.name, sizeof(label) - 1);
@@ -212,9 +212,14 @@ class NearbyScreen : public UIScreen {
         display.translateUTF8ToBlocks(filtered, label, sizeof(filtered));
         display.drawTextEllipsized(2, y, DIST_COL - 4, filtered);
 
-        // right column: type label, dimmed for known / bright for new
+        // right: short type name; prefix '*' for nodes not in contacts
+        const char* st = (r.type == ADV_TYPE_REPEATER) ? "Rpt" :
+                         (r.type == ADV_TYPE_SENSOR)   ? "Snsr" :
+                         (r.type == ADV_TYPE_ROOM)     ? "Room" : "?";
+        char rtype[8];
+        snprintf(rtype, sizeof(rtype), r.is_known ? "%s" : "*%s", st);
         display.setCursor(DIST_COL, y);
-        display.print(r.is_known ? "known" : "NEW");
+        display.print(rtype);
       }
 
       display.setColor(DisplayDriver::LIGHT);