diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h
index 7cd8fe24..0941a106 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/AbstractUITask.h
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ protected:
 public:
   void setHasConnection(bool connected) { _connected = connected; }
   bool hasConnection() const { return _connected; }
+  // True only when a BLE central is actually bonded/connected. On a dual
+  // (BLE+USB) interface hasConnection() is always true (USB counts), so use
+  // this for BLE-specific UI like the pairing-PIN prompt.
+  bool isBLEConnected() const { return _serial->isBLEConnected(); }
   uint16_t getBattMilliVolts() const { return _board->getBattMilliVolts(); }
   bool isSerialEnabled() const { return _serial->isEnabled(); }
   void enableSerial() { _serial->enable(); }
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
index 6aad9505..c4d7258e 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
@@ -740,7 +740,10 @@ public:
       display.drawXbm((display.width() - 32) / 2, content_y,
           _task->isSerialEnabled() ? bluetooth_on : bluetooth_off, 32, 32);
       const int text_y = content_y + 32 + 3;
-      const bool waiting_for_pair = _task->isSerialEnabled() && !_task->hasConnection() && the_mesh.getBLEPin() != 0;
+      // Gate on BLE-bonded state, not hasConnection(): on a dual BLE+USB
+      // interface hasConnection() is always true (USB), which would hide the
+      // PIN forever — the exact e-ink dual-build pairing bug.
+      const bool waiting_for_pair = _task->isSerialEnabled() && !_task->isBLEConnected() && the_mesh.getBLEPin() != 0;
       if (waiting_for_pair && !display.isLandscape()) {
         char pin_buf[16];
         snprintf(pin_buf, sizeof(pin_buf), "PIN: %d", the_mesh.getBLEPin());