diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitor.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitor.kt
index 765fb50e..8b0cc69d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitor.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitor.kt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import eu.darken.capod.monitor.core.aap.AapLifecycleManager
 import eu.darken.capod.monitor.core.ble.BlePodMonitor
 import eu.darken.capod.monitor.core.cache.DeviceStateCache
 import eu.darken.capod.monitor.core.cache.toCachedState
+import eu.darken.capod.pods.core.apple.PodModel
 import eu.darken.capod.pods.core.apple.aap.AapConnectionManager
 import eu.darken.capod.pods.core.apple.aap.AapPodState
 import eu.darken.capod.profiles.core.DeviceProfile
@@ -58,28 +59,60 @@ class DeviceMonitor @Inject constructor(
                 ble = pod,
                 aap = aapStates.forProfile(profile),
                 cached = profile?.id?.let { cachedStates[it] },
+                profileAddress = profile?.address,
+                profileModel = profile?.model,
             )
         }
 
-        // Cached-only devices — profiles with cache but no live BLE.
-        // AAP may still be connected even when BLE scan is stale in a crowded RF environment,
-        // so re-attach AAP state via the same helper — see #483.
+        // Non-live devices — profiles with no live BLE detection. Synthesize from cache
+        // and/or AAP, whichever is available:
+        //   - cache only           → "cached-only" case (PR #484 fixed AAP attach here)
+        //   - AAP only             → cold-start case: AAP connected but no battery message
+        //                            received yet, so no cache write has happened
+        //   - cache + AAP          → mid-session BLE staleness with AAP still alive
         val liveProfileIds = liveDevices.mapNotNull { it.profileId }.toSet()
-        val cachedOnlyDevices = profiles
+        val nonLiveDevices = profiles
             .filter { it.id !in liveProfileIds }
             .mapNotNull { profile ->
-                cachedStates[profile.id]?.let { cached ->
-                    PodDevice(
-                        profileId = profile.id,
-                        label = profile.label,
-                        ble = null,
-                        aap = aapStates.forProfile(profile),
-                        cached = cached,
-                    )
-                }
+                val cached = cachedStates[profile.id]
+                val aap = aapStates.forProfile(profile)
+                if (cached == null && aap == null) return@mapNotNull null
+                PodDevice(
+                    profileId = profile.id,
+                    label = profile.label,
+                    ble = null,
+                    aap = aap,
+                    cached = cached,
+                    profileAddress = profile.address,
+                    profileModel = profile.model,
+                )
             }
 
-        liveDevices + cachedOnlyDevices
+        // De-dupe: if a synthesized non-live device with active AAP shares its model with
+        // an anonymous (profileId == null) BLE pod, the anonymous pod is most likely the
+        // same physical AirPods — the IRK match failed (e.g. wrong identity key, or keys
+        // haven't propagated yet). Hide the anonymous BLE pod to avoid two cards for the
+        // same device. Best-effort: model match only — BLE addresses are RPAs and can't
+        // be matched directly.
+        val nonLiveAapModels = nonLiveDevices
+            .filter { it.aap != null }
+            .map { it.model }
+            .filter { it != PodModel.UNKNOWN }
+            .toSet()
+        val dedupedLiveDevices = if (nonLiveAapModels.isEmpty()) {
+            liveDevices
+        } else {
+            val seenAnonymousModels = mutableSetOf<PodModel>()
+            liveDevices.filter { device ->
+                val isAnonymous = device.profileId == null
+                val matchesNonLive = device.model in nonLiveAapModels
+                // Hide at most one anonymous BLE pod per non-live AAP model so a second
+                // physical device of the same model isn't accidentally hidden.
+                !(isAnonymous && matchesNonLive && seenAnonymousModels.add(device.model))
+            }
+        }
+
+        dedupedLiveDevices + nonLiveDevices
     }
         .onEach { devices -> persistLiveDevices(devices) }
         .replayingShare(appScope)
@@ -104,15 +137,25 @@ class DeviceMonitor @Inject constructor(
             return liveDevice
         }
 
+        val profile = profilesRepo.profiles.firstOrNull()?.firstOrNull { it.id == profileId }
         val cached = deviceStateCache.load(profileId)
-        if (cached != null) {
-            log(TAG) { "Found cached state for profile $profileId" }
-            val profileLabel = profilesRepo.profiles.firstOrNull()?.firstOrNull { it.id == profileId }?.label
-            return PodDevice(profileId = profileId, label = profileLabel, ble = null, aap = null, cached = cached)
+        val aap = profile?.let { aapManager.allStates.value.forProfile(it) }
+
+        if (cached == null && aap == null) {
+            log(TAG) { "No device found for profile $profileId" }
+            return null
         }
 
-        log(TAG) { "No device found for profile $profileId" }
-        return null
+        log(TAG) { "Found fallback device for profile $profileId (cached=${cached != null}, aap=${aap != null})" }
+        return PodDevice(
+            profileId = profileId,
+            label = profile?.label,
+            ble = null,
+            aap = aap,
+            cached = cached,
+            profileAddress = profile?.address,
+            profileModel = profile?.model,
+        )
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/PodDevice.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/PodDevice.kt
index 44e4505c..9464c2be 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/PodDevice.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/PodDevice.kt
@@ -35,10 +35,14 @@ data class PodDevice(
     internal val ble: BlePodSnapshot?,
     internal val aap: AapPodState?,
     internal val cached: CachedDeviceState? = null,
+    /** Bonded BR/EDR address from the profile — current source of truth, preferred over cache snapshot. */
+    internal val profileAddress: BluetoothAddress? = null,
+    /** Pod model from the profile — current source of truth, preferred over cache snapshot. */
+    internal val profileModel: PodModel? = null,
 ) {
-    val model: PodModel get() = ble?.model ?: cached?.model ?: PodModel.UNKNOWN
+    val model: PodModel get() = ble?.model ?: profileModel ?: cached?.model ?: PodModel.UNKNOWN
     /** Bonded BR/EDR address (from profile). Used for AAP commands. */
-    val address: BluetoothAddress? get() = ble?.meta?.profile?.address ?: cached?.address
+    val address: BluetoothAddress? get() = ble?.meta?.profile?.address ?: profileAddress ?: cached?.address
     /** BLE scan address (RPA, rotates). */
     val bleAddress: BluetoothAddress? get() = ble?.address
     val identifier: BlePodSnapshot.Id? get() = ble?.identifier
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitorTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitorTest.kt
index a7390ac6..4c301f57 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitorTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/eu/darken/capod/monitor/core/DeviceMonitorTest.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import eu.darken.capod.profiles.core.AppleDeviceProfile
 import eu.darken.capod.profiles.core.DeviceProfile
 import eu.darken.capod.profiles.core.DeviceProfilesRepo
 import io.kotest.matchers.shouldBe
+import io.kotest.matchers.shouldNotBe
+import io.mockk.coEvery
 import io.mockk.every
 import io.mockk.mockk
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
@@ -60,6 +62,17 @@ class DeviceMonitorTest : BaseTest() {
         }
         return mockk(relaxed = true) {
             every { meta } returns bleMeta
+            every { this@mockk.model } returns profile.model
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun mockAnonymousBlePod(model: PodModel): BlePodSnapshot {
+        val anonymousMeta = object : BlePodSnapshot.Meta {
+            override val profile: DeviceProfile? = null
+        }
+        return mockk(relaxed = true) {
+            every { meta } returns anonymousMeta
+            every { this@mockk.model } returns model
         }
     }
 
@@ -78,6 +91,9 @@ class DeviceMonitorTest : BaseTest() {
         }
         val deviceStateCache: DeviceStateCache = mockk(relaxed = true) {
             every { cachedStates } returns MutableStateFlow(cache)
+            // Relaxed mocks return a mocked child for unstubbed nullable returns,
+            // so explicitly delegate load() to the test's cache map.
+            coEvery { load(any()) } answers { cache[firstArg<String>()] }
         }
         val profilesRepo: DeviceProfilesRepo = mockk {
             every { this@mockk.profiles } returns MutableStateFlow(profiles)
@@ -181,4 +197,197 @@ class DeviceMonitorTest : BaseTest() {
         device.profileId shouldBe noAddressProfile.id
         device.isAapConnected shouldBe false
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Cold-start AAP-only synthesis: AAP socket is alive (CONNECTING) but no BLE
+     * detection has happened yet and the cache hasn't been written. The merge must
+     * still emit a PodDevice for the profile so DeviceSettingsScreen can render.
+     */
+    @Test
+    fun `AAP-only synthesis CONNECTING - no BLE no cache`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val connectingAap = AapPodState(
+            connectionState = AapPodState.ConnectionState.CONNECTING,
+            lastMessageAt = null,
+        )
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = mapOf(testAddress to connectingAap),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 1
+        val device = devices.single()
+        device.profileId shouldBe testProfile.id
+        device.address shouldBe testProfile.address
+        device.model shouldBe testProfile.model
+        device.isAapConnected shouldBe true
+        device.isAapReady shouldBe false
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `AAP-only synthesis READY - no BLE no cache`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = mapOf(testAddress to testAapState),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 1
+        val device = devices.single()
+        device.profileId shouldBe testProfile.id
+        device.address shouldBe testProfile.address
+        device.model shouldBe testProfile.model
+        device.isAapConnected shouldBe true
+        device.isAapReady shouldBe true
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `profile in repo with no BLE no cache no AAP - no device emitted`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = emptyMap(),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 0
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `getDeviceForProfile AAP-only fallback - returns synthesized device`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = mapOf(testAddress to testAapState),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val device = monitor.getDeviceForProfile(testProfile.id)
+
+        device shouldNotBe null
+        device!!.profileId shouldBe testProfile.id
+        device.address shouldBe testProfile.address
+        device.model shouldBe testProfile.model
+        device.isAapConnected shouldBe true
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `getDeviceForProfile no BLE no cache no AAP - returns null`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = emptyMap(),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val device = monitor.getDeviceForProfile(testProfile.id)
+
+        device shouldBe null
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Stale-cache regression: after a model correction
+     * (`AapAutoConnect.correctModelOnDeviceInfo`) the profile's model is updated, but the
+     * cache still holds the old model from before correction. The PodDevice must reflect
+     * the profile (current truth), not the cache (stale snapshot).
+     */
+    @Test
+    fun `stale cache vs updated profile model - profile wins`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val staleCache = CachedDeviceState(
+            profileId = testProfile.id,
+            model = PodModel.AIRPODS_PRO2,           // old model in cache
+            address = testAddress,
+            lastSeenAt = Instant.parse("2026-04-05T17:52:09.182Z"),
+        )
+        // testProfile.model = AIRPODS_PRO2_USBC (the correction)
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = emptyMap(),
+            cache = mapOf(testProfile.id to staleCache),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 1
+        devices.single().model shouldBe PodModel.AIRPODS_PRO2_USBC
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `stale cache vs updated profile address - profile wins`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val staleCache = CachedDeviceState(
+            profileId = testProfile.id,
+            model = PodModel.AIRPODS_PRO2_USBC,
+            address = "00:00:00:00:00:00",            // old address in cache
+            lastSeenAt = Instant.parse("2026-04-05T17:52:09.182Z"),
+        )
+        // testProfile.address = "AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF"
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = emptyList(),
+            aap = emptyMap(),
+            cache = mapOf(testProfile.id to staleCache),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 1
+        devices.single().address shouldBe testAddress
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * De-dupe: an anonymous BLE pod (no IRK match) of the same model as a synthesized
+     * AAP-only profile is most likely the same physical device with broken/missing keys.
+     * Hide the anonymous pod to avoid showing two cards.
+     */
+    @Test
+    fun `de-dupe - anonymous BLE pod with matching model is hidden`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = listOf(mockAnonymousBlePod(PodModel.AIRPODS_PRO2_USBC)),
+            aap = mapOf(testAddress to testAapState),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 1
+        val device = devices.single()
+        device.profileId shouldBe testProfile.id
+        device.isAapConnected shouldBe true
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `de-dupe - anonymous BLE pod with different model is kept`() = runTest(testDispatcher) {
+        val monitor = createMonitor(
+            ble = listOf(mockAnonymousBlePod(PodModel.AIRPODS_PRO)),   // different model
+            aap = mapOf(testAddress to testAapState),
+            cache = emptyMap(),
+            profiles = listOf(testProfile),                              // model = PRO2_USBC
+            scope = backgroundScope,
+        )
+
+        val devices = monitor.devices.first()
+
+        devices.size shouldBe 2
+        // One anonymous BLE pod (no profile), one synthesized AAP-only profile
+        devices.count { it.profileId == null } shouldBe 1
+        devices.count { it.profileId == testProfile.id } shouldBe 1
+    }
 }