diff --git a/projects/rccl/src/dev_runtime.cc b/projects/rccl/src/dev_runtime.cc
index b2e986363d47..0fd610a1769f 100644
--- a/projects/rccl/src/dev_runtime.cc
+++ b/projects/rccl/src/dev_runtime.cc
@@ -2060,7 +2060,6 @@ ncclResult_t ncclDevrCommCreateInternal(struct ncclComm* comm, struct ncclDevCom
     }
 
     ginActivated = !devr->ginEnabled;
-    devr->ginEnabled = true;
   }
 
   if (reqs->worldGinBarrierCount > 0 && requestedConnectionType == NCCL_GIN_CONNECTION_RAIL) {
@@ -2078,6 +2077,10 @@ ncclResult_t ncclDevrCommCreateInternal(struct ncclComm* comm, struct ncclDevCom
 
   if (ginActivated) {
     NCCLCHECKGOTO(ncclGinConnectOnce(comm), ret, fail);
+    // RCCL: upstream latches ginEnabled before connect; keep it here on a sync.
+    // A failed connect leaves ginCommCount stale or 0, and a retry must
+    // reconnect rather than reach ncclGinDevCommSetup.
+    devr->ginEnabled = true;
     // Register all preexisting memories with GIN. Update the windows later when
     // we have a stream.
     for (struct ncclDevrMemory* mem = devr->memHead; mem != nullptr; mem = mem->next) {
diff --git a/projects/rccl/test/host/dev-runtime-test.cc b/projects/rccl/test/host/dev-runtime-test.cc
index 1c3523cfe3d5..a2e9eab275ac 100644
--- a/projects/rccl/test/host/dev-runtime-test.cc
+++ b/projects/rccl/test/host/dev-runtime-test.cc
@@ -6711,7 +6711,8 @@ TEST(DevrGinContextsTotal, ZeroConnectionBackend_TreatedAsOne) {
 // resource-window sizing that follows it, up to the cuMemCreate call.
 //
 // The rest of the devcomm build -- symmetric-memory window creation, GIN
-// window registration, barriers -- is not covered here.
+// window registration, barriers -- is not covered here beyond a failed GIN
+// connect.
 
 class DevrCommCreateInternalTest : public NcclVersionCompatTest {
 protected:
@@ -6828,6 +6829,35 @@ TEST_F(DevrCommCreateInternalTest, GinSignalRegions_UseLargestRoundedContextCoun
   EXPECT_EQ(allocationSize, 96u);
 }
 
+// Branch: GIN connect fails. GIN must stay unlatched so the next create
+// reconnects; a latched retry would skip connect and reach ncclGinDevCommSetup
+// with ginCommCount still 0 (AICOMRCCL-2879).
+TEST_F(DevrCommCreateInternalTest, GinConnectFails_RetryConnectsAgain) {
+  reqs.ginConnectionType = NCCL_GIN_CONNECTION_FULL;
+  comm->globalGinSupport = NCCL_GIN_CONNECTION_FULL;
+  ScopedHook connect(g_devrGinConnectOnce, [](ncclComm*) { return ncclSystemError; });
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(Create(), ncclSystemError);
+  ASSERT_FALSE(comm->devrState.ginEnabled);
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(Create(), ncclSystemError);
+  EXPECT_EQ(connect.calls, 2);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(comm->devrState.ginEnabled);
+}
+
+// Branch: a GIN request rejected after the support checks but before connect
+// leaves GIN unlatched, so a later valid create still connects.
+TEST_F(DevrCommCreateInternalTest, WorldGinBarrierOnRail_RejectedWithoutLatchingGin) {
+  reqs.ginConnectionType = NCCL_GIN_CONNECTION_RAIL;
+  reqs.worldGinBarrierCount = 1;
+  comm->globalGinSupport = NCCL_GIN_CONNECTION_RAIL;
+  ScopedHook connect(g_devrGinConnectOnce, [](ncclComm*) { return ncclSuccess; });
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(Create(), ncclInvalidArgument);
+  EXPECT_EQ(connect.calls, 0);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(comm->devrState.ginEnabled);
+}
+
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // ncclDevCommCopyLsaData copies the LSA-shared span of a devcomm between two
diff --git a/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.cc b/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.cc
index 8240ac137ef3..d6ba49a9eea4 100644
--- a/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.cc
+++ b/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.cc
@@ -305,7 +305,11 @@ ncclResult_t ncclGetRailedGinType(struct ncclComm*, ncclGinType_t* ginType) {
   if (ginType) *ginType = NCCL_GIN_TYPE_NONE;
   return ncclSuccess;
 }
-ncclResult_t ncclGinConnectOnce(struct ncclComm*) { return ncclSuccess; }
+// Seam: ncclDevrCommCreateInternal latches GIN only after this succeeds.
+static ncclResult_t DefaultGinConnectOnce(struct ncclComm*) { return ncclSuccess; }
+std::function<ncclResult_t(struct ncclComm*)> g_devrGinConnectOnce = DefaultGinConnectOnce;
+
+ncclResult_t ncclGinConnectOnce(struct ncclComm* comm) { return g_devrGinConnectOnce(comm); }
 ncclResult_t ncclGinDevCommSetup(struct ncclComm*, struct ncclDevCommRequirements const*, struct ncclDevComm*) {
   return ncclSuccess;
 }
@@ -563,6 +567,7 @@ void ResetDevRuntimeMicroFakes() {
   g_devrBootstrapAllGather                      = DefaultAllGather;
   g_devrBootstrapSend                           = DefaultBootstrapSend;
   g_devrBootstrapRecv                           = DefaultBootstrapRecv;
+  g_devrGinConnectOnce                          = DefaultGinConnectOnce;
   g_devrGinRegister                             = DefaultGinRegister;
   g_devrGinDeregister                           = DefaultGinDeregister;
   g_devrRmaProxyConnectOnce                     = DefaultRmaProxyConnectOnce;
diff --git a/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.h b/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.h
index dfc7a1c84e4b..cdba07c69180 100644
--- a/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.h
+++ b/projects/rccl/test/host/fakes/dev_runtime_micro_fakes.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ extern std::function<ncclResult_t(void*, int*, int, int, void*, int)> g_devrBoot
 extern std::function<ncclResult_t(void*, int, int, void*, int)> g_devrBootstrapSend;
 extern std::function<ncclResult_t(void*, int, int, void*, int)> g_devrBootstrapRecv;
 
+extern std::function<ncclResult_t(struct ncclComm*)> g_devrGinConnectOnce;
 extern std::function<ncclResult_t(struct ncclComm*, void*, size_t, void*[NCCL_GIN_MAX_CONNECTIONS],
                                   ncclGinWindow_t[NCCL_GIN_MAX_CONNECTIONS],
                                   uint32_t[NCCL_GIN_MAX_ACTIVE_BACKENDS], int, bool, int)>