diff --git a/mobile/lib/features/pairing/pairing_socket.dart b/mobile/lib/features/pairing/pairing_socket.dart
index 1b8eb29320b..a985a3e5d91 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/features/pairing/pairing_socket.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/features/pairing/pairing_socket.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ import 'package:web_socket_channel/web_socket_channel.dart';
 
 import '../../shared/relay/nostr_models.dart';
 
+const _desktopPairingAuthChallengeGrace = Duration(seconds: 3);
+const _pairingAuthOkTimeout = Duration(seconds: 5);
+
 /// Ephemeral WebSocket connection for NIP-AB pairing.
 ///
 /// Uses ephemeral keys for NIP-42 auth (not the stored user keys).
@@ -35,7 +38,7 @@ class PairingSocket {
 
   bool get isConnected => _connected;
 
-  /// Connect and authenticate via NIP-42.
+  /// Connect to the pairing relay and answer NIP-42 auth when requested.
   Future<void> connect() async {
     try {
       _channel = WebSocketChannel.connect(Uri.parse(_wsUrl));
@@ -59,23 +62,27 @@ class PairingSocket {
       },
     );
 
-    // Wait for auth with 8s timeout.
-    _authTimeout = Timer(const Duration(seconds: 8), () {
+    // Pairing relay auth is optional: the dedicated pairing relay is
+    // intentionally authless, while main relays may still request NIP-42.
+    // Match desktop's grace window: if no challenge arrives, proceed
+    // unauthenticated; if one arrives, wait for the auth OK below.
+    _authTimeout = Timer(_desktopPairingAuthChallengeGrace, () {
       if (_authCompleter != null && !_authCompleter!.isCompleted) {
-        _authCompleter!.completeError(
-          TimeoutException('NIP-42 auth timed out'),
-        );
+        _authCompleter!.complete();
       }
     });
 
     try {
       await _authCompleter!.future;
       _authTimeout?.cancel();
+      _authTimeout = null;
       _connected = true;
     } catch (e) {
       _authTimeout?.cancel();
+      _authTimeout = null;
       await disconnect();
       _onDisconnected(e);
+      rethrow;
     }
   }
 
@@ -106,6 +113,7 @@ class PairingSocket {
     _subscription?.cancel();
     _subscription = null;
     _authTimeout?.cancel();
+    _authTimeout = null;
     final channel = _channel;
     _channel = null;
     if (channel != null) {
@@ -155,6 +163,15 @@ class PairingSocket {
     if (data.length < 2) return;
     final challenge = data[1] as String;
 
+    // If a relay did challenge, keep waiting for the matching OK instead of
+    // falling through as unauthenticated at the grace deadline.
+    _authTimeout?.cancel();
+    _authTimeout = Timer(_pairingAuthOkTimeout, () {
+      if (_authCompleter != null && !_authCompleter!.isCompleted) {
+        _failAuth(TimeoutException('NIP-42 auth OK timed out'));
+      }
+    });
+
     try {
       // Build NIP-42 auth event (kind:22242) with ephemeral keys.
       final tags = <List<String>>[
diff --git a/mobile/test/features/pairing/pairing_socket_test.dart b/mobile/test/features/pairing/pairing_socket_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ef92430c6cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/test/features/pairing/pairing_socket_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:convert';
+import 'dart:io';
+
+import 'package:buzz/features/pairing/pairing_socket.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  test(
+    'connect completes when pairing relay does not request auth',
+    () async {
+      final server = await HttpServer.bind(InternetAddress.loopbackIPv4, 0);
+      addTearDown(server.close);
+
+      final sockets = <WebSocket>[];
+      server.listen((request) async {
+        final socket = await WebSocketTransformer.upgrade(request);
+        sockets.add(socket);
+        addTearDown(socket.close);
+        await for (final _ in socket) {
+          // This relay intentionally never sends AUTH.
+        }
+      });
+
+      final socket = PairingSocket(
+        wsUrl: 'ws://${server.address.host}:${server.port}',
+        ephemeralPrivkey: '1' * 64,
+        onMessage: (_) {},
+        onDisconnected: (_) {},
+      );
+      addTearDown(socket.dispose);
+
+      await socket.connect();
+
+      expect(socket.isConnected, isTrue);
+      expect(sockets, hasLength(1));
+    },
+    timeout: const Timeout(Duration(seconds: 5)),
+  );
+
+  test(
+    'answers auth when relay requests NIP-42',
+    () async {
+      final server = await HttpServer.bind(InternetAddress.loopbackIPv4, 0);
+      addTearDown(server.close);
+
+      final receivedAuth = Completer<List<dynamic>>();
+      server.listen((request) async {
+        final socket = await WebSocketTransformer.upgrade(request);
+        addTearDown(socket.close);
+        socket.add(jsonEncode(['AUTH', 'challenge']));
+        await for (final raw in socket) {
+          final message = jsonDecode(raw as String) as List<dynamic>;
+          if (message.first == 'AUTH') {
+            receivedAuth.complete(message);
+            final event = message[1] as Map<String, dynamic>;
+            socket.add(jsonEncode(['OK', event['id'], true, '']));
+          }
+        }
+      });
+
+      final socket = PairingSocket(
+        wsUrl: 'ws://${server.address.host}:${server.port}',
+        ephemeralPrivkey: '1' * 64,
+        onMessage: (_) {},
+        onDisconnected: (_) {},
+      );
+      addTearDown(socket.dispose);
+
+      await socket.connect();
+
+      expect(socket.isConnected, isTrue);
+      final auth = await receivedAuth.future;
+      expect(auth.first, 'AUTH');
+      final event = auth[1] as Map<String, dynamic>;
+      expect(event['kind'], 22242);
+      expect(
+        event['tags'],
+        contains(
+          predicate<List<dynamic>>(
+            (tag) =>
+                tag.length == 2 &&
+                tag[0] == 'challenge' &&
+                tag[1] == 'challenge',
+          ),
+        ),
+      );
+    },
+    timeout: const Timeout(Duration(seconds: 5)),
+  );
+}