diff --git a/hscontrol/mapper/batcher.go b/hscontrol/mapper/batcher.go
index 25811291..a820ccef 100644
--- a/hscontrol/mapper/batcher.go
+++ b/hscontrol/mapper/batcher.go
@@ -283,15 +283,28 @@ func (b *Batcher) AddNode(
 	// Initialize last used timestamp
 	newEntry.lastUsed.Store(now.Unix())
 
-	// Get or create multiChannelNodeConn - this reuses existing offline nodes for rapid reconnection
-	nodeConn, loaded := b.nodes.LoadOrStore(id, newMultiChannelNodeConn(id, b.mapper))
+	// Get or create the multiChannelNodeConn and register this connection in a
+	// single Compute so the new connection is visible atomically. Doing the
+	// LoadOrStore and addConnection as separate steps let cleanupOfflineNodes
+	// (which deletes via Compute when hasActiveConnections() is false) observe a
+	// reused offline conn with zero connections mid-reconnect and delete it,
+	// orphaning the live connection.
+	var nodeConn *multiChannelNodeConn
 
-	if !loaded {
-		b.totalNodes.Add(1)
-	}
+	b.nodes.Compute(
+		id,
+		func(existing *multiChannelNodeConn, loaded bool) (*multiChannelNodeConn, xsync.ComputeOp) {
+			if !loaded || existing == nil {
+				existing = newMultiChannelNodeConn(id, b.mapper)
+				b.totalNodes.Add(1)
+			}
 
-	// Add connection to the list (lock-free)
-	nodeConn.addConnection(newEntry)
+			existing.addConnection(newEntry)
+			nodeConn = existing
+
+			return existing, xsync.UpdateOp
+		},
+	)
 
 	// Use the worker pool for controlled concurrency instead of direct generation
 	initialMap, err := b.MapResponseFromChange(id, change.FullSelf(id))
diff --git a/hscontrol/mapper/reconnect_cleanup_test.go b/hscontrol/mapper/reconnect_cleanup_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d97a1e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hscontrol/mapper/reconnect_cleanup_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package mapper
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"tailscale.com/tailcfg"
+)
+
+// TestAddNodeReconnectNotOrphanedByCleanup ensures a node reconnecting via
+// AddNode is not deleted from b.nodes by a concurrent cleanupOfflineNodes pass.
+// AddNode must register the connection atomically with the get-or-create, so
+// the offline-cleanup Compute either sees the active connection (and cancels)
+// or runs first and AddNode recreates the entry — never leaving a live
+// connection orphaned outside b.nodes.
+func TestAddNodeReconnectNotOrphanedByCleanup(t *testing.T) {
+	testData, cleanup := setupBatcherWithTestData(t, NewBatcherAndMapper, 1, 1, normalBufferSize)
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	b := testData.Batcher.Batcher
+	node := &testData.Nodes[0]
+
+	testData.State.Connect(node.n.ID)
+
+	go func() {
+		for range node.ch {
+		}
+	}()
+
+	require.NoError(t, b.AddNode(node.n.ID, node.ch, tailcfg.CapabilityVersion(100), nil))
+
+	// Model a long-offline conn awaiting cleanup or a rapid reconnect.
+	nc, ok := b.nodes.Load(node.n.ID)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+
+	nc.removeConnectionByChannel(node.ch)
+
+	past := time.Now().Add(-(offlineNodeCleanupThreshold + time.Minute))
+	nc.disconnectedAt.Store(&past)
+	require.False(t, nc.hasActiveConnections())
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+
+	wg.Go(func() {
+		_ = b.AddNode(node.n.ID, node.ch, tailcfg.CapabilityVersion(100), nil)
+	})
+
+	wg.Go(func() {
+		b.cleanupOfflineNodes()
+	})
+
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	assert.True(t, b.IsConnected(node.n.ID),
+		"reconnecting node was orphaned: live connection absent from b.nodes")
+}