diff --git a/hscontrol/state/persist_test.go b/hscontrol/state/persist_test.go
index 3bf5f9709..5d503e6b1 100644
--- a/hscontrol/state/persist_test.go
+++ b/hscontrol/state/persist_test.go
@@ -613,10 +613,13 @@ func TestPreAuthKeyReauthRevertsNodeStoreOnDBFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	origNodeKey := node.NodeKey()
 
 	// Fail the node row update so the re-registration's database write errors
-	// after the NodeStore has already been mutated.
+	// after the NodeStore has already been mutated. A session connects during
+	// the write; the rollback must not undo it.
 	require.NoError(t, s.db.DB.Callback().Update().Before("gorm:update").
 		Register("fail_node_update", func(tx *gorm.DB) {
 			if tx.Statement.Table == "nodes" {
+				s.Connect(node.ID())
+
 				_ = tx.AddError(errInjectedNodeUpdate)
 			}
 		}))
@@ -631,6 +634,10 @@ func TestPreAuthKeyReauthRevertsNodeStoreOnDBFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	require.True(t, ok)
 	require.Equal(t, origNodeKey, got.NodeKey(),
 		"NodeStore must revert to the persisted node key when the write fails")
+
+	online, known := got.IsOnline().GetOk()
+	require.True(t, known)
+	require.True(t, online, "rollback dropped the session that connected during the write")
 }
 
 // TestConcurrentPreAuthKeyRegistrationSameMachineKey ensures concurrent
diff --git a/hscontrol/state/state.go b/hscontrol/state/state.go
index dd8e1dce8..90d5b0a3f 100644
--- a/hscontrol/state/state.go
+++ b/hscontrol/state/state.go
@@ -2908,9 +2908,23 @@ func (s *State) HandleNodeFromPreAuthKey(
 		if err != nil {
 			// The NodeStore was updated before the database write. Roll it back
 			// so it does not advertise a registration the database rejected
-			// (e.g. a node key that a restart would not reload).
+			// (e.g. a node key that a restart would not reload). Restore only
+			// the fields the update above wrote: sessions, endpoints and health
+			// may have moved since priorNode was taken. LastSeen stays, as the
+			// node did contact us.
 			if priorNode != nil {
-				s.nodeStore.PutNode(*priorNode)
+				s.nodeStore.UpdateNode(priorNode.ID, func(n *types.Node) {
+					n.NodeKey = priorNode.NodeKey
+					n.Hostname = priorNode.Hostname
+					n.Hostinfo = priorNode.Hostinfo
+					n.RegisterMethod = priorNode.RegisterMethod
+					n.Tags = priorNode.Tags
+					n.UserID = priorNode.UserID
+					n.User = priorNode.User
+					n.Expiry = priorNode.Expiry
+					n.AuthKey = priorNode.AuthKey
+					n.AuthKeyID = priorNode.AuthKeyID
+				})
 			}
 
 			return types.NodeView{}, s.policyChangeSince(genBefore), fmt.Errorf("writing node to database: %w", err)