diff --git a/hscontrol/types/change/change.go b/hscontrol/types/change/change.go
index 77d0f083..d15469d9 100644
--- a/hscontrol/types/change/change.go
+++ b/hscontrol/types/change/change.go
@@ -490,6 +490,35 @@ func EndpointOrDERPUpdate(id types.NodeID, patch *tailcfg.PeerChange) Change {
 	return c
 }
 
+// NodeKeyRotated returns a [Change] for a node re-logging in: its NodeKey (and
+// possibly DiscoKey, key expiry, or endpoints) changed, but nothing structural
+// did. Peers only need those changed fields, so it is sent as the minimal
+// incremental [tailcfg.PeerChange] patch rather than re-advertising the whole
+// node — the smallest update that conveys the rotation, and the least
+// disruptive for peers reconciling it.
+func NodeKeyRotated(node types.NodeView) Change {
+	nk := node.NodeKey()
+	dk := node.DiscoKey()
+
+	// KeyExpiry is always set: the zero value clears any prior expiry on the
+	// peer (un-expire), and a non-zero value carries the new expiry.
+	var expiry time.Time
+	if e, ok := node.Expiry().GetOk(); ok {
+		expiry = e
+	}
+
+	c := PeerPatched("node key rotated (relogin)", &tailcfg.PeerChange{
+		NodeID:    tailcfg.NodeID(node.ID()), //nolint:gosec // NodeID is bounded
+		Key:       &nk,
+		DiscoKey:  &dk,
+		KeyExpiry: &expiry,
+		Endpoints: node.Endpoints().AsSlice(),
+	})
+	c.OriginNode = node.ID()
+
+	return c
+}
+
 // UserAdded returns a [Change] for when a user is added or updated.
 // A full update is sent to refresh user profiles on all nodes.
 func UserAdded() Change {
diff --git a/hscontrol/types/change/change_test.go b/hscontrol/types/change/change_test.go
index 14fe077a..5d857892 100644
--- a/hscontrol/types/change/change_test.go
+++ b/hscontrol/types/change/change_test.go
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import (
 	"net/netip"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/juanfont/headscale/hscontrol/types"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"tailscale.com/tailcfg"
+	"tailscale.com/types/key"
 )
 
 func TestChange_FieldSync(t *testing.T) {
@@ -653,3 +655,34 @@ func TestNodeOnlineOfflineForSubnetRouter(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestNodeKeyRotatedEmitsPatchNotWholeNode proves a relogin is delivered to
+// peers as an incremental peer patch, not a whole-node add. A whole-node add is
+// non-patchifiable on the tailscale client whenever Hostinfo changed (which it
+// does on relogin), forcing the broken NodeMutationAdd path that strands a
+// re-keyed, momentarily-endpoint-less peer.
+func TestNodeKeyRotatedEmitsPatchNotWholeNode(t *testing.T) {
+	expiry := time.Now().Add(24 * time.Hour).UTC()
+	node := types.Node{
+		ID:        7,
+		NodeKey:   key.NewNode().Public(),
+		DiscoKey:  key.NewDisco().Public(),
+		Endpoints: []netip.AddrPort{netip.MustParseAddrPort("192.168.1.9:41641")},
+		Expiry:    &expiry,
+	}
+	view := node.View()
+
+	c := NodeKeyRotated(view)
+
+	assert.False(t, c.IsFull(), "relogin must be a peer patch, not a full update")
+	assert.Empty(t, c.PeersChanged, "relogin must not emit a whole-node PeersChanged")
+	require.Len(t, c.PeerPatches, 1, "relogin must emit exactly one peer patch")
+
+	patch := c.PeerPatches[0]
+	assert.Equal(t, view.ID().NodeID(), patch.NodeID)
+	require.NotNil(t, patch.Key, "patch must carry the rotated NodeKey")
+	assert.Equal(t, node.NodeKey, *patch.Key)
+	require.NotNil(t, patch.KeyExpiry, "patch must carry KeyExpiry to (un)expire the peer")
+	assert.Equal(t, expiry, *patch.KeyExpiry)
+	assert.Equal(t, []netip.AddrPort(node.Endpoints), patch.Endpoints, "patch must carry endpoints")
+}