diff --git a/bes2600/scan.c b/bes2600/scan.c
index faa1c90..ad5033b 100644
--- a/bes2600/scan.c
+++ b/bes2600/scan.c
@@ -22,9 +22,17 @@
  * After this many consecutive WSM scan rejections from firmware, stop
  * issuing new scans for BES2600_SCAN_BACKOFF_JIFFIES and let the state
  * that's rejecting them (coex window, firmware-internal busy) clear.
+ *
+ * The backoff has to be at least as long as the natural mac80211 scan-
+ * retry cadence, otherwise the next attempt lands outside the window
+ * and bypasses the defer guard. Observed in the wild on PineTab2:
+ * roam-evaluation bursts at ~12 s cadence, idle background scans at
+ * ~5 min cadence. 30 s catches the burst and leaves the slow case
+ * alone (the firmware-policy state has had minutes to clear by then
+ * anyway).
  */
 #define BES2600_SCAN_REJECT_THRESHOLD	3
-#define BES2600_SCAN_BACKOFF_JIFFIES	(10 * HZ)
+#define BES2600_SCAN_BACKOFF_JIFFIES	(30 * HZ)
 
 static void bes2600_scan_restart_delayed(struct bes2600_vif *priv);
 
@@ -40,7 +48,9 @@ static void bes2600_scan_restart_delayed(struct bes2600_vif *priv);
  *  2. We already saw >= BES2600_SCAN_REJECT_THRESHOLD consecutive
  *     rejections on recent scan attempts and the backoff window has
  *     not yet elapsed. Whatever was rejecting them is likely still
- *     rejecting them; give it time.
+ *     rejecting them; give it time. If the backoff has elapsed without
+ *     a fresh reject refreshing it, the burst is over and we reset the
+ *     count so an isolated reject doesn't immediately re-trip.
  *
  * Returns true if the caller should abandon the scan iteration.
  */
@@ -51,6 +61,9 @@ static bool bes2600_scan_should_defer(struct bes2600_common *hw_priv)
 		return true;
 #endif
 
+	if (time_after(jiffies, hw_priv->scan.backoff_until))
+		hw_priv->scan.reject_count = 0;
+
 	if (hw_priv->scan.reject_count >= BES2600_SCAN_REJECT_THRESHOLD &&
 	    time_before(jiffies, hw_priv->scan.backoff_until))
 		return true;