diff --git a/repeater/packet_router.py b/repeater/packet_router.py
index d08b9eb..197975d 100644
--- a/repeater/packet_router.py
+++ b/repeater/packet_router.py
@@ -316,9 +316,15 @@ class PacketRouter:
 
         consumed = False
         if has_companion:
-            bridge_result = await companion_bridges[dest_hash].process_received_packet(packet)
-            if bridge_result.authenticated:
-                consumed = True
+            # A raising bridge must not abort the candidate loop: the colliding
+            # room-server / repeater identity below still gets offered the packet.
+            try:
+                bridge_result = await companion_bridges[dest_hash].process_received_packet(packet)
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug("Companion bridge candidate error: %s", e)
+            else:
+                if bridge_result.authenticated:
+                    consumed = True
         # Offer to the room-server / repeater identity when it shares the hash
         # (collision) or when no local companion claims it at all (normal
         # server-owned + remote-forward handling).
diff --git a/tests/test_packet_router.py b/tests/test_packet_router.py
index 0f0d7b7..4d2456f 100644
--- a/tests/test_packet_router.py
+++ b/tests/test_packet_router.py
@@ -1321,3 +1321,49 @@ class TestInjectedTxRawEcho(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
         ok = await router.inject_packet(_make_packet())
 
         self.assertTrue(ok)
+
+
+class TestCompanionDeliveryFailureHandling(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
+    """Dedupe marking and candidate-loop behaviour when companion bridges raise."""
+
+    async def test_login_candidate_bridge_error_still_offers_local_identity(self):
+        """A raising companion bridge must not abort the candidate loop: the
+        hash-colliding room-server/repeater identity still gets the packet."""
+        daemon = _make_daemon()
+        bridge = _make_bridge()
+        bridge.process_received_packet = AsyncMock(side_effect=RuntimeError("bridge down"))
+        daemon.companion_bridges = {0xF5: bridge}
+        daemon.login_helper = MagicMock()
+        daemon.login_helper.handlers = {0xF5: MagicMock()}
+        daemon.login_helper.process_login_packet = AsyncMock(return_value=True)
+        daemon.repeater_handler = AsyncMock()
+        daemon.repeater_handler.storage = MagicMock()
+        daemon.repeater_handler.record_packet_only = MagicMock()
+        router = PacketRouter(daemon)
+        pkt = _make_packet(LoginServerHandler.payload_type())
+        pkt.payload = bytes([0xF5, 0x01])
+
+        await router._route_packet(pkt)
+
+        bridge.process_received_packet.assert_awaited_once()
+        daemon.login_helper.process_login_packet.assert_awaited_once()
+        # The colliding identity consumed it, so the engine must not re-forward.
+        daemon.repeater_handler.assert_not_awaited()
+
+    async def test_text_candidate_bridge_error_leaves_packet_for_engine(self):
+        """Bridge raises and no local identity claims the text: the packet must
+        still reach the forwarding engine instead of dying with the exception."""
+        daemon = _make_daemon()
+        bridge = _make_bridge()
+        bridge.process_received_packet = AsyncMock(side_effect=RuntimeError("bridge down"))
+        daemon.companion_bridges = {0xF5: bridge}
+        daemon.text_helper = MagicMock()
+        daemon.text_helper.handlers = {}
+        daemon.text_helper.process_text_packet = AsyncMock(return_value=False)
+        router = PacketRouter(daemon)
+        pkt = _make_packet(TextMessageHandler.payload_type())
+        pkt.payload = bytes([0xF5, 0x01])
+
+        await router._route_packet(pkt)
+
+        daemon.repeater_handler.assert_awaited_once()