diff --git a/api/ble.py b/api/ble.py
index 1c36a55..abddb48 100644
--- a/api/ble.py
+++ b/api/ble.py
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@ def _is_match(mac: str, name: str) -> bool:
 # This is the actual function that does the magic
 ####################################################
 async def read_data(mac: str) -> Optional[SensorReading]:
-    
     try:
         address = await asyncio.wait_for(
             _discover_device(mac),
@@ -193,43 +192,35 @@ async def read_data(mac: str) -> Optional[SensorReading]:
 
     if not address:
         return None
-        
+
+    client: BleakClient | None = None
     try:
-        async with BleakClient(address, timeout=CONNECT_TIMEOUT) as client:
-            # NEW BLOCK  ----------------------------------------------
-            try:
-                await asyncio.wait_for(client.get_services(),
-                                      timeout=SERVICE_DISCOVERY_TIMEOUT)
-            except asyncio.TimeoutError:
-                log.warning("Service discovery timed out for %s", mac)
-                return None
-            
-            except Exception as e:
-                log.error(f"Discovery failed - {e}")
+        client = BleakClient(address, timeout=CONNECT_TIMEOUT)
+        await client.connect()
+        # service discovery
+        await asyncio.wait_for(client.get_services(), timeout=SERVICE_DISCOVERY_TIMEOUT)
 
-            ####################################################
-            # If we get here, services are available.
-            ####################################################
-            if MI_SERVICE_UUID.lower() not in (
-                s.uuid.lower() for s in client.services
-            ):
-                log.error("Mi service not found on %s", mac)
-                return None
+        if MI_SERVICE_UUID.lower() not in (s.uuid.lower() for s in client.services):
+            log.error("Mi service not found on %s", mac)
+            return None
 
-            raw = await asyncio.wait_for(
-                client.read_gatt_char(TEMP_CHAR_UUID),
-                timeout=READ_TIMEOUT,
-            )
-            temp, hum = _parse_sensor_data(raw)
-            log.info("Read from %s: %.1f°C, %d%%", mac, temp, hum)
-            return SensorReading(mac=mac, temperature=temp, humidity=hum)
+        raw = await asyncio.wait_for(client.read_gatt_char(TEMP_CHAR_UUID), timeout=READ_TIMEOUT)
+        temp, hum = _parse_sensor_data(raw)
+        log.info("Read from %s: %.1f°C, %d%%", mac, temp, hum)
+        return SensorReading(mac=mac, temperature=temp, humidity=hum)
 
-    except asyncio.TimeoutError:
-        # This is the *connect* timeout (BleakClient)
-        log.error("Connection to %s timed out after %.1fs", mac, CONNECT_TIMEOUT)
     except Exception as exc:
         log.exception("Error reading from %s: %s", mac, exc)
-    return None
+        return None
+
+    finally:
+        # Safe disconnect – swallow any EOFError caused by a dropped DBus socket
+        if client is not None:
+            try:
+                await client.disconnect()
+            except Exception as e:
+                # Usually EOFError, just log and ignore
+                log.debug("Disconnect error (ignored): %s", e)
 
 ########################################################################################################
 ### Test Function Section