diff --git a/app/changelog/unreleased/20261015-pairing-blocked-help.json b/app/changelog/unreleased/20261015-pairing-blocked-help.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ce6ab42e565
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/changelog/unreleased/20261015-pairing-blocked-help.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "change": "If Bluetooth is off or not allowed while connecting your Omi, Scan Again, How to Pair and Contact Support now still appear after a few seconds."
+}
diff --git a/app/lib/providers/onboarding_provider.dart b/app/lib/providers/onboarding_provider.dart
index eaa3bbf6887..2d255cf6b61 100644
--- a/app/lib/providers/onboarding_provider.dart
+++ b/app/lib/providers/onboarding_provider.dart
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ class OnboardingProvider extends BaseProvider with MessageNotifierMixin implemen
             adapterOff: false,
           ),
         );
+        _armInstructionsTimer(epoch, scanStarted: false);
         onShowDialog();
         return;
       }
@@ -452,6 +453,7 @@ class OnboardingProvider extends BaseProvider with MessageNotifierMixin implemen
         updateLocationPermission(locationGranted);
         if (!locationGranted) {
           _emitPairingBlocked(DevicePairingBlockedReason.locationPermissionMissing);
+          _armInstructionsTimer(epoch, scanStarted: false);
           onShowLocationDialog?.call();
           return;
         }
@@ -462,20 +464,29 @@ class OnboardingProvider extends BaseProvider with MessageNotifierMixin implemen
       if (_isDisposed || epoch != _scanEpoch) return;
       _emitPairingBlocked(_pairingBlockForAdapter(BluetoothReadiness.instance.state),
           adapterState: BluetoothReadiness.instance.state);
+      _armInstructionsTimer(epoch, scanStarted: false);
       return;
     }
     if (_isDisposed || epoch != _scanEpoch) return;
 
+    _armInstructionsTimer(epoch, scanStarted: true);
+
+    await deviceProvider?.initiateConnection("Onboarding");
+  }
+
+  /// Arms the delayed "No Omi Found" help (Scan Again, pairing guide, Contact Support). A blocked
+  /// search arms it too, so the help never depends on discovery having started; only a scan that
+  /// actually ran reports Device Scan Empty (a blocked one already reported Device Pairing Blocked).
+  void _armInstructionsTimer(int epoch, {required bool scanStarted}) {
+    _didNotMakeItTimer?.cancel();
     _didNotMakeItTimer = Timer(const Duration(seconds: deviceScanEmptyAfterSeconds), () {
       if (_isDisposed || epoch != _scanEpoch) return;
-      if (shouldReportEmptyDeviceScan(deviceCount: deviceList.length)) {
+      if (scanStarted && shouldReportEmptyDeviceScan(deviceCount: deviceList.length)) {
         PlatformManager.instance.analytics.deviceScanEmpty(afterSeconds: deviceScanEmptyAfterSeconds);
       }
       enableInstructions = true;
       notifyListeners();
     });
-
-    await deviceProvider?.initiateConnection("Onboarding");
   }
 
   void _recordOnboardingPermission({
diff --git a/app/test/providers/onboarding_provider_pairing_presentation_test.dart b/app/test/providers/onboarding_provider_pairing_presentation_test.dart
index 7bb503bef81..ec5e93b5a9a 100644
--- a/app/test/providers/onboarding_provider_pairing_presentation_test.dart
+++ b/app/test/providers/onboarding_provider_pairing_presentation_test.dart
@@ -139,6 +139,47 @@ void main() {
     await tester.pumpWidget(const SizedBox());
   });
 
+  // #17851: a blocked search returned before the delayed help was armed, so once the blocked card was
+  // dismissed the page sat on "Searching for devices" with no scan running and no route to support.
+  Future<void> expectDelayedHelpAfterBlockedScan(WidgetTester tester, Reason reason) async {
+    await pumpConnect(tester);
+    expect(provider.pairingFailureReason, reason);
+    expect(find.byType(PairingFailureCard), findsOneWidget);
+    await tester.pump(const Duration(seconds: deviceScanEmptyAfterSeconds));
+    await tester.pump();
+    expect(provider.enableInstructions, isTrue);
+    await tester.ensureVisible(find.byKey(const Key('pairing_failure_dismiss')));
+    await tester.tap(find.byKey(const Key('pairing_failure_dismiss')));
+    await tester.pump();
+    final l10n = AppLocalizationsEn();
+    expect(find.text(l10n.searchingForDevices), findsNothing);
+    expect(find.text(l10n.findDeviceNoneTitle), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.byKey(const Key('find_devices_scan_again')), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.byKey(const Key('find_devices_contact_support')), findsOneWidget);
+    await AnalyticsManager.flushPending(force: true);
+    expect(adapter.names, contains('Device Pairing Blocked'));
+    // Discovery never ran, so the funnel must not also count it as an empty scan.
+    expect(adapter.names, isNot(contains('Device Scan Empty')));
+    await tester.pumpWidget(const SizedBox());
+  }
+
+  testWidgets('Bluetooth off still arms the delayed help', (tester) async {
+    binding.defaultBinaryMessenger.setMockDecodedMessageHandler<Object?>(bluetoothChannel, (_) async => ['off']);
+    await expectDelayedHelpAfterBlockedScan(tester, Reason.bluetoothOff);
+  });
+
+  testWidgets('denied Bluetooth permission still arms the delayed help', (tester) async {
+    const permissions = MethodChannel('flutter.baseflow.com/permissions/methods');
+    binding.defaultBinaryMessenger.setMockMethodCallHandler(permissions, (call) async {
+      // 0 is PermissionStatus.denied.
+      if (call.method == 'requestPermissions') return {for (final p in call.arguments as List) p as int: 0};
+      return 0;
+    });
+    addTearDown(() => binding.defaultBinaryMessenger.setMockMethodCallHandler(permissions, null));
+    provider.hasBluetoothPermission = false;
+    await expectDelayedHelpAfterBlockedScan(tester, Reason.bluetoothPermissionDenied);
+  });
+
   test('saved visible devices clear reachability, but stale-bond recovery is retained', () async {
     await SharedPreferencesUtil()
         .btDeviceSet(BtDevice(id: 'saved-omi', name: 'Saved Omi', type: DeviceType.omi, rssi: -50));