diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.c b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.c
index aa255a0f7f1..695fd754aa2 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.c
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ static void mca_btl_uct_endpoint_destruct(mca_btl_uct_endpoint_t *endpoint)
     }
 
     OBJ_DESTRUCT(&endpoint->ep_lock);
+    if (endpoint->conn_ep) {
+        OBJ_RELEASE(endpoint->conn_ep);
+    }
 }
 
 OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(mca_btl_uct_endpoint_t, opal_object_t, mca_btl_uct_endpoint_construct,
@@ -206,7 +209,6 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_conn_req(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl,
                                               mca_btl_uct_conn_req_t *request,
                                               size_t request_length)
 {
-    mca_btl_uct_connection_ep_t *conn_ep = endpoint->conn_ep;
     mca_btl_uct_conn_completion_t completion
         = {.super = {.count = 1, .func = mca_btl_uct_endpoint_flush_complete}, .complete = false};
     ucs_status_t ucs_status;
@@ -215,15 +217,13 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_conn_req(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl,
         ("sending connection request to peer. context id: %d, type: %d, length: %" PRIsize_t,
          request->context_id, request->type, request_length));
 
-    OBJ_RETAIN(endpoint->conn_ep);
-
     /* need to drop the lock to avoid hold-and-wait */
     opal_mutex_unlock(&endpoint->ep_lock);
 
     do {
         MCA_BTL_UCT_CONTEXT_SERIALIZE(conn_tl_context, {
-            ucs_status = uct_ep_am_short(conn_ep->uct_ep, MCA_BTL_UCT_CONNECT_RDMA, request->type,
-                                         request, request_length);
+            ucs_status = uct_ep_am_short(endpoint->conn_ep->uct_ep, MCA_BTL_UCT_CONNECT_RDMA,
+                                         request->type, request, request_length);
         });
         if (OPAL_LIKELY(UCS_OK == ucs_status)) {
             break;
@@ -238,11 +238,11 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_conn_req(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl,
     } while (1);
 
     /* for now we just wait for the connection request to complete before continuing */
-    ucs_status = uct_ep_flush(conn_ep->uct_ep, 0, &completion.super);
+    ucs_status = uct_ep_flush(endpoint->conn_ep->uct_ep, 0, &completion.super);
     if (UCS_OK != ucs_status && UCS_INPROGRESS != ucs_status) {
         /* NTH: I don't know if this path is needed. For some networks we must use a completion. */
         do {
-            ucs_status = uct_ep_flush(conn_ep->uct_ep, 0, NULL);
+            ucs_status = uct_ep_flush(endpoint->conn_ep->uct_ep, 0, NULL);
             mca_btl_uct_context_progress(conn_tl_context);
         } while (UCS_INPROGRESS == ucs_status);
     } else {
@@ -253,8 +253,6 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_conn_req(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl,
 
     opal_mutex_lock(&endpoint->ep_lock);
 
-    OBJ_RELEASE(endpoint->conn_ep);
-
     return OPAL_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -265,7 +263,6 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_connection_data(
 {
     mca_btl_uct_tl_t *conn_tl = uct_btl->conn_tl;
     mca_btl_uct_device_context_t *conn_tl_context = conn_tl->uct_dev_contexts[0];
-    mca_btl_uct_connection_ep_t *conn_ep = endpoint->conn_ep;
     uct_device_addr_t *device_addr = NULL;
     uct_iface_addr_t *iface_addr;
     ucs_status_t ucs_status;
@@ -274,7 +271,7 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_connection_data(
 
     BTL_VERBOSE(("connecting endpoint to remote endpoint"));
 
-    if (NULL == conn_ep) {
+    if (NULL == endpoint->conn_ep) {
         BTL_VERBOSE(("creating a temporary endpoint for handling connections to %p",
                      opal_process_name_print(endpoint->ep_proc->proc_name)));
 
@@ -282,8 +279,8 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_connection_data(
         device_addr = (uct_device_addr_t *) ((uintptr_t) conn_tl_data
                                              + MCA_BTL_UCT_TL_ATTR(conn_tl, 0).iface_addr_len);
 
-        endpoint->conn_ep = conn_ep = OBJ_NEW(mca_btl_uct_connection_ep_t);
-        if (OPAL_UNLIKELY(NULL == conn_ep)) {
+        endpoint->conn_ep = OBJ_NEW(mca_btl_uct_connection_ep_t);
+        if (OPAL_UNLIKELY(NULL == endpoint->conn_ep)) {
             return OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
         }
 
@@ -291,7 +288,7 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_connection_data(
         MCA_BTL_UCT_CONTEXT_SERIALIZE(conn_tl_context, {
             ucs_status = mca_btl_uct_ep_create_connected_compat(conn_tl_context->uct_iface,
                                                                 device_addr, iface_addr,
-                                                                &conn_ep->uct_ep);
+                                                                &endpoint->conn_ep->uct_ep);
         });
         if (UCS_OK != ucs_status) {
             BTL_VERBOSE(
@@ -299,6 +296,8 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_send_connection_data(
                  ucs_status));
             return OPAL_ERROR;
         }
+    } else {
+        OBJ_RETAIN(endpoint->conn_ep);
     }
 
     size_t request_length = sizeof(mca_btl_uct_conn_req_t)
@@ -368,6 +367,9 @@ static int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_connect_endpoint(
         if (UCS_OK != ucs_status) {
             return OPAL_ERROR;
         }
+
+        mca_btl_uct_endpoint_set_flag(uct_btl, endpoint, tl_context->context_id, tl_endpoint,
+                                      MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_EP_CONNECTED);
     }
 
     opal_timer_t now = opal_timer_base_get_usec();
@@ -391,7 +393,6 @@ int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_connect(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl, mca_btl_uct_endp
     mca_btl_uct_device_context_t *tl_context
         = mca_btl_uct_module_get_tl_context_specific(uct_btl, tl, context_id);
     uint8_t *rdma_tl_data = NULL, *conn_tl_data = NULL, *am_tl_data = NULL, *tl_data;
-    mca_btl_uct_connection_ep_t *conn_ep = NULL;
     mca_btl_uct_modex_t *modex;
     uint8_t *modex_data;
     size_t msg_size;
@@ -474,19 +475,8 @@ int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_connect(mca_btl_uct_module_t *uct_btl, mca_btl_uct_endp
 
     } while (0);
 
-    /* to avoid a possible hold-and wait deadlock. destroy the endpoint after dropping the endpoint
-     * lock. */
-    if (endpoint->conn_ep && 1 == endpoint->conn_ep->super.obj_reference_count) {
-        conn_ep = endpoint->conn_ep;
-        endpoint->conn_ep = NULL;
-    }
-
     opal_mutex_unlock(&endpoint->ep_lock);
 
-    if (conn_ep) {
-        OBJ_RELEASE(conn_ep);
-    }
-
     BTL_VERBOSE(("endpoint%s ready for use", (OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE != rc) ? "" : " not yet"));
 
     return rc;
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.h b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.h
index 49d1b941457..0c4bae20050 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_endpoint.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  *                         reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2020      Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
  *                         All Rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2025      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -106,5 +107,29 @@ static inline int mca_btl_uct_endpoint_check_am(mca_btl_uct_module_t *module,
                                       module->am_tl->tl_index);
 }
 
+// Requires that the endpoint lock is held.
+static inline void mca_btl_uct_endpoint_set_flag(mca_btl_uct_module_t *module, mca_btl_uct_endpoint_t *endpoint,
+                                                 int context_id, mca_btl_uct_tl_endpoint_t *tl_endpoint, int32_t flag) {
+    opal_atomic_wmb();
+    int32_t flag_value = opal_atomic_or_fetch_32(&tl_endpoint->flags, flag);
+    if ((flag_value & (MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_EP_CONNECTED | MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REM_READY)) ==
+        (MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_EP_CONNECTED | MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REM_READY)) {
+	opal_atomic_fetch_or_32(&tl_endpoint->flags, MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_READY);
+
+        opal_atomic_wmb();
+
+        mca_btl_uct_base_frag_t *frag;
+        OPAL_LIST_FOREACH (frag, &module->pending_frags, mca_btl_uct_base_frag_t) {
+            if (frag->context->context_id == context_id && endpoint == frag->endpoint) {
+                frag->ready = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (endpoint->conn_ep) {
+            OBJ_RELEASE(endpoint->conn_ep);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 END_C_DECLS
 #endif
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_tl.c b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_tl.c
index 5669e88c061..c1ef4c6d727 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_tl.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_tl.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  *                         and Technology (RIST). All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2018      Triad National Security, LLC. All rights
  *                         reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2019      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2019-2025 Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -199,9 +199,6 @@ int mca_btl_uct_process_connection_request(mca_btl_uct_module_t *module,
     int32_t ep_flags;
     int rc;
 
-    BTL_VERBOSE(("got connection request for endpoint %p. type = %d. context id = %d",
-                 (void *) endpoint, req->type, req->context_id));
-
     if (NULL == endpoint) {
         BTL_ERROR(("could not create endpoint for connection request"));
         return UCS_ERR_UNREACHABLE;
@@ -211,6 +208,9 @@ int mca_btl_uct_process_connection_request(mca_btl_uct_module_t *module,
 
     ep_flags = opal_atomic_fetch_or_32(&tl_endpoint->flags, MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REC);
 
+    BTL_VERBOSE(("got connection request for endpoint %p. type = %d. context id = %d. ep_flags = %x",
+                 (void *) endpoint, req->type, req->context_id, ep_flags));
+
     if (!(ep_flags & MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REC)) {
         /* create any necessary resources */
         rc = mca_btl_uct_endpoint_connect(module, endpoint, req->context_id, req->ep_addr,
@@ -225,22 +225,13 @@ int mca_btl_uct_process_connection_request(mca_btl_uct_module_t *module,
      * message. this might be overkill but there is little documentation at the UCT level on when
      * an endpoint can be used. */
     if (req->type == 1) {
-        /* remote side is ready */
-        mca_btl_uct_base_frag_t *frag;
-
+        /* remote side is connected */
         /* to avoid a race with send adding pending frags grab the lock here */
         OPAL_THREAD_SCOPED_LOCK(&endpoint->ep_lock, {
             BTL_VERBOSE(("connection ready. sending %" PRIsize_t " frags",
                          opal_list_get_size(&module->pending_frags)));
-            (void) opal_atomic_or_fetch_32(&tl_endpoint->flags,
-                                           MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_READY);
-            opal_atomic_wmb();
-
-            OPAL_LIST_FOREACH (frag, &module->pending_frags, mca_btl_uct_base_frag_t) {
-                if (frag->context->context_id == req->context_id && endpoint == frag->endpoint) {
-                    frag->ready = true;
-                }
-            }
+            mca_btl_uct_endpoint_set_flag(module, endpoint, req->context_id, tl_endpoint,
+                                          MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REM_READY);
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_types.h b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_types.h
index cd331986b8a..b2bac61be61 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_types.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/uct/btl_uct_types.h
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ struct mca_btl_uct_base_frag_t;
 #    define MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REC 0x1
 /** remote endpoint read */
 #    define MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_REM_READY 0x2
+/** local UCT endpoint connected */
+#    define MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_EP_CONNECTED 0x4
 /** connection was established */
-#    define MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_READY 0x4
+#    define MCA_BTL_UCT_ENDPOINT_FLAG_CONN_READY 0x8
 
 /* AM tags */
 /** BTL fragment */