diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index 4db40ee..5fc5f6d 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -229,6 +229,44 @@ Source layout:
     catalog/      OpsCatalog extension
 
 
+SERVER PREREQUISITES
+--------------------
+
+For reliable auto-reconnect after reboots or network drops, the remote sshd
+needs two settings in /etc/ssh/sshd_config:
+
+  ClientAliveInterval 30
+  ClientAliveCountMax 3
+
+Without these, dead SSH sessions hold their remote port forward open (the OS
+has not yet cleaned up the socket), so the next reconnect attempt hits
+"remote port forwarding failed" and exits with code 255. With ClientAlive
+enabled, sshd evicts stale sessions within ~90 seconds and frees the port.
+
+Apply and reload (no disconnect):
+
+  sudo sed -i 's/#ClientAliveInterval 0/ClientAliveInterval 30/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
+  sudo sed -i 's/#ClientAliveCountMax 3/ClientAliveCountMax 3/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
+  sudo kill -HUP $(cat /run/sshd.pid)
+
+If fail2ban is running on the remote, whitelist the bridge host IP so rapid
+reconnect storms (e.g. after a key auth failure) do not trigger a ban.
+Add the client IP to ignoreip in /etc/fail2ban/jail.local:
+
+  [DEFAULT]
+  ignoreip = 127.0.0.1/8 ::1 <your-bridge-host-ip>
+
+Then reload: sudo systemctl reload fail2ban
+
+Note: health_check.url must point to a LOCAL port (the local side of the
+tunnel), not the remote forwarded port. For a reverse tunnel
+(remote_port=18000, local_port=8000), the correct health check URL is
+http://127.0.0.1:8000/... — NOT http://127.0.0.1:18000/...
+For SSE endpoints (MCP), use a non-streaming endpoint from the same service
+(e.g. the state-hub /state/health) since the health checker waits for the
+response to complete.
+
+
 DESIGN NOTES
 ------------
 
@@ -240,6 +278,9 @@ DESIGN NOTES
   audit traceability (FRS §5.7).
 - SSH command invoked: ssh -N -R remote_port:127.0.0.1:local_port
                            -i ssh_key ssh_user@host
+- ExitOnForwardFailure=yes is set, so SSH exits immediately if the remote
+  port is already in use. This is intentional — it forces a clean reconnect
+  rather than silently running without the port forward active.
 
 
 REPO STRUCTURE