diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index b921f71..1decc11 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ pub struct DeployAndWaitArgs {
     #[arg(long = "observer-host")]
     pub observer_host: Option<String>,
 
-    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified)
+    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified).
+    /// The observer HTTP port is this value + 1. For a standalone node (no separate observer),
+    /// pass an observer port whose +1 equals the node's HTTP port.
     #[arg(long = "observer-port")]
     pub observer_port: Option<u16>,
 
@@ -569,7 +571,9 @@ pub struct BondValidatorArgs {
     #[arg(long = "observer-host")]
     pub observer_host: Option<String>,
 
-    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified)
+    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified).
+    /// The observer HTTP port is this value + 1. For a standalone node (no separate observer),
+    /// pass an observer port whose +1 equals the node's HTTP port.
     #[arg(long = "observer-port")]
     pub observer_port: Option<u16>,
 
@@ -666,7 +670,9 @@ pub struct TransferArgs {
     #[arg(long = "observer-host")]
     pub observer_host: Option<String>,
 
-    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified)
+    /// Observer node gRPC port for finalization checks (falls back to 40452 if not specified).
+    /// The observer HTTP port is this value + 1. For a standalone node (no separate observer),
+    /// pass an observer port whose +1 equals the node's HTTP port.
     #[arg(long = "observer-port")]
     pub observer_port: Option<u16>,
 
diff --git a/src/connection_manager.rs b/src/connection_manager.rs
index 2b04048..8b19f9e 100644
--- a/src/connection_manager.rs
+++ b/src/connection_manager.rs
@@ -268,38 +268,73 @@ impl F1r3flyConnectionManager {
         total_timeout_secs: u64,
         poll_interval_secs: u64,
     ) -> Result<Option<crate::f1r3fly_api::DeployFinalizationStatus>, ConnectionError> {
-        let api = self.observer_api()?;
+        let observer_api = self.observer_api()?;
+        let node_api = self.api();
         let http_port = self.observer_http_port();
         let max_attempts = (total_timeout_secs / poll_interval_secs.max(1)).max(1) as u32;
 
         for attempt in 1..=max_attempts {
-            match api
+            match observer_api
                 .deploy_finalization_status(deploy_sig_hex, http_port)
                 .await
             {
-                Ok(Some(status)) => {
-                    if status.is_terminal() {
-                        tracing::debug!(
-                            deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
-                            state = %status.state,
-                            attempt,
-                            "Deploy reached terminal state"
-                        );
-                        return Ok(Some(status));
-                    }
+                Ok(Some(status)) if status.is_terminal() => {
+                    tracing::debug!(
+                        deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
+                        state = %status.state,
+                        attempt,
+                        "Deploy reached terminal state"
+                    );
+                    return Ok(Some(status));
                 }
+                // Non-terminal status — keep polling to the next attempt.
+                Ok(Some(_)) => {}
                 Ok(None) => {
                     // 404 — endpoint not available on this node version.
                     // Caller falls back to legacy flow.
                     return Ok(None);
                 }
                 Err(e) => {
-                    tracing::warn!(
-                        deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
-                        attempt,
-                        error = %e,
-                        "deploy-finalization-status query failed; will retry"
-                    );
+                    // Observer is unavailable => fallback to deploy-node (its HTTP port).
+                    match &node_api {
+                        Ok(na) => {
+                            match na
+                                .deploy_finalization_status(deploy_sig_hex, self.config.http_port)
+                                .await
+                            {
+                                Ok(Some(status)) if status.is_terminal() => {
+                                    tracing::debug!(
+                                        deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
+                                        state = %status.state,
+                                        attempt,
+                                        "Deploy reached terminal state (node API)"
+                                    );
+                                    return Ok(Some(status));
+                                }
+                                // Non-terminal status from node API is expected while polling.
+                                // Keep silent and continue to the next poll attempt.
+                                Ok(Some(_)) => {}
+                                Ok(None) => return Ok(None),
+                                Err(node_err) => {
+                                    tracing::warn!(
+                                        deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
+                                        attempt,
+                                        observer_error = %e,
+                                        node_error = %node_err,
+                                        "deploy-finalization-status failed on observer and fallback node; will retry"
+                                    );
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                        Err(_) => {
+                            tracing::warn!(
+                                deploy_sig = deploy_sig_hex,
+                                attempt,
+                                observer_error = %e,
+                                "deploy-finalization-status failed on observer and no fallback node connection; will retry"
+                            );
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }