diff --git a/electrum/keystore.py b/electrum/keystore.py
index 985654aa6..c1c1bff65 100644
--- a/electrum/keystore.py
+++ b/electrum/keystore.py
@@ -847,7 +847,13 @@ class Hardware_KeyStore(Xpub, KeyStore):
     def has_usable_connection_with_device(self) -> bool:
         if not hasattr(self, 'plugin'):
             return False
-        client = self.plugin.get_client(self, force_pair=False)
+        # we try to create a client even if there isn't one already,
+        # but do not prompt the user if auto-select fails:
+        client = self.plugin.get_client(
+            self,
+            force_pair=True,
+            allow_user_interaction=False,
+        )
         if client is None:
             return False
         return client.has_usable_connection_with_device()
diff --git a/electrum/wallet.py b/electrum/wallet.py
index f6867a324..e09bf8dc5 100644
--- a/electrum/wallet.py
+++ b/electrum/wallet.py
@@ -2100,6 +2100,9 @@ class Abstract_Wallet(AddressSynchronizer, ABC):
         tmp_tx = copy.deepcopy(tx)
         tmp_tx.add_info_from_wallet(self, include_xpubs=True)
         # sign. start with ready keystores.
+        # note: ks.ready_to_sign() side-effect: we trigger pairings with potential hw devices.
+        #       We only do this once, before the loop, however we could rescan after each iteration,
+        #       to see if the user connected/disconnected devices in the meantime.
         for k in sorted(self.get_keystores(), key=lambda ks: ks.ready_to_sign(), reverse=True):
             try:
                 if k.can_sign(tmp_tx):