diff --git a/backend/app/services/device_discovery.py b/backend/app/services/device_discovery.py
index 8651513..3a285da 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/device_discovery.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/device_discovery.py
@@ -633,6 +633,8 @@ async def discover_via_ssh(
             )
 
         rack_hostname = external_id
+        rack_ssh_ok = False
+        config_text = None
         try:
             config_text = await _read_remote_config(
                 host=rack_host,
@@ -644,13 +646,12 @@ async def discover_via_ssh(
             rack_ssh_ok = True
         except Exception as exc:
             result.errors.append(f"SSH to {rack_host} failed: {exc}")
-            rack_ssh_ok = False
-            config_text = None
+
         logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] Processing rack {rack_host} ({rack_hostname}), ssh_ok={rack_ssh_ok}, in_db={existing_rack_pc is not None}")
-        # Reuse existing_rack_pc (queried before SSH) — same identity map object
-        existing_rack = existing_rack_pc
+
         try:
-            if existing_rack is None:
+            if existing_rack_pc is None:
+                # New device — insert with status based on SSH result
                 db.add(Device(
                     object_id=obj.id,
                     ip=rack_host,
@@ -663,7 +664,7 @@ async def discover_via_ssh(
                     last_seen=now if rack_ssh_ok else None,
                 ))
                 status_str = "online" if rack_ssh_ok else "unknown"
-                logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({rack_hostname}) - ADDED: category=embedded, role=other, hostname={rack_hostname}, status={status_str}, source=auto_ssh")
+                logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({rack_hostname}) - ADDED: status={status_str}")
                 result.created += 1
                 result.actions.append(DeviceAction(
                     ip=rack_host,
@@ -676,40 +677,40 @@ async def discover_via_ssh(
             else:
                 rack_changes = []
                 if rack_ssh_ok:
-                    # SSH succeeded → update status and last_seen
-                    if existing_rack.status != "online":
-                        existing_rack.status = "online"
+                    if existing_rack_pc.status != "online":
+                        existing_rack_pc.status = "online"
                         rack_changes.append("status: →online")
-                    existing_rack.last_seen = now
-                    rack_changes.append(f"last_seen: →{now.isoformat()}")
-                if existing_rack.rack_id is None and rack_id_mapping.get(external_id) is not None:
-                    existing_rack.rack_id = rack_id_mapping[external_id]
-                    rack_changes.append(f"rack_id: None→{existing_rack.rack_id}")
+                    existing_rack_pc.last_seen = now
+                    rack_changes.append("last_seen: updated")
+                if existing_rack_pc.rack_id is None and rack_id_mapping.get(external_id) is not None:
+                    existing_rack_pc.rack_id = rack_id_mapping[external_id]
+                    rack_changes.append(f"rack_id: None→{existing_rack_pc.rack_id}")
                 if rack_changes:
-                    logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({existing_rack.hostname}) - UPDATED: {', '.join(rack_changes)}")
+                    logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({existing_rack_pc.hostname}) - UPDATED: {', '.join(rack_changes)}")
                     result.updated += 1
                     result.actions.append(DeviceAction(
                         ip=rack_host,
-                        hostname=existing_rack.hostname,
+                        hostname=existing_rack_pc.hostname,
                         action="UPDATED",
                         reason="; ".join(rack_changes),
-                        category=existing_rack.category,
-                        role=existing_rack.role,
+                        category=existing_rack_pc.category,
+                        role=existing_rack_pc.role,
                     ))
                 else:
-                    logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({existing_rack.hostname}) - SKIPPED: rack already exists in devices")
+                    reason = "SSH failed, rack already in DB" if not rack_ssh_ok else "rack already up to date"
+                    logger.info(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} ({existing_rack_pc.hostname}) - SKIPPED: {reason}")
                     result.skipped += 1
                     result.actions.append(DeviceAction(
                         ip=rack_host,
-                        hostname=existing_rack.hostname,
+                        hostname=existing_rack_pc.hostname,
                         action="SKIPPED",
-                        reason="rack already exists in devices",
-                        category=existing_rack.category,
-                        role=existing_rack.role,
+                        reason=reason,
+                        category=existing_rack_pc.category,
+                        role=existing_rack_pc.role,
                     ))
         except Exception as exc:
-            logger.error(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} - ERROR adding rack: {exc}")
-            result.errors.append(f"Error adding rack {rack_host}: {exc}")
+            logger.error(f"[ssh_discovery] {rack_host} - ERROR: {exc}")
+            result.errors.append(f"Error processing rack {rack_host}: {exc}")
             result.actions.append(DeviceAction(
                 ip=rack_host,
                 hostname=rack_hostname,
@@ -718,6 +719,7 @@ async def discover_via_ssh(
                 category="embedded",
                 role="other",
             ))
+
         if not rack_ssh_ok:
             try:
                 await db.flush()