diff --git a/src/backend/database/routes/host-normalizers.ts b/src/backend/database/routes/host-normalizers.ts
index f02a1ba1b..d4fa9cb97 100644
--- a/src/backend/database/routes/host-normalizers.ts
+++ b/src/backend/database/routes/host-normalizers.ts
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ export function stripSensitiveFields(
 // Connection essentials a connect-level recipient is allowed to see.
 const CONNECT_LEVEL_FIELDS = new Set([
   "id",
+  "syncId",
   "userId",
   "ownerId",
   "ownerUsername",
diff --git a/src/backend/sync/server/routes.ts b/src/backend/sync/server/routes.ts
index a6cfa5c0e..5e5177efe 100644
--- a/src/backend/sync/server/routes.ts
+++ b/src/backend/sync/server/routes.ts
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ router.get("/v2/events", authenticateJWT, (req: Request, res: Response) => {
  * /sync/v2/hosts/{syncId}:
  *   get:
  *     summary: This server's id for a host, by its sync id
- *     description: For a linked desktop that asks the server to act on a host (a tunnel through it), which needs the server's own id. Only for hosts the caller can see.
+ *     description: For a linked desktop that asks the server to act on a host (a tunnel through it), which needs the server's own id. Only for hosts the caller can connect to.
  *     tags:
  *       - Sync
  *     parameters:
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ router.get("/v2/events", authenticateJWT, (req: Request, res: Response) => {
  *       200:
  *         description: The host's id and name.
  *       404:
- *         description: No such host the caller can see.
+ *         description: No such host the caller can connect to.
  */
 router.get(
   "/v2/hosts/:syncId",
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ router.get(
       const access = await PermissionManager.getInstance().canAccessHost(
         userId,
         hostId,
-        "view",
+        "connect",
       );
       if (!access.hasAccess)
         return res.status(404).json({ error: "Not found" });
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-normalizers.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-normalizers.test.ts
index 6a0655b23..f94e31dd0 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-normalizers.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-normalizers.test.ts
@@ -497,3 +497,11 @@ describe("transformHostResponse terminal fields", () => {
     expect(shared.terminalConfig).toEqual({ keepaliveInterval: 9 });
   });
 });
+
+it("preserves a shared host sync identity for connect-only recipients", () => {
+  const result = sanitizeHostForRecipient(
+    { id: 9, syncId: "remote-host-41", password: "secret", notes: "private" },
+    "connect",
+  );
+  expect(result).toEqual({ id: 9, syncId: "remote-host-41" });
+});
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/sync/server/host-lookup.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/sync/server/host-lookup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f410f6d0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/tests/sync/server/host-lookup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const { findHostIdBySyncId, canAccessHost } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  findHostIdBySyncId: vi.fn(),
+  canAccessHost: vi.fn(),
+}));
+vi.mock("../../../utils/auth-manager.js", () => ({
+  AuthManager: { getInstance: () => ({ createAuthMiddleware: () => vi.fn() }) },
+}));
+vi.mock("../../../utils/logger.js", () => ({ syncLogger: { error: vi.fn() } }));
+vi.mock("../../../utils/app-version.js", () => ({ getLocalVersion: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../../../plugins/index.js", () => ({ getPluginRuntime: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("../../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
+  createCurrentHostResolutionRepository: () => ({ findHostIdBySyncId }),
+  createCurrentHostRepository: () => ({
+    findById: async () => ({ name: "Shared host" }),
+  }),
+}));
+vi.mock("../../../utils/permission-manager.js", () => ({
+  PermissionManager: { getInstance: () => ({ canAccessHost }) },
+}));
+vi.mock("../../../sync/entities.js", () => ({
+  registerCoreSyncEntities: vi.fn(),
+}));
+vi.mock("../../../sync/records.js", () => ({}));
+vi.mock("../../../sync/server/feed.js", () => ({}));
+vi.mock("../../../sync/server/push.js", () => ({}));
+vi.mock("../../../database/routes/branding-settings.js", () => ({}));
+
+import router from "../../../sync/server/routes.js";
+
+const route = router.stack.find(
+  (layer) => layer.route?.path === "/v2/hosts/:syncId",
+)!.route!;
+const handler = route.stack[route.stack.length - 1].handle;
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+  findHostIdBySyncId.mockResolvedValue(41);
+  canAccessHost.mockImplementation(async (_user, _host, action) => ({
+    hasAccess: action === "connect",
+  }));
+});
+
+async function lookup() {
+  const res = { status: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(), json: vi.fn() };
+  await handler(
+    { userId: "recipient", params: { syncId: "host-sync-id" } } as never,
+    res as never,
+    vi.fn(),
+  );
+  return res;
+}
+
+it("resolves the server ID for a connect-only recipient", async () => {
+  const res = await lookup();
+  expect(findHostIdBySyncId).toHaveBeenCalledWith("host-sync-id");
+  expect(canAccessHost).toHaveBeenCalledWith("recipient", 41, "connect");
+  expect(res.json).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ id: 41, name: "Shared host" });
+});
+
+it("does not disclose a host the caller cannot connect to", async () => {
+  canAccessHost.mockResolvedValue({ hasAccess: false });
+  const res = await lookup();
+  expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(404);
+  expect(res.json).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ error: "Not found" });
+});
+
+it("returns 404 for a missing sync ID", async () => {
+  findHostIdBySyncId.mockResolvedValue(null);
+  const res = await lookup();
+  expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(404);
+  expect(canAccessHost).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});