diff --git a/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua b/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua
index 8269631a..55fe8a39 100644
--- a/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua
+++ b/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua
@@ -1,15 +1,36 @@
-local impl = require "services.hal.backends.radio.providers.openwrt.impl"
 local file = require "fibers.io.file"
 
----Check whether OpenWrt UCI is available on this device.
+local function file_exists(path)
+    local f, _ = file.open(path, 'r')
+    if not f then return false end
+    f:close()
+    return true
+end
+
+local function path_has_command(name)
+    local path = os.getenv('PATH') or ''
+    for dir in path:gmatch('[^:]+') do
+        if file_exists(dir .. '/' .. name) then
+            return true
+        end
+    end
+    return false
+end
+
+local backend = {}
+
+function backend.new(...)
+    local impl = require "services.hal.backends.radio.providers.openwrt.impl"
+    return impl.new(...)
+end
+
+---Check whether OpenWrt UCI and iw are available on this device.
 ---@return boolean
 local function is_supported()
-    local f, _ = file.open('/etc/openwrt_release', 'r')
-    if f then f:close() return true end
-    return false
+    return file_exists('/etc/openwrt_release') and path_has_command('iw')
 end
 
 return {
     is_supported = is_supported,
-    backend      = impl,
+    backend      = backend,
 }
diff --git a/src/services/hal/drivers/radio.lua b/src/services/hal/drivers/radio.lua
index 03b30813..c88c6a5c 100644
--- a/src/services/hal/drivers/radio.lua
+++ b/src/services/hal/drivers/radio.lua
@@ -461,7 +461,12 @@ function RadioDriver:stats_loop()
     local connected      = {}
     local interfaces_set = {}
 
-    backend:start_client_monitor()
+    local ok, err = backend:start_client_monitor()
+
+    if not ok then
+        self.log:error({ what = 'radio_stats_loop_failed', id = id, err = err })
+        return
+    end
 
     fibers.current_scope():finally(function()
         if backend and backend.terminate then
@@ -486,7 +491,7 @@ function RadioDriver:stats_loop()
     end
 
     while true do
-        local name, val = fibers.perform(fibers.named_choice({
+        local name, val, choice_err = fibers.perform(fibers.named_choice({
             client_event = backend:watch_clients_op(),
             iface_update = self.iface_update_ch:get_op(),
             tick         = sleep.sleep_op(report_period),
@@ -501,7 +506,14 @@ function RadioDriver:stats_loop()
         elseif name == 'iface_update' then
             update_interfaces(val.op, val.name)
         elseif name == 'client_event' then
-            if val and interfaces_set[val.interface] then
+            if not val then
+                self.log:error({
+                    what = 'radio_stats_loop_failed',
+                    id = id,
+                    err = choice_err or 'client monitor stopped',
+                })
+                break
+            elseif interfaces_set[val.interface] then
                 on_client_event(emit_ch, id, connected, val)
             end
         elseif name == 'tick' then
diff --git a/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/Makefile b/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/Makefile
index 1a7cbe75..b1c2ca50 100644
--- a/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/Makefile
+++ b/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .PHONY: \
 	preflight fetch verify reset run wait provision provision-force ensure-mwan3 \
-	stop ssh smoke logs render-default-configs print-default-configs baseline test-baseline test-tc-veth test-lua-uci test-devicecode-uci-manager test-devicecode-uci-manager-async-activation test-devicecode-openwrt-no-blocking-os-io test-devicecode-exec-containment test-openwrt-uart-stty-coreutils test-openwrt-network-provider-apply test-openwrt-network-provider-async-activation test-openwrt-network-provider-fw4-schema test-openwrt-network-provider-snapshot test-openwrt-network-provider-live-snapshot test-openwrt-network-observer-event-ingress test-openwrt-network-provider-vlan-mwan-shaping test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights-fast test-openwrt-vm-generated-configs-expected test-openwrt-vm-mwan-connected test-openwrt-network-provider-segment-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-per-host-shaping test-openwrt-shaping-idempotent-apply test-openwrt-segment-shaping-modes test-openwrt-wan-mark-shaping-contract test-openwrt-wan-mark-upload-exemption test-openwrt-wan-mark-download-capability test-openwrt-shaping-fast test-openwrt-shaping-clean test-devicecode-wired-static-provider test-devicecode-full-stack-mock-hal test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-composition test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-broken-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-dhcp-dns test-openwrt-int-bridge-client-dhcp-dns test-openwrt-dnsmasq-multi-instance-resilience \
+	stop ssh smoke logs render-default-configs print-default-configs baseline test-baseline test-tc-veth test-lua-uci test-devicecode-uci-manager test-devicecode-uci-manager-async-activation test-devicecode-openwrt-no-blocking-os-io test-devicecode-exec-containment test-devicecode-radio-missing-iw-no-hammer test-openwrt-uart-stty-coreutils test-openwrt-network-provider-apply test-openwrt-network-provider-async-activation test-openwrt-network-provider-fw4-schema test-openwrt-network-provider-snapshot test-openwrt-network-provider-live-snapshot test-openwrt-network-observer-event-ingress test-openwrt-network-provider-vlan-mwan-shaping test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights-fast test-openwrt-vm-generated-configs-expected test-openwrt-vm-mwan-connected test-openwrt-network-provider-segment-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-per-host-shaping test-openwrt-shaping-idempotent-apply test-openwrt-segment-shaping-modes test-openwrt-wan-mark-shaping-contract test-openwrt-wan-mark-upload-exemption test-openwrt-wan-mark-download-capability test-openwrt-shaping-fast test-openwrt-shaping-clean test-devicecode-wired-static-provider test-devicecode-full-stack-mock-hal test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-composition test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-broken-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-dhcp-dns test-openwrt-int-bridge-client-dhcp-dns test-openwrt-dnsmasq-multi-instance-resilience \
 	setup-bridge-client-fabric teardown-bridge-client-fabric \
 	network-lab-fetch network-lab-start network-lab-wait network-lab-provision network-lab-sync network-lab-ssh network-lab-stop network-lab-test test-network-lab \
 	test openwrt-vm-test clean
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ test-devicecode-uci-manager-async-activation:
 test-devicecode-openwrt-no-blocking-os-io:
 	./tests/test_devicecode_openwrt_no_blocking_os_io.sh
 
+test-devicecode-radio-missing-iw-no-hammer:
+	./scripts/wait-ssh
+	./tests/test_devicecode_radio_missing_iw_no_hammer.sh
+
 test-openwrt-uart-stty-coreutils:
 	./scripts/wait-ssh
 	./tests/test_openwrt_uart_stty_coreutils.sh
@@ -269,7 +273,7 @@ test-scp:
 	grep -q devicecode-openwrt-vm "$$tmp.out"; \
 	rm -f "$$tmp" "$$tmp.out"
 
-test: test-baseline test-tc-veth test-lua-uci test-devicecode-uci-manager test-devicecode-uci-manager-async-activation test-devicecode-openwrt-no-blocking-os-io test-devicecode-exec-containment test-openwrt-uart-stty-coreutils test-openwrt-network-provider-apply test-openwrt-network-provider-async-activation test-openwrt-network-provider-fw4-schema test-openwrt-network-provider-snapshot test-openwrt-network-provider-live-snapshot test-openwrt-network-observer-event-ingress test-openwrt-network-provider-vlan-mwan-shaping test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights test-openwrt-vm-generated-configs-expected test-openwrt-vm-mwan-connected test-openwrt-network-provider-segment-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-per-host-shaping test-openwrt-shaping-idempotent-apply test-openwrt-segment-shaping-modes test-openwrt-wan-mark-shaping-contract test-openwrt-wan-mark-upload-exemption test-openwrt-wan-mark-download-capability test-devicecode-wired-static-provider test-devicecode-full-stack-mock-hal test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-composition test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-broken-trunk test-scp
+test: test-baseline test-tc-veth test-lua-uci test-devicecode-uci-manager test-devicecode-uci-manager-async-activation test-devicecode-openwrt-no-blocking-os-io test-devicecode-exec-containment test-devicecode-radio-missing-iw-no-hammer test-openwrt-uart-stty-coreutils test-openwrt-network-provider-apply test-openwrt-network-provider-async-activation test-openwrt-network-provider-fw4-schema test-openwrt-network-provider-snapshot test-openwrt-network-provider-live-snapshot test-openwrt-network-observer-event-ingress test-openwrt-network-provider-vlan-mwan-shaping test-openwrt-network-provider-mwan-live-weights test-openwrt-vm-generated-configs-expected test-openwrt-vm-mwan-connected test-openwrt-network-provider-segment-trunk test-openwrt-jan-client-per-host-shaping test-openwrt-shaping-idempotent-apply test-openwrt-segment-shaping-modes test-openwrt-wan-mark-shaping-contract test-openwrt-wan-mark-upload-exemption test-openwrt-wan-mark-download-capability test-devicecode-wired-static-provider test-devicecode-full-stack-mock-hal test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-composition test-devicecode-bigbox-phase1-broken-trunk test-scp
 
 openwrt-vm-test: preflight fetch verify stop reset run wait provision test
 
@@ -280,4 +284,3 @@ clean:
 test-devicecode-exec-containment:
 	@echo "==> devicecode exec containment"
 	@$(RUN) tests/test_devicecode_exec_containment.sh
-
diff --git a/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/tests/test_devicecode_radio_missing_iw_no_hammer.sh b/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/tests/test_devicecode_radio_missing_iw_no_hammer.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..d684d6ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/openwrt_vm/tests/test_devicecode_radio_missing_iw_no_hammer.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+set -eu
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd)"
+VM_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
+ROOT_DIR="$(CDPATH= cd -- "$VM_DIR/../../.." && pwd)"
+SSH="$VM_DIR/scripts/ssh"
+SCP_TO="$VM_DIR/scripts/scp-to"
+REMOTE="/tmp/devicecode-radio-missing-iw-test"
+WORK="$VM_DIR/work/radio-missing-iw-test"
+
+mkdir -p "$WORK"
+
+cat > "$WORK/run_devicecode_radio_missing_iw.lua" <<'LUA'
+package.path = table.concat({
+  './src/?.lua', './src/?/init.lua',
+  './vendor/lua-fibers/src/?.lua', './vendor/lua-fibers/src/?/init.lua',
+  './vendor/lua-bus/src/?.lua', './vendor/lua-bus/src/?/init.lua',
+  './vendor/lua-trie/src/?.lua', './vendor/lua-trie/src/?/init.lua',
+  package.path,
+}, ';')
+
+local fibers = require 'fibers'
+local provider = require 'services.hal.backends.radio.provider'
+
+local function fail(msg) error(msg, 2) end
+local function eq(a, b, msg)
+  if a ~= b then
+    fail((msg or 'values differ') .. ': expected ' .. tostring(b) .. ', got ' .. tostring(a))
+  end
+end
+
+fibers.run(function()
+  local backend, err = provider.new('radio0')
+
+  eq(backend, nil, 'radio backend should not be selected without iw in PATH')
+  assert(tostring(err or ''):match('no supported radio backend'), 'unexpected provider error: ' .. tostring(err))
+  eq(package.loaded['services.hal.backends.radio.providers.openwrt.impl'], nil,
+    'unsupported radio provider should not load the OpenWrt implementation')
+  print('devicecode radio missing iw no hammer: ok')
+end)
+LUA
+
+"$SSH" "rm -rf '$REMOTE'; mkdir -p '$REMOTE'"
+"$SSH" "mkdir -p '$REMOTE/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt' '$REMOTE/vendor/lua-fibers'"
+"$SCP_TO" "$ROOT_DIR/src/services/hal/backends/radio/provider.lua" "$REMOTE/src/services/hal/backends/radio/provider.lua"
+"$SCP_TO" "$ROOT_DIR/src/services/hal/backends/radio/contract.lua" "$REMOTE/src/services/hal/backends/radio/contract.lua"
+"$SCP_TO" "$ROOT_DIR/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua" "$REMOTE/src/services/hal/backends/radio/providers/openwrt/init.lua"
+"$SCP_TO" "$ROOT_DIR/vendor/lua-fibers/src" "$REMOTE/vendor/lua-fibers/src"
+"$SCP_TO" "$WORK/run_devicecode_radio_missing_iw.lua" "$REMOTE/run_devicecode_radio_missing_iw.lua"
+"$SSH" "mkdir -p /tmp/devicecode-no-iw-path && lua_bin=\"\$(command -v lua)\" && cd '$REMOTE' && PATH=/tmp/devicecode-no-iw-path \"\$lua_bin\" ./run_devicecode_radio_missing_iw.lua"
diff --git a/tests/run.lua b/tests/run.lua
index c6ee9e24..9e4862e9 100644
--- a/tests/run.lua
+++ b/tests/run.lua
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ local files = {
 	"unit.hal.uart_driver_spec",
 	"unit.hal.uart_manager_spec",
 	"unit.hal.network_manager_spec",
+	"unit.hal.radio_driver_spec",
 	"unit.hal.modem_linux_mm_spec",
 	"unit.hal.modem_qmi_spec",
 	"unit.hal.openwrt_network_observer_spec",
diff --git a/tests/unit/hal/radio_driver_spec.lua b/tests/unit/hal/radio_driver_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6caea0bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/hal/radio_driver_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+-- tests/unit/hal/radio_driver_spec.lua
+
+local tests = {}
+
+local function eq(a, b, msg)
+	if a ~= b then
+		error((msg or 'assertion failed') .. ': expected ' .. tostring(b) .. ', got ' .. tostring(a), 2)
+	end
+end
+
+function tests.test_stats_loop_stops_when_client_monitor_cannot_start()
+	local channel = require 'fibers.channel'
+	local runfibers = require 'tests.support.run_fibers'
+	local radio = require 'services.hal.drivers.radio'
+
+	runfibers.run(function ()
+		local start_calls = 0
+		local watch_calls = 0
+		local errors = {}
+
+		local backend = {
+			start_client_monitor = function ()
+				start_calls = start_calls + 1
+				return false, 'failed to start iw event: iw not found'
+			end,
+
+			watch_clients_op = function ()
+				watch_calls = watch_calls + 1
+				error('watch_clients_op should not be called after monitor startup failure', 2)
+			end,
+		}
+
+		local driver = setmetatable({
+			id = 'radio0',
+			cap_emit_ch = channel.new(4),
+			iface_update_ch = channel.new(4),
+			report_period_ch = channel.new(1),
+			backend = backend,
+			log = {
+				error = function (_, row)
+					errors[#errors + 1] = row
+				end,
+				debug = function () end,
+			},
+		}, radio.Driver)
+
+		driver:stats_loop()
+
+		eq(start_calls, 1, 'client monitor should only be started once')
+		eq(watch_calls, 0, 'stats loop should not watch clients after monitor startup failure')
+		eq(#errors, 1, 'startup failure should be logged once')
+		eq(errors[1].what, 'radio_stats_loop_failed', 'failure log event')
+		eq(errors[1].id, 'radio0', 'failure log id')
+	end, { timeout = 0.1 })
+end
+
+function tests.test_stats_loop_stops_when_client_monitor_stream_closes()
+	local channel = require 'fibers.channel'
+	local op = require 'fibers.op'
+	local runfibers = require 'tests.support.run_fibers'
+	local radio = require 'services.hal.drivers.radio'
+
+	runfibers.run(function ()
+		local start_calls = 0
+		local watch_calls = 0
+		local stop_calls = 0
+		local errors = {}
+
+		local backend = {
+			start_client_monitor = function ()
+				start_calls = start_calls + 1
+				return true, ''
+			end,
+
+			watch_clients_op = function ()
+				watch_calls = watch_calls + 1
+				return op.always(nil, 'iw event stream closed')
+			end,
+
+			stop_client_monitor_op = function ()
+				stop_calls = stop_calls + 1
+				return op.always(true, '')
+			end,
+
+			terminate = function () return true, nil end,
+		}
+
+		local driver = setmetatable({
+			id = 'radio0',
+			cap_emit_ch = channel.new(4),
+			iface_update_ch = channel.new(4),
+			report_period_ch = channel.new(1),
+			backend = backend,
+			log = {
+				error = function (_, row)
+					errors[#errors + 1] = row
+				end,
+				debug = function () end,
+			},
+		}, radio.Driver)
+
+		driver:stats_loop()
+
+		eq(start_calls, 1, 'client monitor should only be started once')
+		eq(watch_calls, 1, 'closed monitor stream should only be watched once')
+		eq(stop_calls, 1, 'started monitor should be stopped after stream failure')
+		eq(#errors, 1, 'stream failure should be logged once')
+		eq(errors[1].what, 'radio_stats_loop_failed', 'failure log event')
+		eq(errors[1].err, 'iw event stream closed', 'failure log err')
+	end, { timeout = 0.1 })
+end
+
+return tests