diff --git a/lib/jeannie/commands.sh b/lib/jeannie/commands.sh
index 7acbd39..750eea9 100644
--- a/lib/jeannie/commands.sh
+++ b/lib/jeannie/commands.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ rebuild_cluster() {
 }
 
 nuke_for_rebuild() {
-    LAB_NUKE_SKIP_CONFIRM=true nuke
+    LAB_NUKE_SKIP_CONFIRM=true LAB_NUKE_ALLOW_REMOTE_CLEANUP_FAILURES=true nuke
 }
 
 cluster_worker_targets() {
@@ -455,6 +455,18 @@ start_cluster() {
     echo "Kubernetes runtime start requested. Use 'kubectl get nodes -o wide' to watch readiness."
 }
 
+nuke_remote_cleanup_failed() {
+    local target="$1"
+
+    if truthy "${LAB_NUKE_ALLOW_REMOTE_CLEANUP_FAILURES:-false}"; then
+        echo "Warning: remote cleanup failed for ${target}; continuing because rebuild will destroy and recreate generated worker VMs." >&2
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo "Remote cleanup failed for ${target}; not deleting OpenTofu state." >&2
+    return 1
+}
+
 kubernetes_api_reachable() {
     kubectl --kubeconfig "${KUBECONFIG_PATH}" get --raw=/readyz >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
@@ -1818,8 +1830,7 @@ sudo systemctl reset-failed kubelet containerd 2>/dev/null || true
 sudo systemctl start containerd 2>/dev/null || true
 EOF
         then
-            echo "Remote cleanup failed for ${target}; not deleting OpenTofu state." >&2
-            exit 1
+            nuke_remote_cleanup_failed "${target}" || exit 1
         fi
     done
 
diff --git a/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh b/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
index 17dbe60..170d944 100644
--- a/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
+++ b/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
@@ -2946,6 +2946,18 @@ cleanup_iptables() {
     fi
 }
 
+restore_docker_networking_after_iptables_cleanup() {
+    if ! command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+    if ! systemctl is-active --quiet docker 2>/dev/null; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    echo "Restarting Docker to restore published-port iptables rules after Kubernetes cleanup..."
+    sudo systemctl restart docker
+}
+
 cleanup_calico_runtime_files() {
     local path
 
@@ -3009,6 +3021,7 @@ cleanup_node() {
 
     cleanup_iptables
     cleanup_calico_links
+    restore_docker_networking_after_iptables_cleanup
     restore_node_dns
 
     sudo mkdir -p /etc/containerd/certs.d
diff --git a/tests/jeannie-unit b/tests/jeannie-unit
index e91ae3e..8c976c5 100755
--- a/tests/jeannie-unit
+++ b/tests/jeannie-unit
@@ -170,6 +170,22 @@ test_cluster_worker_targets_include_pimox_and_manual_workers() {
     assert_eq "cluster targets include generated Pimox workers" "jv@192.168.100.66,jv@192.168.100.67,jv@192.168.100.76,jv@192.168.100.99" "${targets}"
 }
 
+test_nuke_remote_cleanup_failure_blocks_state_delete_by_default() {
+    unset LAB_NUKE_ALLOW_REMOTE_CLEANUP_FAILURES
+    assert_command_failure_contains \
+        "nuke remote cleanup failure blocks state delete by default" \
+        "not deleting OpenTofu state" \
+        nuke_remote_cleanup_failed "jv@192.168.100.67"
+}
+
+test_nuke_remote_cleanup_failure_can_continue_for_rebuild() {
+    LAB_NUKE_ALLOW_REMOTE_CLEANUP_FAILURES=true
+    assert_command_success \
+        "nuke remote cleanup failure can continue for rebuild" \
+        nuke_remote_cleanup_failed "jv@192.168.100.67"
+    unset LAB_NUKE_ALLOW_REMOTE_CLEANUP_FAILURES
+}
+
 test_prepare_cluster_worker_var_file_merges_manual_and_pimox_workers() {
     unset LAB_INCLUDE_RASPBERRY_WORKER
     LAB_INCLUDE_MANUAL_WORKERS=true
@@ -403,6 +419,8 @@ test_pimox_worker_count_detects_generated_topology
 test_configured_worker_count_cannot_hide_existing_workers
 test_configured_worker_count_can_expand_target_set
 test_cluster_worker_targets_include_pimox_and_manual_workers
+test_nuke_remote_cleanup_failure_blocks_state_delete_by_default
+test_nuke_remote_cleanup_failure_can_continue_for_rebuild
 test_prepare_cluster_worker_var_file_merges_manual_and_pimox_workers
 test_prepare_cluster_worker_var_file_excludes_manual_by_default
 test_prepare_cluster_worker_var_file_can_include_raspberry_worker