diff --git a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
index eafb650..93a926c 100644
--- a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
+++ b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
@@ -4031,6 +4031,17 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
     _maybeStartInitialChannelSync();
   }
 
+  /// Extract the additive `offband_caps` byte from a device-info reply.
+  ///
+  /// Offset verified against firmware MyMesh.cpp: the reply tail is three
+  /// consecutive `out_frame[i++]` writes — client_repeat (byte 80, v9+),
+  /// path_hash_mode (byte 81, v10+), offband_caps (byte 82, v14+). Bytes 80/81
+  /// are shipping/working (path-hash feature), so byte 82 is the adjacent next
+  /// byte by construction. Pre-v14 firmware sends a shorter frame -> null.
+  /// Bounds-checked: a truncated or hostile short frame never indexes OOB.
+  static int? parseOffbandCaps(Uint8List frame) =>
+      frame.length >= 83 ? frame[82] : null;
+
   void _handleDeviceInfo(Uint8List frame) {
     if (frame.length < 4) return;
     if (_shouldGateInitialChannelSync) {
@@ -4049,9 +4060,9 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
     } else {
       _pathHashByteWidth = 1;
     }
-    // Offband config capability v14+ (byte 82): offband_caps bitfield, appended
-    // after path_hash_mode (additive — older firmware sends a shorter frame).
-    _offbandCaps = frame.length >= 83 ? frame[82] : null;
+    // Offband config capability v14+ (byte 82). Extracted + bounds-checked in a
+    // testable helper; offset verified against firmware (see parseOffbandCaps).
+    _offbandCaps = parseOffbandCaps(frame);
 
     // Firmware reports MAX_CONTACTS / 2 for v3+ device info.
     final reportedContacts = frame[2];
diff --git a/test/connector/observer_caps_test.dart b/test/connector/observer_caps_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cba0801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/connector/observer_caps_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+// byte-82 offset + short-frame robustness for the device-info offband_caps
+// read (#64 N1, Gemini MAJOR #4).
+//
+// The offset itself is verified against firmware source (MyMesh.cpp writes
+// client_repeat@80, path_hash_mode@81, offband_caps@82 as consecutive
+// out_frame[i++]; bytes 80/81 are shipping). These tests pin the bounds guard
+// so a truncated or hostile short device-info frame can never index OOB, and
+// that byte 82 is read verbatim when present. A live observer node confirms
+// end-to-end at G2.
+
+import 'dart:typed_data';
+
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/connector/meshcore_connector.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/connector/observer_config_client.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  // A device-info frame of [len] bytes, byte 82 = [caps] when the frame is long
+  // enough to carry it.
+  Uint8List frame(int len, {int caps = 0}) {
+    final f = Uint8List(len);
+    if (len > 82) f[82] = caps;
+    return f;
+  }
+
+  group('parseOffbandCaps — offset 82 + short-frame robustness', () {
+    test('pre-v14 frame without the caps byte (len 82) -> null', () {
+      expect(MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(frame(82)), isNull);
+    });
+
+    test('len 83 reads byte 82 verbatim', () {
+      expect(MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(frame(83, caps: 0x01)), 0x01);
+      expect(MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(frame(83, caps: 0x00)), 0x00);
+      expect(MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(frame(90, caps: 0xFF)), 0xFF);
+    });
+
+    test('observer capability bit round-trips through supportsConfig', () {
+      final caps = MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(
+        frame(83, caps: ObserverConfigClient.capWifiObserver),
+      )!;
+      expect(
+        ObserverConfigClient.supportsConfig(
+          firmwareVerCode: ObserverConfigClient.minVerCode,
+          offbandCaps: caps,
+        ),
+        isTrue,
+      );
+    });
+
+    test('hostile/truncated short frames never throw, always null', () {
+      for (final n in [0, 1, 4, 80, 81, 82]) {
+        expect(
+          MeshCoreConnector.parseOffbandCaps(frame(n)),
+          isNull,
+          reason: 'frame length $n must not index byte 82',
+        );
+      }
+    });
+  });
+}