diff --git a/src/node/handlers/dispatch.rs b/src/node/handlers/dispatch.rs
index c441b5e..44707ce 100644
--- a/src/node/handlers/dispatch.rs
+++ b/src/node/handlers/dispatch.rs
@@ -67,8 +67,12 @@ impl Node {
     /// Handle a Disconnect notification from a peer.
     ///
     /// The peer is signaling an orderly departure. We immediately remove
-    /// them from all state rather than waiting for timeout detection.
-    fn handle_disconnect(&mut self, from: &NodeAddr, payload: &[u8]) {
+    /// them from all state rather than waiting for timeout detection, and
+    /// schedule a reconnect if the peer is configured as auto-connect.
+    /// Without this, a graceful upstream shutdown orphans auto-connect
+    /// entries — other removal paths (link-dead, decrypt failure, peer
+    /// restart) all schedule reconnect.
+    pub(in crate::node) fn handle_disconnect(&mut self, from: &NodeAddr, payload: &[u8]) {
         let disconnect = match crate::protocol::Disconnect::decode(payload) {
             Ok(msg) => msg,
             Err(e) => {
@@ -83,7 +87,13 @@ impl Node {
             "Peer sent disconnect notification"
         );
 
+        let addr = *from;
         self.remove_active_peer(from);
+        let now_ms = std::time::SystemTime::now()
+            .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+            .map(|d| d.as_millis() as u64)
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        self.schedule_reconnect(addr, now_ms);
     }
 
     /// Remove an active peer and clean up all associated state.
diff --git a/src/node/tests/unit.rs b/src/node/tests/unit.rs
index 015762e..97d1ac1 100644
--- a/src/node/tests/unit.rs
+++ b/src/node/tests/unit.rs
@@ -801,6 +801,43 @@ fn test_schedule_reconnect_fresh_state() {
     assert_eq!(state.retry_after_ms, 1_000 + expected_delay);
 }
 
+/// Test that a graceful Disconnect from an auto-connect peer schedules reconnect.
+///
+/// Regression test for issue #60: `handle_disconnect` previously called
+/// `remove_active_peer` without `schedule_reconnect`, orphaning auto-connect
+/// entries on a clean upstream shutdown. Other peer-removal paths (link-dead,
+/// decrypt failure, peer restart) all schedule reconnect.
+#[test]
+fn test_disconnect_schedules_reconnect() {
+    use crate::protocol::{Disconnect, DisconnectReason};
+
+    let peer_identity = Identity::generate();
+    let peer_npub = peer_identity.npub();
+    let peer_node_addr = *PeerIdentity::from_npub(&peer_npub).unwrap().node_addr();
+
+    let mut config = Config::new();
+    config.peers.push(crate::config::PeerConfig::new(
+        peer_npub,
+        "udp",
+        "10.0.0.2:2121",
+    ));
+
+    let mut node = Node::new(config).unwrap();
+
+    let payload = Disconnect::new(DisconnectReason::Shutdown).encode();
+    node.handle_disconnect(&peer_node_addr, &payload);
+
+    let state = node
+        .retry_pending
+        .get(&peer_node_addr)
+        .expect("handle_disconnect should schedule reconnect for auto-connect peer");
+    assert!(state.reconnect, "Entry should be marked as reconnect");
+    assert_eq!(
+        state.retry_count, 0,
+        "Fresh reconnect after disconnect should start at count=0"
+    );
+}
+
 /// Test that promote_connection clears retry_pending.
 #[test]
 fn test_promote_clears_retry_pending() {