diff --git a/crates/ironrdp-connector/src/connection_activation.rs b/crates/ironrdp-connector/src/connection_activation.rs
index 1c87b323d..fa053676e 100644
--- a/crates/ironrdp-connector/src/connection_activation.rs
+++ b/crates/ironrdp-connector/src/connection_activation.rs
@@ -118,6 +118,27 @@ impl Sequence for ConnectionActivationSequence {
                     );
                 }
 
+                // Some servers (e.g. GNOME Remote Desktop) send a ServerDeactivateAll PDU
+                // before ServerDemandActive as part of a Deactivation-Reactivation Sequence
+                // (MS-RDPBCGR §1.3.1.3). Skip it and stay in the same state to wait for
+                // the actual DemandActive PDU.
+                //
+                // The decoded PDU is intentionally discarded: the DeactivateAll body carries
+                // no payload we need during initial activation.
+                if matches!(
+                    share_control_ctx.pdu,
+                    rdp::headers::ShareControlPdu::ServerDeactivateAll(_)
+                ) {
+                    debug!(
+                        "Skipping Server Deactivate All PDU received during Capabilities Exchange, awaiting Server Demand Active"
+                    );
+                    self.state = ConnectionActivationState::CapabilitiesExchange {
+                        io_channel_id,
+                        user_channel_id,
+                    };
+                    return Ok(Written::Nothing);
+                }
+
                 let capability_sets = if let rdp::headers::ShareControlPdu::ServerDemandActive(server_demand_active) =
                     share_control_ctx.pdu
                 {
diff --git a/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/connection_activation.rs b/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/connection_activation.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79887d371
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/connection_activation.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
+use ironrdp_connector::connection_activation::{ConnectionActivationSequence, ConnectionActivationState};
+use ironrdp_connector::{Credentials, DesktopSize, Sequence as _, Written};
+use ironrdp_core::{WriteBuf, encode_vec};
+use ironrdp_pdu::gcc;
+use ironrdp_pdu::mcs::{McsMessage, SendDataIndication};
+use ironrdp_pdu::rdp::capability_sets::MajorPlatformType;
+use ironrdp_pdu::rdp::headers::{ServerDeactivateAll, ShareControlHeader, ShareControlPdu};
+use ironrdp_pdu::x224::X224;
+
+use ironrdp_testsuite_core::capsets::SERVER_DEMAND_ACTIVE;
+
+const USER_CHANNEL_ID: u16 = 1002;
+const IO_CHANNEL_ID: u16 = 1003;
+const SHARE_ID: u32 = 0x0001_0000;
+
+fn test_config() -> ironrdp_connector::Config {
+    ironrdp_connector::Config {
+        desktop_size: DesktopSize {
+            width: 1024,
+            height: 768,
+        },
+        desktop_scale_factor: 0,
+        enable_tls: true,
+        enable_credssp: false,
+        credentials: Credentials::UsernamePassword {
+            username: "test".into(),
+            password: "test".into(),
+        },
+        domain: None,
+        client_build: 0,
+        client_name: "test".into(),
+        keyboard_type: gcc::KeyboardType::IbmEnhanced,
+        keyboard_subtype: 0,
+        keyboard_layout: 0,
+        keyboard_functional_keys_count: 12,
+        ime_file_name: String::new(),
+        bitmap: None,
+        dig_product_id: String::new(),
+        client_dir: String::new(),
+        platform: MajorPlatformType::UNIX,
+        hardware_id: None,
+        request_data: None,
+        autologon: false,
+        enable_audio_playback: false,
+        license_cache: None,
+        compression_type: None,
+        enable_server_pointer: false,
+        pointer_software_rendering: false,
+        multitransport_flags: None,
+        performance_flags: Default::default(),
+        timezone_info: Default::default(),
+        alternate_shell: String::new(),
+        work_dir: String::new(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Encode a ShareControlPdu as a server-to-client SendDataIndication frame.
+fn encode_server_share_control(pdu: ShareControlPdu) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let share_control_header = ShareControlHeader {
+        share_control_pdu: pdu,
+        pdu_source: USER_CHANNEL_ID,
+        share_id: SHARE_ID,
+    };
+
+    let user_data = encode_vec(&share_control_header).unwrap();
+
+    let indication = McsMessage::SendDataIndication(SendDataIndication {
+        initiator_id: USER_CHANNEL_ID,
+        channel_id: IO_CHANNEL_ID,
+        user_data: Cow::Owned(user_data),
+    });
+
+    encode_vec(&X224(indication)).unwrap()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn deactivate_all_during_capabilities_exchange_stays_in_same_state() {
+    let config = test_config();
+    let mut seq = ConnectionActivationSequence::new(config, IO_CHANNEL_ID, USER_CHANNEL_ID);
+
+    let frame = encode_server_share_control(ShareControlPdu::ServerDeactivateAll(ServerDeactivateAll));
+    let mut output = WriteBuf::new();
+
+    let written = seq.step(&frame, &mut output).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(written, Written::Nothing);
+    assert!(
+        matches!(
+            seq.connection_activation_state(),
+            ConnectionActivationState::CapabilitiesExchange { .. }
+        ),
+        "state should remain CapabilitiesExchange after DeactivateAll"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn demand_active_after_deactivate_all_transitions_to_connection_finalization() {
+    let config = test_config();
+    let mut seq = ConnectionActivationSequence::new(config, IO_CHANNEL_ID, USER_CHANNEL_ID);
+    let mut output = WriteBuf::new();
+
+    // First: feed DeactivateAll
+    let deactivate_frame = encode_server_share_control(ShareControlPdu::ServerDeactivateAll(ServerDeactivateAll));
+    let written = seq.step(&deactivate_frame, &mut output).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(written, Written::Nothing);
+
+    // Then: feed ServerDemandActive
+    let demand_active_frame =
+        encode_server_share_control(ShareControlPdu::ServerDemandActive(SERVER_DEMAND_ACTIVE.clone()));
+    let written = seq.step(&demand_active_frame, &mut output).unwrap();
+
+    assert!(written != Written::Nothing, "should have written ClientConfirmActive");
+    assert!(
+        matches!(
+            seq.connection_activation_state(),
+            ConnectionActivationState::ConnectionFinalization { .. }
+        ),
+        "state should transition to ConnectionFinalization after DemandActive"
+    );
+}
diff --git a/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/mod.rs b/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/mod.rs
index 917dd2f6a..e9126d910 100644
--- a/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ironrdp-testsuite-core/tests/session/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 mod autodetect;
+mod connection_activation;
 mod rfx;
 
 #[cfg(test)]