diff --git a/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/accesslogs/accesslogentry.go b/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/accesslogs/accesslogentry.go
index d6be404c2..684e5502e 100644
--- a/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/accesslogs/accesslogentry.go
+++ b/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/accesslogs/accesslogentry.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package accesslogs
 
 import (
+	"maps"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
 	"time"
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ func (a *AccessLogEntry) FromProto(serviceLog *proto.AccessLog) {
 	a.BytesDownload = serviceLog.GetBytesDownload()
 	a.Protocol = AccessLogProtocol(serviceLog.GetProtocol())
 	if m := serviceLog.GetMetadata(); len(m) > 0 {
-		a.Metadata = m
+		a.Metadata = maps.Clone(m)
 	}
 
 	if sourceIP := serviceLog.GetSourceIp(); sourceIP != "" {
diff --git a/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/proxy/manager/manager.go b/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/proxy/manager/manager.go
index 08d1e10bb..d13334e83 100644
--- a/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/proxy/manager/manager.go
+++ b/management/internals/modules/reverseproxy/proxy/manager/manager.go
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ func (m Manager) ClusterRequireSubdomain(ctx context.Context, clusterAddr string
 	return m.store.GetClusterRequireSubdomain(ctx, clusterAddr)
 }
 
-// ClusterSupportsCrowdSec returns whether any active proxy in the cluster
-// has CrowdSec configured. Returns nil when no proxy has reported capabilities.
+// ClusterSupportsCrowdSec returns whether all active proxies in the cluster
+// have CrowdSec configured (unanimous). Returns nil when no proxy has reported capabilities.
 func (m Manager) ClusterSupportsCrowdSec(ctx context.Context, clusterAddr string) *bool {
 	return m.store.GetClusterSupportsCrowdSec(ctx, clusterAddr)
 }
diff --git a/proxy/internal/auth/middleware.go b/proxy/internal/auth/middleware.go
index 7dfdda883..f1d1fcc59 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/auth/middleware.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/auth/middleware.go
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ func (mw *Middleware) checkIPRestrictions(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request
 	if verdict.IsCrowdSec() {
 		if cd := proxy.CapturedDataFromContext(r.Context()); cd != nil {
 			cd.SetMetadata("crowdsec_verdict", verdict.String())
+			if config.IPRestrictions.IsObserveOnly(verdict) {
+				cd.SetMetadata("crowdsec_mode", "observe")
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/proxy/internal/crowdsec/bouncer.go b/proxy/internal/crowdsec/bouncer.go
index edd76cb25..06a452520 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/crowdsec/bouncer.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/crowdsec/bouncer.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package crowdsec
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"net/netip"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -83,6 +84,11 @@ func (b *Bouncer) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 
 	b.lifeMu.Lock()
+	if b.cancel != nil {
+		b.lifeMu.Unlock()
+		cancel()
+		return errors.New("bouncer already started")
+	}
 	b.cancel = cancel
 	b.done = done
 	b.lifeMu.Unlock()
diff --git a/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict.go b/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict.go
index 7e9f90a58..f3e0fa695 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict.go
@@ -174,7 +174,12 @@ func (v Verdict) String() string {
 
 // IsCrowdSec returns true when the verdict originates from a CrowdSec check.
 func (v Verdict) IsCrowdSec() bool {
-	return v >= DenyCrowdSecBan && v <= DenyCrowdSecUnavailable
+	switch v {
+	case DenyCrowdSecBan, DenyCrowdSecCaptcha, DenyCrowdSecThrottle, DenyCrowdSecUnavailable:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
 }
 
 // IsObserveOnly returns true when v is a CrowdSec verdict and the filter is in
@@ -306,5 +311,5 @@ func (f *Filter) HasRestrictions() bool {
 	}
 	return len(f.AllowedCIDRs) > 0 || len(f.BlockedCIDRs) > 0 ||
 		len(f.AllowedCountries) > 0 || len(f.BlockedCountries) > 0 ||
-		(f.CrowdSec != nil && f.CrowdSecMode != CrowdSecOff)
+		f.CrowdSecMode == CrowdSecEnforce || f.CrowdSecMode == CrowdSecObserve
 }
diff --git a/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict_test.go b/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict_test.go
index ebb85e888..398025cee 100644
--- a/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict_test.go
+++ b/proxy/internal/restrict/restrict_test.go
@@ -403,4 +403,9 @@ func TestFilter_HasRestrictions_CrowdSec(t *testing.T) {
 	cs := &mockCrowdSec{ready: true}
 	f := ParseFilter(FilterConfig{CrowdSec: cs, CrowdSecMode: CrowdSecEnforce})
 	assert.True(t, f.HasRestrictions())
+
+	// Enforce mode without checker (LAPI not configured): still has restrictions
+	// because Check() will fail-closed with DenyCrowdSecUnavailable.
+	f2 := ParseFilter(FilterConfig{CrowdSec: nil, CrowdSecMode: CrowdSecEnforce})
+	assert.True(t, f2.HasRestrictions())
 }