diff --git a/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/drive/IInstance.py b/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/drive/IInstance.py
index 5267e4933..edc7568e4 100644
--- a/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/drive/IInstance.py
+++ b/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/drive/IInstance.py
@@ -156,13 +156,13 @@ def _files(self):
         description=(
             'Check the Google Drive connection and verify that the granted OAuth scopes cover the '
             "node's configured access tier. Call this when a Drive operation fails with a scope or "
-            'permission error. Returns connection_ok: true when the required scopes are present.'
+            'permission error. Returns connection_ok: true when the API probe succeeds and the required scopes are present.'
         ),
         input_schema={'type': 'object', 'properties': {}, 'required': []},
     )
     def check_connection(self, args: dict) -> dict:
         """Check Drive connection status and whether granted OAuth scopes cover the access tier. Read-only."""
-        return self._check_connection_impl()
+        return self._check_connection_impl(probe=lambda s: execute(s.about().get(fields='user')))
 
     # =======================================================================
     # FILES — read
diff --git a/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/gmail/IInstance.py b/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/gmail/IInstance.py
index 2b7e27534..3e8947708 100644
--- a/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/gmail/IInstance.py
+++ b/nodes/src/nodes/tool_google_workspace/gmail/IInstance.py
@@ -140,13 +140,19 @@ def _id_list(args: dict, key: str, op: str) -> list[str]:
             "Check the Gmail connection status and verify that the OAuth token's granted scopes "
             "cover the node's configured access tier. Call this when a Gmail operation fails with "
             'a scope or permission error, or before attempting settings-level operations for the '
-            'first time. Returns connection_ok: true when all required scopes are present.'
+            'first time. Returns connection_ok: true when the API probe succeeds and all required scopes are present.'
         ),
         input_schema={'type': 'object', 'properties': {}, 'required': []},
     )
     def check_connection(self, args: dict) -> dict:
         """Check Gmail connection status and whether granted OAuth scopes cover the configured access tier. Read-only."""
-        return self._check_connection_impl()
+
+        def probe(s):
+            if _GMAIL_SETTINGS_SCOPE in self._access().scopes:
+                return execute(s.users().settings().getPop(userId=USER_ID))
+            return execute(s.users().getProfile(userId=USER_ID))
+
+        return self._check_connection_impl(probe=probe)
 
     # =======================================================================
     # MESSAGES — read
diff --git a/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/drive/test_drive.py b/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/drive/test_drive.py
index 9a5dc5f64..7d665b1be 100644
--- a/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/drive/test_drive.py
+++ b/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/drive/test_drive.py
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ def drives(self):
     def changes(self):
         return _Node(self, 'changes')
 
+    def about(self):
+        return _Node(self, 'about')
+
     def call_for(self, op):
         """Return the kwargs of the FIRST recorded call to terminal method ``op``."""
         return next((kw for n, kw in self.calls if n == op), None)
@@ -729,6 +732,14 @@ def test_check_connection_reports_ok():
     assert out['connection_ok'] is True
     assert out['access'] == 'write'
     assert any('drive' in s for s in out['requiredScopes'])
+    assert inst.IGlobal.service.call_for('get')['fields'] == 'user'
+
+
+def test_check_connection_reports_drive_api_probe_failure():
+    inst = _make(results={'get': RuntimeError('Drive API disabled')})
+    out = inst.check_connection({})
+    assert out['connection_ok'] is False
+    assert 'Drive API disabled' in out['error']
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/gmail/test_gmail.py b/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/gmail/test_gmail.py
index 3d98257d3..edb6bc9b6 100644
--- a/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/gmail/test_gmail.py
+++ b/nodes/test/tool_google_workspace/gmail/test_gmail.py
@@ -569,9 +569,9 @@ def test_thread_modify_requires_labels():
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-def _inst_with_token(access_tier: str, token: dict | None) -> 'IInstance.IInstance':
+def _inst_with_token(access_tier: str, token: dict | None, results: dict | None = None) -> 'IInstance.IInstance':
     """Return an IInstance whose IGlobal.glb simulates a persisted user token."""
-    inst = make_inst(access_tier)
+    inst = make_inst(access_tier, results=results)
     token_json = json.dumps(token) if token is not None else ''
     inst.IGlobal.glb = types.SimpleNamespace(logicalType='tool_gmail', connConfig={})
     inst.IGlobal._token_cfg = {'authType': 'user', 'userToken': token_json}
@@ -597,6 +597,7 @@ def test_check_connection_missing_scope(monkeypatch):
     _patch_config(monkeypatch, inst)
     result = inst.check_connection({})
     assert not result['connection_ok']
+    assert inst.IGlobal.service.call_for('getPop')['userId'] == 'me'
     assert any('gmail.settings.basic' in s for s in result['missingScopes'])
     assert result['authType'] == 'user'
 
@@ -609,10 +610,26 @@ def test_check_connection_ok_with_full_scope(monkeypatch):
     _patch_config(monkeypatch, inst)
     result = inst.check_connection({})
     assert result['connection_ok']
+    assert inst.IGlobal.service.call_for('getPop')['userId'] == 'me'
     assert result.get('missingScopes', []) == []
     assert result['authType'] == 'user'
 
 
+def test_check_connection_reports_gmail_api_probe_failure(monkeypatch):
+    """check_connection reports disabled/unreachable Gmail API as not OK."""
+    mocks = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / 'mocks'
+    monkeypatch.syspath_prepend(str(mocks))
+    inst = _inst_with_token(
+        'settings',
+        {'access_token': 'tok', 'scope': 'https://mail.google.com/'},
+        results={'getPop': RuntimeError('Gmail API disabled')},
+    )
+    _patch_config(monkeypatch, inst)
+    result = inst.check_connection({})
+    assert result['connection_ok'] is False
+    assert 'Gmail API disabled' in result['error']
+
+
 def test_check_connection_readonly_satisfied_by_modify(monkeypatch):
     """A token granted gmail.modify covers the readonly tier (scope implication)."""
     mocks = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / 'mocks'