diff --git a/src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_retreat_to_cover.cpp b/src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_retreat_to_cover.cpp
index 218b61624f..e95668a1c1 100644
--- a/src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_retreat_to_cover.cpp
+++ b/src/game/server/neo/bot/behavior/neo_bot_retreat_to_cover.cpp
@@ -351,9 +351,18 @@ ActionResult< CNEOBot >	CNEOBotRetreatToCover::Update( CNEOBot *me, float interv
 
 		m_waitInCoverTimer.Reset();
 
-		if ( !m_path.IsValid() )
+		if ( !m_path.IsValid() && !CNEOBotPathCompute( me, m_path, m_coverArea->GetCenter(), RETREAT_ROUTE ) )
 		{
-			CNEOBotPathCompute( me, m_path, m_coverArea->GetCenter(), RETREAT_ROUTE );
+			// cover we have no path to is no cover: pick another spot, or stop retreating when the pick repeats
+			CNavArea *pUnreachableArea = m_coverArea;
+			m_coverArea = FindCoverArea( me );
+
+			if ( m_coverArea == NULL || m_coverArea == pUnreachableArea )
+			{
+				return Done( "No path to my cover" );
+			}
+
+			return Continue();
 		}
 
 		m_path.Update( me );
diff --git a/src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot_path_compute.cpp b/src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot_path_compute.cpp
index ff4e1457c3..2fb7d84db2 100644
--- a/src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot_path_compute.cpp
+++ b/src/game/server/neo/bot/neo_bot_path_compute.cpp
@@ -34,10 +34,38 @@ static void CNEOBotReservePath(CNEOBot* me, PathFollower& path)
 	}
 }
 
+// The last leg walks from the last area the path reached to the goal position,
+// and the path follower takes a goal more than a jump above that area's floor as a fall (FAIL_FELL_OFF)
+static bool IsGoalLegTooHigh(CNEOBot* bot, const PathFollower& path)
+{
+	const Path::Segment* goalSeg = path.LastSegment();
+	const Path::Segment* legStart = path.PriorSegment(goalSeg);
+	if (!legStart || !legStart->area)
+	{
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	// a planned jump-up, gap jump, drop or ladder carries the bot along this leg
+	if (legStart->type != Path::ON_GROUND || goalSeg->type != Path::ON_GROUND)
+	{
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	const float rise = goalSeg->pos.z - legStart->area->GetZ(goalSeg->pos);
+	return rise > bot->GetLocomotionInterface()->GetMaxJumpHeight();
+}
+
 // A path that stops short of the goal is only wanted if the caller asked for partial paths
-static bool IsPathUsable(const PathFollower& path, bool reachedGoal, bool includeGoalIfPathFails)
+static bool IsPathUsable(CNEOBot* bot, const PathFollower& path, bool reachedGoal, bool includeGoalIfPathFails)
 {
-	return path.IsValid() && (reachedGoal || includeGoalIfPathFails);
+	// Path::Compute can take an area below the goal for the goal's own, as CNavArea::Contains skips areas outside its height range,
+	// so a complete path's last leg is checked too
+	if (!path.IsValid() || IsGoalLegTooHigh(bot, path))
+	{
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return reachedGoal || includeGoalIfPathFails;
 }
 
 // By default, assumes that we would prefer to have partial paths even if we can't make a full path
@@ -49,7 +77,7 @@ bool CNEOBotPathCompute(CNEOBot* bot, PathFollower& path, const Vector& goal, Ro
 
 	CNEOBotPathCost cost_with_reservations(bot, route);
 	bool reachedGoal = path.Compute(bot, goal, cost_with_reservations, maxPathLength, includeGoalIfPathFails, requireGoalArea);
-	if (IsPathUsable(path, reachedGoal, includeGoalIfPathFails))
+	if (IsPathUsable(bot, path, reachedGoal, includeGoalIfPathFails))
 	{
 		CNEOBotReservePath(bot, path);
 		return true;
@@ -58,7 +86,7 @@ bool CNEOBotPathCompute(CNEOBot* bot, PathFollower& path, const Vector& goal, Ro
 	CNEOBotPathCost cost_without_reservations(bot, FASTEST_ROUTE);
 	cost_without_reservations.m_bIgnoreReservations = true;
 	reachedGoal = path.Compute(bot, goal, cost_without_reservations, maxPathLength, includeGoalIfPathFails, requireGoalArea);
-	if (IsPathUsable(path, reachedGoal, includeGoalIfPathFails))
+	if (IsPathUsable(bot, path, reachedGoal, includeGoalIfPathFails))
 	{
 		CNEOBotReservePath(bot, path);
 		return true;