Aqara+ ZHA+ ZBT-1 fails; Aqara+ ZHA+ Sonoff works. FIX: How-to Upgrade Nabu Casa Yellow / ZBT1 / Skyconnect Zigbee firmware for Aqara

Hi,

TL;DR: ZHA + Aqara Zigbee seems to fail with Yellow/ SkyConnect/ ZBT-1 but work with a Sonoff 3.0 (TI CC2652) coordinator.

Anyone else seen this before I go into full logs / microscope / GitHub issue mode please?

I recently bought a few Aqara devices from the nice folks at EST, and have been going through troubleshooting endless Zigbee issues:

  • Aqara kit struggled to pair with a well populated Zigbee mesh.

    • Tried pairing 0.5m from the Zigbee coordinator.
    • Added IKEA 13A UK mains socket switches to give a very close routing device.
    • Factory reset → Add Device → fail, rinse, repeat.
  • After pairing, all of the entity vales go to Unavailable greyed out

    • Pairing works, for a second, device entity values populate, then to to Unavailable
    • Zigbee Device RECONFIGURE starts, but doesn’t ever complete.
    • Adding to the mesh coverage, waiting, Factory reset - no difference.
    • I tried a custom “quirks” file for the Aqara E1 curtain driver - looked visually better, but still really Unavailable so removed it.
      GitHub seemed to have some Aqara quirk updates in the last few months, but merged and (presumably) released.

I then repeated the tests on a pre-production HA install (spare kit, same software) with an old Sonoff Zigbee coordinator - all my Aqara products worked first time!
The test system is not perfect (T1 Battery Unknown, Curtain Luminance 0 - it is dark though!), however controls work and the main sensors report (better than Unavailable).

Now, I’ve looked about the forum and found ZHA issues, Z2M issues, specific coordinator issues, specific coordinator firmware updates, but not quite this combination of OK/ FAIL.

Anyone else seen this before I go into full logs / microscope / GitHub issue mode please?

  • HAOS updates ZBT-1 firmware automatically on the failing test rig.
  • I’ve not updated the Sonoff 3.0 (TI CC2652) - BUT it works!
  • On the Sonoff coordinator, Aqara devices report Firmware: Up-to-date
  • If anything should work with ZHA, it’s a ZBT-1 right? :man_shrugging:

I’ve read several articles and reviews of Aqara kit which were positive - and they seem to work with the community (e.g. HA firmware updates) so was expecting a positive experience.


System 1 - FAILS :x: :red_circle:

  • NC Yellow + RPiCM4
  • SkyConnect / ZBT-1 Firmware: 6.10.3.0 build 297
  • HAOS 14.2 / Core 2025.2.1
  • ZHA “zha”: “0.0.48” / “zhaquirks”: “0.0.132”
  • All controls and sensors greyed out or Unavailable

System 2 - WORKS :heavy_check_mark: :green_circle:

  • RPi3b (a minimal pre-production test rig, so fits memory OK)
  • Sonoff 3.0 (TI CC2652) Firmware: Z-Stack 20210708
  • HAOS 14.2 / Core 2025.2.1
  • ZHA “zha”: “0.0.48” / “zhaquirks”: “0.0.132”
  • AOK

Aqara kit

  • 2x Aqara Zigbee Curtain Driver E1 Rod version
  • 1x Aqara Zigbee Temperature and Humidity Sensor T1 (also includes pressure)

Other details

  • UK 240V 50Hz, no known RF issues.
  • Stable, working HAOS install.
  • HACS limited to Spook, Dyson and a front-end Horizon card.
  • Lots of Z-Wave, Lots of Zigbee, decent WLAN, ESPhome, Tasmota, custom kit.
  • EST deliver very quickly (when Scotland isn’t in the middle of a 1:100 year storm!).
  • Engineer :mage:, years of HA/ openHAB/ MisterHouse, etc.
  • No hair (pulled out after too many 5-second button holds for factory reset on a precarious chair! :man_bald: :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:).
  • Don’t want to move from ZHA to Z2M, especially now the coordinator hardware seems to be a possible root-cause (and the Yellow has been otherwise great).
  • No delays nor latency on either Zigbee mesh (so far…) so the expected interference isn’t showing up.
  • The test System 2 only has the 3x Aqara devices on the mesh, and paired immediately from many meters away (unlike the production System 1). Yes, there’s probably more mesh traffic, but also a load more mains routers.

Thanks for any insight you may have!

Hi,

TL;DR - Upgrade the SilLabs coordinator firmware MANUALLY to get Aqara kit to work properly.

Step-by-step How-to - Upgrade Nabu Casa Yellow / ZBT1 / SkyConnect Zigbee firmware

After some research, the Yellow / ZBT1 / SkyConnect coordinator appears to NOT upgrade firmware automatically, and the shipped 6.10.3.0 build 297 is very old compared to the current 7.4.0.0, and from my testing DOES NOT WORK with Aqara kit in my home.

Check the Zigbee coordinator firmware version

  • Settings → Integrations → Zigbee Home Automation → Devices → Nabu Casa Yellow v1.2
Yellow v1.2
by Nabu Casa
Connected via Nabu Casa Yellow v1.2
Firmware: 6.10.3.0 build 297 

Check the Latest firmware release (early 2025 was 7.4.4.0)

I have a Yellow, so copied the URL for the latest version:

https://github.com/NabuCasa/silabs-firmware-builder/releases/download/v2024.10.21/yellow_zigbee_ncp_7.4.4.0.gbl

Upgrade the Zigbee coordinator firmware

  • Disable your Zigbee integration to free the hardware device for flashing
    • Settings → Integrations → Zigbee Home Automation (or Z2MQTT)
    • ... → (0) Disable
  • Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store → search Silicon Labs Flasher
  • INSTALL the Silicon Labs Flasher
  • Configuration
    • Device = /dev/ttyAMA1 (for a Yellow)
    • Bootloader Baudrate = 115200
    • TRAP: The firmware URL needed to link to the actual firmware file you want to install isn’t shown be default. Turn Show unused configuration options = ON, and past in the URL from the firmware page above.
    • Save
    • (re)Start
    • Check the Logs page…
# BEFORE
INFO Detected ApplicationType.EZSP, version '6.10.3.0 build 297' (6.10.3.0.297) at 115200 baudrate (bootloader baudrate 115200)
# AFTER
INFO Detected ApplicationType.EZSP, version '7.4.4.0 build 0' (7.4.4.0.0) at 115200 baudrate (bootloader baudrate 115200)
  • STOP the Silicon Labs Flasher to free the hardware device again.

  • (Check Start on Boot is OFF to prevent conflicts)

  • Enable your Zigbee integration

    • Settings → Integrations → SHOW DISABLED
    • Enable Zigbee Home Automation (or Z2MQTT)

After this Zigbee coordinator firmware update from 6.10.3.0 to 7.4.4.0, my Aqara kit paired with my Yellow and started working, just as it had with ONLY the Sonoff 3.0 radio.

If this helps, :heart: this post!

1 Like

Here’s a link to the GitHub issue I raised, updated with information, and now closed:

Hi,

TL;DR: Aqara Zigbee Curtain Driver E1 Zigbee factory reset is a TRAP. Keep the button pressed until you hear TWO beeps to re-pair with ZHA.

After another 2W of fiddling, the Aqara factory reset doesn’t work as described in the manual. After some further HAOS15 / ZHA issues, I couldn’t get either of my curtain drivers to work, so followed the “press for 5S” instructions for a factory reset. After this, the ZHA pairing did not complete - just sat there interviewing.

It appears a factory reset ISN’T.

You need to keep a button pressed for 5S to get a first beep, THEN keep it pressed for a further few seconds to get a second beep.

Only then will it re-pair with ZHA. :rage:

Hope this appears with a forum search, and helps someone!