diff --git a/include/proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h b/include/proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h
similarity index 61%
rename from include/proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h
rename to include/proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h
index 0ec03c646bb..552e09622ea 100644
--- a/include/proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h
+++ b/include/proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /** @file
 
-  PreTransactionLogData populates LogData for requests that fail before
-  HttpSM creation.
+  NonHttpSmLogData populates LogData for access-log entries that cannot be
+  backed by an HttpSM.
 
   @section license License
 
@@ -30,23 +30,32 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
-/** Populate LogData for requests that never created an HttpSM.
+/** Owns access-log data for entries that cannot be backed by an @c HttpSM.
  *
- * Malformed HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 request headers can be rejected while the
- * connection is still decoding and validating the stream, before the request
- * progresses far enough to create an HttpSM.  This class carries the
- * copied request and session metadata needed to emit a best-effort
- * transaction log entry for those failures.
+ * Normal transaction access logging is expected to use data extracted from a
+ * live @c HttpSM. This type is for exceptional client-facing failures that need
+ * transaction-log visibility but occur before an @c HttpSM exists, such as
+ * malformed HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 request headers rejected during protocol
+ * validation. It may also be used for connection-level failures, such as TLS
+ * handshake errors, when operators need those events in the access log.
  *
- * This class owns its milestones, addresses, and strings because the
- * originating stream is about to be destroyed.
+ * Because the protocol stream or connection state may be destroyed immediately
+ * after the failure is handled, this object owns the copied headers,
+ * addresses, milestones, protocol strings, and outcome fields needed by
+ * @c LogAccess. Fields that require an @c HttpSM, origin transaction, cache
+ * lookup, or server response are intentionally left unset and marshal through
+ * the normal default values.
+ *
+ * This path should remain narrow. If an @c HttpSM exists, prefer the standard
+ * @c HttpSM-backed logging path so normal transactions do not pay for extra
+ * copying or exceptional state.
  */
-class PreTransactionLogData
+class NonHttpSmLogData
 {
 public:
-  PreTransactionLogData() = default;
+  NonHttpSmLogData() = default;
 
-  ~PreTransactionLogData()
+  ~NonHttpSmLogData()
   {
     if (owned_client_request.valid()) {
       owned_client_request.destroy();
diff --git a/include/proxy/ProxyTransaction.h b/include/proxy/ProxyTransaction.h
index 7316be293a2..32b24c6b5bc 100644
--- a/include/proxy/ProxyTransaction.h
+++ b/include/proxy/ProxyTransaction.h
@@ -146,18 +146,19 @@ class ProxyTransaction : public VConnection
 
   void mark_as_tunnel_endpoint() override;
 
-  /** Emit a best-effort access log entry for a request that failed before
-   *  HttpSM creation.
+  /** Emit a best-effort access log entry for a request without an HttpSM.
    *
    * Call this when a malformed request is rejected at the protocol layer
    * (e.g. during HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 header decoding) and no HttpSM was
-   * created.  The method populates a PreTransactionLogData from the
+   * created.  The method populates a NonHttpSmLogData from the
    * session and the partially decoded request, then invokes Log::access.
+   * If an HttpSM exists, callers should use the normal transaction logging
+   * path instead.
    *
    * @param[in] request The decoded (possibly partial) request header.
    * @param[in] protocol_str Protocol string for the log entry (e.g. "http/2").
    */
-  void log_pre_transaction_access(HTTPHdr const *request, const char *protocol_str);
+  void log_non_http_sm_access(HTTPHdr const *request, const char *protocol_str);
 
   /// Variables
   //
diff --git a/include/proxy/logging/Log.h b/include/proxy/logging/Log.h
index 20019bf6ce8..fffc8adf2f2 100644
--- a/include/proxy/logging/Log.h
+++ b/include/proxy/logging/Log.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
   @section example Example usage of the API
 
   @code
-  // Populate a TransactionLogData, then:
+  // Populate a TransactionLogData source, then:
   LogAccess entry(data);
   int ret = Log::access(&entry);
   @endcode
diff --git a/include/proxy/logging/LogAccess.h b/include/proxy/logging/LogAccess.h
index e449b674b2c..8ccee12f1a5 100644
--- a/include/proxy/logging/LogAccess.h
+++ b/include/proxy/logging/LogAccess.h
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ class LogAccess
    * The caller retains ownership of @a data, which must outlive the
    * synchronous Log::access() call that marshals this entry.
    *
-   * @param[in] data Populated TransactionLogData for a completed or
-   *                 pre-transaction entry.
+   * @param[in] data Populated TransactionLogData for an HttpSM-backed or
+   *                 non-HttpSM entry.
    */
   explicit LogAccess(TransactionLogData &data);
 
diff --git a/include/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h b/include/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h
index 0c1eefd53a1..8076674ed4d 100644
--- a/include/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h
+++ b/include/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h
@@ -31,20 +31,20 @@
 #include <string_view>
 
 class HttpSM;
-class PreTransactionLogData;
+class NonHttpSmLogData;
 
-/** Provide access-log data from either a completed HttpSM or pre-transaction storage.
+/** Provide access-log data from either a completed HttpSM or non-HttpSM storage.
  *
  * The common completed-transaction path reads directly from @c HttpSM.  The
- * rare pre-transaction path reads from @c PreTransactionLogData, which owns
- * copied request/session state for malformed requests rejected before HttpSM
- * creation.
+ * rare non-HttpSM path reads from @c NonHttpSmLogData, which owns copied
+ * request/session state for exceptional access-log entries that cannot be
+ * backed by an @c HttpSM.
  */
 class TransactionLogData
 {
 public:
   explicit TransactionLogData(HttpSM *sm);
-  explicit TransactionLogData(PreTransactionLogData const &pre_data);
+  explicit TransactionLogData(NonHttpSmLogData const &non_http_sm_data);
 
   void *http_sm_for_plugins() const;
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class TransactionLogData
   // ===== Server response Transfer-Encoding =====
   std::string_view get_server_response_transfer_encoding() const;
 
-  // ===== Fallback fields for pre-transaction logging =====
+  // ===== Fallback fields for non-HttpSM logging =====
   std::string_view get_method() const;
   std::string_view get_scheme() const;
   std::string_view get_client_protocol_str() const;
@@ -194,8 +194,8 @@ class TransactionLogData
   TransactionLogData &operator=(const TransactionLogData &) = delete;
 
 private:
-  HttpSM                      *m_http_sm  = nullptr;
-  PreTransactionLogData const *m_pre_data = nullptr;
+  HttpSM                 *m_http_sm          = nullptr;
+  NonHttpSmLogData const *m_non_http_sm_data = nullptr;
 
   // Cached values for fields that require computation or string formatting.
   mutable char m_client_rx_error_code[10] = {'-', '\0'};
diff --git a/src/proxy/ProxyTransaction.cc b/src/proxy/ProxyTransaction.cc
index c2a5a4584e7..a301ce20deb 100644
--- a/src/proxy/ProxyTransaction.cc
+++ b/src/proxy/ProxyTransaction.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "proxy/http/HttpSM.h"
 #include "proxy/Plugin.h"
-#include "proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h"
+#include "proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/LogAccess.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/Log.h"
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ get_pseudo_header_value(HTTPHdr const &hdr, std::string_view name)
 } // end anonymous namespace
 
 void
-ProxyTransaction::log_pre_transaction_access(HTTPHdr const *request, const char *protocol_str)
+ProxyTransaction::log_non_http_sm_access(HTTPHdr const *request, const char *protocol_str)
 {
   if (get_sm() != nullptr) {
     return;
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ ProxyTransaction::log_pre_transaction_access(HTTPHdr const *request, const char
     return;
   }
 
-  PreTransactionLogData data;
+  NonHttpSmLogData data;
 
   data.owned_client_request.create(HTTPType::REQUEST, request->version_get());
   data.owned_client_request.copy(request);
diff --git a/src/proxy/http2/Http2ConnectionState.cc b/src/proxy/http2/Http2ConnectionState.cc
index 34effdf60b1..9c80aefe295 100644
--- a/src/proxy/http2/Http2ConnectionState.cc
+++ b/src/proxy/http2/Http2ConnectionState.cc
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ Http2ConnectionState::rcv_headers_frame(const Http2Frame &frame)
                           "recv headers enhance your calm");
       } else {
         if (!stream->trailing_header_is_possible() && !stream->is_outbound_connection()) {
-          stream->log_pre_transaction_access(stream->get_receive_header(), "http/2");
+          stream->log_non_http_sm_access(stream->get_receive_header(), "http/2");
         }
         return Http2Error(Http2ErrorClass::HTTP2_ERROR_CLASS_STREAM, Http2ErrorCode::HTTP2_ERROR_PROTOCOL_ERROR,
                           "recv headers malformed request");
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ Http2ConnectionState::rcv_continuation_frame(const Http2Frame &frame)
                           "continuation enhance your calm");
       } else {
         if (!stream->trailing_header_is_possible() && !stream->is_outbound_connection()) {
-          stream->log_pre_transaction_access(stream->get_receive_header(), "http/2");
+          stream->log_non_http_sm_access(stream->get_receive_header(), "http/2");
         }
         return Http2Error(Http2ErrorClass::HTTP2_ERROR_CLASS_CONNECTION, Http2ErrorCode::HTTP2_ERROR_PROTOCOL_ERROR,
                           "continuation malformed request");
diff --git a/src/proxy/http3/Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor.cc b/src/proxy/http3/Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor.cc
index 396733d6252..9d3e256b7f6 100644
--- a/src/proxy/http3/Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor.cc
+++ b/src/proxy/http3/Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor.cc
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor::_on_qpack_decode_complete()
                                               NON_TRAILER)) {
     Dbg(dbg_ctl_http3, "Header is invalid");
     if (this->_txn != nullptr) {
-      this->_txn->log_pre_transaction_access(&this->_header, "http/3");
+      this->_txn->log_non_http_sm_access(&this->_header, "http/3");
     }
     return -1;
   }
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ Http3HeaderVIOAdaptor::_on_qpack_decode_complete()
   if (res != 0) {
     Dbg(dbg_ctl_http3, "ParseResult::ERROR");
     if (this->_txn != nullptr) {
-      this->_txn->log_pre_transaction_access(&this->_header, "http/3");
+      this->_txn->log_non_http_sm_access(&this->_header, "http/3");
     }
     return -1;
   }
diff --git a/src/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.cc b/src/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.cc
index af44b5e374b..959b406b16b 100644
--- a/src/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.cc
+++ b/src/proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.cc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h"
-#include "proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h"
+#include "proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h"
 #include "proxy/http/HttpSM.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/LogAccess.h"
 #include "proxy/hdrs/MIME.h"
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ TransactionLogData::TransactionLogData(HttpSM *sm) : m_http_sm(sm)
   ink_assert(sm != nullptr);
 }
 
-TransactionLogData::TransactionLogData(PreTransactionLogData const &pre_data) : m_pre_data(&pre_data) {}
+TransactionLogData::TransactionLogData(NonHttpSmLogData const &non_http_sm_data) : m_non_http_sm_data(&non_http_sm_data) {}
 
 void *
 TransactionLogData::http_sm_for_plugins() const
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_milestones() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return &m_http_sm->milestones;
   }
-  return &m_pre_data->owned_milestones;
+  return &m_non_http_sm_data->owned_milestones;
 }
 
 // ===== Headers =====
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_request() const
     return nullptr;
   }
 
-  if (m_pre_data->owned_client_request.valid()) {
-    return const_cast<HTTPHdr *>(&m_pre_data->owned_client_request);
+  if (m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_request.valid()) {
+    return const_cast<HTTPHdr *>(&m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_request);
   }
   return nullptr;
 }
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_req_url_str() const
     cache_url_strings();
     return m_client_req_url_str;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_url.empty() ? nullptr : m_pre_data->owned_url.c_str();
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_url.empty() ? nullptr : m_non_http_sm_data->owned_url.c_str();
 }
 
 int
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_req_url_len() const
     cache_url_strings();
     return m_client_req_url_len;
   }
-  return static_cast<int>(m_pre_data->owned_url.size());
+  return static_cast<int>(m_non_http_sm_data->owned_url.size());
 }
 
 const char *
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_req_url_path_str() const
     cache_url_strings();
     return m_client_req_url_path_str;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_path.empty() ? nullptr : m_pre_data->owned_path.c_str();
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_path.empty() ? nullptr : m_non_http_sm_data->owned_path.c_str();
 }
 
 int
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_req_url_path_len() const
     cache_url_strings();
     return m_client_req_url_path_len;
   }
-  return static_cast<int>(m_pre_data->owned_path.size());
+  return static_cast<int>(m_non_http_sm_data->owned_path.size());
 }
 
 // ===== Proxy response content-type / reason =====
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_addr() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return &m_http_sm->t_state.effective_client_addr.sa;
   }
-  return &m_pre_data->owned_client_addr.sa;
+  return &m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_addr.sa;
 }
 
 sockaddr const *
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_src_addr() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return &m_http_sm->t_state.client_info.src_addr.sa;
   }
-  return &m_pre_data->owned_client_src_addr.sa;
+  return &m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_src_addr.sa;
 }
 
 sockaddr const *
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_dst_addr() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return &m_http_sm->t_state.client_info.dst_addr.sa;
   }
-  return &m_pre_data->owned_client_dst_addr.sa;
+  return &m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_dst_addr.sa;
 }
 
 sockaddr const *
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_port() const
     }
     return 0;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_client_port;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_client_port;
 }
 
 // ===== Server addressing =====
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_log_code() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->t_state.squid_codes.log_code;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_log_code;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_log_code;
 }
 
 SquidSubcode
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_hit_miss_code() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->t_state.squid_codes.hit_miss_code;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_hit_miss_code;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_hit_miss_code;
 }
 
 SquidHierarchyCode
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_hier_code() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->t_state.squid_codes.hier_code;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_hier_code;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_hier_code;
 }
 
 // ===== Byte counters =====
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_connection_id() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->client_connection_id();
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_connection_id;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_connection_id;
 }
 
 int
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_transaction_id() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->client_transaction_id();
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_transaction_id;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_transaction_id;
 }
 
 int
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_protocol() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->get_user_agent().get_client_protocol();
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_client_protocol_str.empty() ? nullptr : m_pre_data->owned_client_protocol_str.c_str();
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_protocol_str.empty() ? nullptr : m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_protocol_str.c_str();
 }
 
 const char *
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_connection_is_ssl() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->get_user_agent().get_client_connection_is_ssl();
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_client_connection_is_ssl;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_client_connection_is_ssl;
 }
 
 bool
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_server_transact_count() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return m_http_sm->server_transact_count;
   }
-  return m_pre_data->m_server_transact_count;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->m_server_transact_count;
 }
 
 // ===== Finish status =====
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_server_response_transfer_encoding() const
   return {};
 }
 
-// ===== Fallback fields for pre-transaction logging =====
+// ===== Fallback fields for non-HttpSM logging =====
 
 std::string_view
 TransactionLogData::get_method() const
@@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_method() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return {};
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_method;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_method;
 }
 
 std::string_view
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ TransactionLogData::get_scheme() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return {};
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_scheme;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_scheme;
 }
 
 std::string_view
@@ -1113,5 +1113,5 @@ TransactionLogData::get_client_protocol_str() const
   if (likely(m_http_sm != nullptr)) {
     return {};
   }
-  return m_pre_data->owned_client_protocol_str;
+  return m_non_http_sm_data->owned_client_protocol_str;
 }
diff --git a/src/proxy/logging/unit-tests/test_LogAccess.cc b/src/proxy/logging/unit-tests/test_LogAccess.cc
index aee2bd67287..94f6f8f91d6 100644
--- a/src/proxy/logging/unit-tests/test_LogAccess.cc
+++ b/src/proxy/logging/unit-tests/test_LogAccess.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
 
-#include "proxy/PreTransactionLogData.h"
+#include "proxy/NonHttpSmLogData.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/LogAccess.h"
 #include "proxy/logging/TransactionLogData.h"
 #include "tscore/ink_inet.h"
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ set_socket_address(IpEndpoint &ep, std::string_view text)
 }
 
 void
-populate_pre_transaction_data(PreTransactionLogData &data, std::string_view method, std::string_view scheme,
-                              std::string_view authority, std::string_view path)
+populate_non_http_sm_data(NonHttpSmLogData &data, std::string_view method, std::string_view scheme, std::string_view authority,
+                          std::string_view path)
 {
   initialize_headers_once();
 
@@ -164,10 +164,10 @@ marshal_int_value(Marshal marshal)
 }
 } // namespace
 
-TEST_CASE("LogAccess pre-transaction CONNECT fields", "[LogAccess]")
+TEST_CASE("LogAccess non-HttpSM CONNECT fields", "[LogAccess]")
 {
-  PreTransactionLogData data;
-  populate_pre_transaction_data(data, "CONNECT", ""sv, "example.com:443", ""sv);
+  NonHttpSmLogData data;
+  populate_non_http_sm_data(data, "CONNECT", ""sv, "example.com:443", ""sv);
   TransactionLogData log_data(data);
   LogAccess          access(log_data);
 
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ TEST_CASE("LogAccess pre-transaction CONNECT fields", "[LogAccess]")
 
 TEST_CASE("LogAccess malformed CONNECT without authority falls back to path", "[LogAccess]")
 {
-  PreTransactionLogData data;
-  populate_pre_transaction_data(data, "CONNECT", "https"sv, ""sv, "/"sv);
+  NonHttpSmLogData data;
+  populate_non_http_sm_data(data, "CONNECT", "https"sv, ""sv, "/"sv);
   TransactionLogData log_data(data);
   LogAccess          access(log_data);
 
@@ -201,10 +201,10 @@ TEST_CASE("LogAccess malformed CONNECT without authority falls back to path", "[
   CHECK(marshal_int_value([&](char *buf) { return access.marshal_transfer_time_ms(buf); }) == 5);
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("LogAccess pre-transaction client host port is null-safe", "[LogAccess]")
+TEST_CASE("LogAccess non-HttpSM client host port is null-safe", "[LogAccess]")
 {
-  PreTransactionLogData data;
-  populate_pre_transaction_data(data, "GET", "https"sv, "example.com", "/client-port"sv);
+  NonHttpSmLogData data;
+  populate_non_http_sm_data(data, "GET", "https"sv, "example.com", "/client-port"sv);
   TransactionLogData log_data(data);
   LogAccess          access(log_data);