Techniques are disclosed for reporting diagnostics data by a first network device to a cloud-based Wide Area Network (WAN) assurance system, responsive to the first network device detecting a communication issue with the cloud-based WAN assurance system. For example, the first network device detects an issue with sending telemetry data to the cloud-based WAN assurance system via a first communication path. In response, the first network device determines a second network device that has connectivity to the WAN assurance system. The first network device sends diagnostics data to the second network device along a second communication path for forwarding to the cloud-based WAN assurance system. The cloud-based WAN assurance system receives the diagnostics data from the second network device. The cloud-based WAN assurance system controls the second network device to remediate the first network device based on the diagnostics data.