diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/UITask.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/UITask.cpp
index ce46b9c7c..70fa78912 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/UITask.cpp
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ void UITask::toggleDisplay() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_ACTIVITY_DASHBOARD
   _rows_valid = false;
 #endif
+  _next_refresh = 0;   // redraw at once rather than showing the stale frame
   _auto_off = millis() + displayTimeoutMillis();
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/UITask.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/UITask.cpp
index 3f124cb1a..2e9818e58 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/UITask.cpp
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ void UITask::toggleDisplay() {
 #ifdef DISPLAY_ACTIVITY_DASHBOARD
   _rows_valid = false;
 #endif
+  _next_refresh = 0;   // redraw at once rather than showing the stale frame
   _auto_off = millis() + displayTimeoutMillis();
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/helpers/ui/CHSC6XTouch.h b/src/helpers/ui/CHSC6XTouch.h
index c4c5cd2e0..fc8f119fc 100644
--- a/src/helpers/ui/CHSC6XTouch.h
+++ b/src/helpers/ui/CHSC6XTouch.h
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@
 #endif
 
 #define CHSC6X_READ_LEN 5
-#define CHSC6X_MAX_POINTS 1
+
+// Bounds a single read. The shared bus can wedge, and the ESP32 default lets a
+// failed transfer burn ~1 s inside the UI loop.
+#ifndef CHSC6X_I2C_TIMEOUT_MS
+#define CHSC6X_I2C_TIMEOUT_MS 10
+#endif
 
 class CHSC6XTouch {
 public:
@@ -63,32 +68,47 @@ private:
   TouchTapDetector _detector;
 
   bool readPressed() {
+    // Probe the address first. This controller NACKs while it has nothing to
+    // report, and going straight to requestFrom() turns that into a logged bus
+    // error every poll plus, once the bus wedges, a ~1 s timeout stall in the
+    // UI loop. endTransmission() reports the same NACK quietly and cheaply.
+    _wire->beginTransmission((uint8_t)CHSC6X_I2C_ADDR);
+    if (_wire->endTransmission() != 0) return false;
+
+    const uint16_t prev_timeout = _wire->getTimeOut();
+    _wire->setTimeOut(CHSC6X_I2C_TIMEOUT_MS);
     uint8_t got = _wire->requestFrom((uint8_t)CHSC6X_I2C_ADDR, (uint8_t)CHSC6X_READ_LEN);
+    uint8_t buf[CHSC6X_READ_LEN];
+    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < CHSC6X_READ_LEN; i++) {
+      buf[i] = i < got ? (uint8_t)_wire->read() : 0xFF;
+    }
+    while (_wire->available()) _wire->read();   // drain a short read
+    _wire->setTimeOut(prev_timeout);
+
     if (got != CHSC6X_READ_LEN) {
-      while (_wire->available()) _wire->read();   // drain a short read
       logRaw(got, NULL);
       return false;
     }
-
-    uint8_t buf[CHSC6X_READ_LEN];
-    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < CHSC6X_READ_LEN; i++) buf[i] = (uint8_t)_wire->read();
     logRaw(got, buf);
 
-    // buf[0] is the reported touch-point count (buf[2]/buf[4] are x/y). It must
-    // be tested against a *valid* count, not merely against zero: an idle or
-    // NACKed read can come back as 0xFF, which "non-zero" reads as a finger
-    // held down forever - the tap detector then fires once and, seeing no
-    // release, never fires again.
-    return buf[0] >= 1 && buf[0] <= CHSC6X_MAX_POINTS;
+    // Measured on the Expansion Kit V2 panel: byte 0 reads 0x00 while idle and
+    // 0x1F while a finger is down - not the 0x01 point count the reference
+    // CHSC6X drivers document, so testing for a count of 1 never fires. A
+    // partly-failed read leaves 0xFF, which must not register as a press.
+    return buf[0] != 0x00 && buf[0] != 0xFF;
   }
 
 #ifdef DISPLAY_TOUCH_DEBUG
   int16_t _logged = -1;
+  uint8_t _log_budget = 5;   // always show the first few frames, then on change
 
-  // Logs on change only, so a normal boot stays quiet.
+  // Mostly logs on change, so a normal boot stays quiet - but the opening
+  // frames are unconditional so an idle read that never changes is still
+  // visible in the log.
   void logRaw(uint8_t got, const uint8_t* buf) {
     int16_t key = buf ? (int16_t)buf[0] : (int16_t)(-2 - (int16_t)got);
-    if (key == _logged) return;
+    if (key == _logged && _log_budget == 0) return;
+    if (_log_budget > 0) _log_budget--;
     _logged = key;
 
     if (!buf) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.cpp b/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.cpp
index bcdaf81c8..6ccdd24ba 100644
--- a/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,22 @@ ColorVal UIColor::corp_blue = 0x001A;
 
 bool ST7789LCDDisplay::begin() {
   if (!_isOn) {
+  #ifdef HELTEC_V4_R8_TFT
+    // turnOff() leaves this panel configured and powered - its reset line is
+    // shared with the touch controller, so it is never parked low - which makes
+    // waking just a backlight switch. Re-running the init below would re-enter
+    // SPI setup and pulse GPIO 21, resetting the touch controller on every wake
+    // and stalling the UI loop for ~500 ms of reset delays.
+    if (_panel_ready) {
+      if (_peripher_power) _peripher_power->claim();
+      if (PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL != -1) {
+        digitalWrite(PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL, PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL_ACTIVE);
+      }
+      _isOn = true;
+      return true;
+    }
+  #endif
+
     if (_peripher_power) {
       _peripher_power->claim();
     #ifdef HELTEC_V4_R8_TFT
@@ -91,6 +107,7 @@ bool ST7789LCDDisplay::begin() {
     if (PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL != -1) {
       digitalWrite(PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL, PIN_TFT_LEDA_CTL_ACTIVE);
     }
+    _panel_ready = true;
   #endif
 
     _isOn = true;
diff --git a/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.h b/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.h
index f6d7446b8..baa72bf01 100644
--- a/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.h
+++ b/src/helpers/ui/ST7789LCDDisplay.h
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ class ST7789LCDDisplay : public DisplayDriver {
   #endif
   Adafruit_ST7789 display;
   bool _isOn;
+#ifdef HELTEC_V4_R8_TFT
+  bool _panel_ready = false;   // panel configured once; wake is backlight-only
+#endif
   uint16_t _color;
   RefCountedDigitalPin* _peripher_power;
 
diff --git a/variants/heltec_v4_r8/HeltecV4R8Board.cpp b/variants/heltec_v4_r8/HeltecV4R8Board.cpp
index 9a07db92f..434a83cae 100644
--- a/variants/heltec_v4_r8/HeltecV4R8Board.cpp
+++ b/variants/heltec_v4_r8/HeltecV4R8Board.cpp
@@ -71,9 +71,21 @@ void HeltecV4R8Board::enterDeepSleep(uint32_t secs, int pin_wake_btn) {
 }
 
 void HeltecV4R8Board::powerOff() {
-  enterDeepSleep(0);
+#if defined(HELTEC_V4_R8_TFT) && defined(DISPLAY_CLASS)
+  display.turnOff();
+#endif
+
+  // Deliberately NOT enterDeepSleep(): that always arms an ext1 wake on
+  // P_LORA_DIO_1, so a node sitting in live traffic woke - and a deep-sleep
+  // wake is a full reboot - within seconds of showing "Turning OFF". With every
+  // wake source disabled the node stays down until RST or a power cycle, which
+  // is what asking for power-off means.
+  esp_sleep_disable_wakeup_source(ESP_SLEEP_WAKEUP_ALL);
+  loRaFEMControl.setRxModeEnableWhenMCUSleep();
+  esp_deep_sleep_start();
 }
 
+
 uint16_t HeltecV4R8Board::getBattMilliVolts() {
   analogReadResolution(12);