diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 97029452..94f4ea19 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1761,11 +1761,6 @@ void setup() {
     setup_ui_manager();
     BOOT_PROFILE_END("ui_manager");
 
-    // Confirm app0 as soon as the persistent store, LXMF router, and UI have
-    // all initialized successfully. Do not defer this behind announces or
-    // callback setup: a reset after this point must not roll back to app1.
-    confirm_running_firmware();
-
     // Now that UIManager has built screens and configured the active
     // one, start the LVGL render task. Doing this any earlier means
     // the LVGL task refreshes its empty default screen on top of the
@@ -1782,6 +1777,14 @@ void setup() {
     }
     INFO("LVGL task started on core 1");
 
+    // Confirm app0 only after the persistent store, LXMF router, UI, and its
+    // render task have all initialized successfully. Starting the task is the
+    // final fallible boot gate; validating the image before it succeeds would
+    // strand the device on an image that can never present a usable UI.
+    // Announcements and callback registration remain outside the rollback
+    // gate because they are recoverable runtime operations.
+    confirm_running_firmware();
+
     // Send initial LXST voice destination announce
     if (ui_manager) {
         ui_manager->announce_lxst();
diff --git a/tests/build_scripts/test_message_persistence_contract.py b/tests/build_scripts/test_message_persistence_contract.py
index f9cff29a..6a229ac7 100644
--- a/tests/build_scripts/test_message_persistence_contract.py
+++ b/tests/build_scripts/test_message_persistence_contract.py
@@ -111,7 +111,8 @@ def test_successful_boot_cancels_ota_rollback_after_subsystems_initialize():
     assert "esp_ota_mark_app_valid_cancel_rollback()" in confirm
     setup = function_body(source, "void setup()", "void loop()")
     assert setup.index("setup_lxmf();") < setup.index("setup_ui_manager();")
-    assert setup.index("setup_ui_manager();") < setup.index("confirm_running_firmware();")
+    assert setup.index("setup_ui_manager();") < setup.index("LVGLInit::start_task")
+    assert setup.index("LVGLInit::start_task") < setup.index("confirm_running_firmware();")
 
 
 def test_system_info_reports_littlefs_not_unmounted_spiffs():