diff --git a/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_arduino_startup_runtime.cpp b/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_arduino_startup_runtime.cpp
index 0db4e425..61272121 100644
--- a/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_arduino_startup_runtime.cpp
+++ b/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_arduino_startup_runtime.cpp
@@ -80,24 +80,29 @@ void run()
 
     platform::esp::arduino_common::startup_support::initializeBoard(waking_from_sleep);
     Serial.printf("[Setup] heap=%u psram=%u\n", ESP.getFreeHeap(), ESP.getFreePsram());
+
+    Serial.println("[Setup] LVGL init begin");
+    platform::esp::arduino_common::display_runtime::initialize();
+    Serial.println("[Setup] LVGL init done");
+
+    ui::startup_shell::beginBootUi(waking_from_sleep, "Starting services...");
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Starting debug log...");
+
     platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::begin_sd_debug_log();
     platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::printf(
         "[Setup] board initialized wake=%d heap=%u psram=%u",
         waking_from_sleep ? 1 : 0,
         ESP.getFreeHeap(),
         ESP.getFreePsram());
+    platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::append_line("[Setup] LVGL init done");
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Checking crash dump...");
     platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::export_previous_coredump_to_sd();
 
-    Serial.println("[Setup] LVGL init begin");
-    platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::append_line("[Setup] LVGL init begin");
-    platform::esp::arduino_common::display_runtime::initialize();
-    Serial.println("[Setup] LVGL init done");
-    platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::append_line("[Setup] LVGL init done");
-
-    ui::startup_shell::prepareBootUi(waking_from_sleep);
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Loading language packs...");
+    ui::startup_shell::prepareBootResources();
 
     bool use_mock = false;
-    ui::boot::set_log_line("Initializing app context...");
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Initializing app context...");
     if (trailmate::apps::esp32_lvgl::arduino_app_runtime_access::initialize(use_mock))
     {
         const auto& runtime_status = trailmate::apps::esp32_lvgl::arduino_app_runtime_access::status();
@@ -125,9 +130,9 @@ void run()
             runtime_status.background_tasks_started ? 1 : 0);
     }
 
-    ui::boot::set_log_line("Building main menu...");
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Building main menu...");
     initializeShell();
-    ui::boot::set_log_line("Startup complete");
+    ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine("Startup complete");
     finishStartup(waking_from_sleep);
     platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::append_line("[Setup] Startup complete");
     platform::esp::arduino_common::debug::flush();
diff --git a/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_startup_runtime.cpp b/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_startup_runtime.cpp
index 740938b1..fd3a61a2 100644
--- a/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_startup_runtime.cpp
+++ b/apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_startup_runtime.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,35 @@ ui::startup_shell::Hooks buildShellHooks()
     };
     return hooks;
 }
+
+void showBootUi(const Esp32LvglRuntimeConfig& config, bool waking_from_sleep, const char* initial_line)
+{
+    ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "beginBootUi line=%s", initial_line ? initial_line : "");
+    if (lockUi(1000))
+    {
+        ui::startup_shell::beginBootUi(waking_from_sleep, initial_line);
+        unlockUi();
+        ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "beginBootUi complete");
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        ESP_LOGW(config.log_tag, "beginBootUi failed to acquire LVGL lock");
+    }
+}
+
+void setBootLog(const Esp32LvglRuntimeConfig& config, const char* line)
+{
+    ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "boot log: %s", line ? line : "");
+    if (lockUi(1000))
+    {
+        ui::startup_shell::setBootLogLine(line);
+        unlockUi();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        ESP_LOGW(config.log_tag, "setBootLog failed to acquire LVGL lock");
+    }
+}
 #endif
 
 } // namespace
@@ -117,24 +146,29 @@ void runEsp32LvglStartupRuntime(const Esp32LvglRuntimeConfig& config)
     (void)platform::esp::idf_common::bsp_runtime::ensure_nvs_ready();
     platform::esp::boards::initializeBoard(waking_from_sleep);
     platform::esp::boards::initializeDisplay();
+    showBootUi(config, waking_from_sleep, "Starting services...");
     if (platform::esp::boards::syncSystemTimeFromBoardRtc())
     {
         ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "Boot time restored from hardware RTC");
     }
+    setBootLog(config, "Starting companion...");
     (void)platform::esp::idf_common::wireless_companion::ensure_c6_companion_started();
+    setBootLog(config, "Mounting SD card...");
     (void)platform::esp::idf_common::bsp_runtime::ensure_sdcard_ready();
+    setBootLog(config, "Checking crash dump...");
     (void)platform::esp::idf_common::debug::export_previous_coredump_to_sd();
 
-    ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "prepareBootUi begin waking=%d", waking_from_sleep ? 1 : 0);
-    if (lockUi(1000))
+    setBootLog(config, "Loading language packs...");
+    ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "prepareBootResources begin waking=%d", waking_from_sleep ? 1 : 0);
+    if (lockUi(5000))
     {
-        ui::startup_shell::prepareBootUi(waking_from_sleep);
+        ui::startup_shell::prepareBootResources();
         unlockUi();
-        ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "prepareBootUi complete");
+        ESP_LOGI(config.log_tag, "prepareBootResources complete");
     }
     else
     {
-        ESP_LOGW(config.log_tag, "prepareBootUi failed to acquire LVGL lock");
+        ESP_LOGW(config.log_tag, "prepareBootResources failed to acquire LVGL lock");
     }
 
     idf_app_runtime_access::initialize(config);
diff --git a/apps/esp32_lvgl/tests/esp32_lvgl_sd_coredump_contract_smoke.cpp b/apps/esp32_lvgl/tests/esp32_lvgl_sd_coredump_contract_smoke.cpp
index d1e05c0b..30de25dc 100644
--- a/apps/esp32_lvgl/tests/esp32_lvgl_sd_coredump_contract_smoke.cpp
+++ b/apps/esp32_lvgl/tests/esp32_lvgl_sd_coredump_contract_smoke.cpp
@@ -43,10 +43,18 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     const std::size_t begin_log = position_of(
         arduino_startup,
         "debug::begin_sd_debug_log");
+    const std::size_t display_init = position_of(
+        arduino_startup,
+        "display_runtime::initialize");
+    const std::size_t begin_boot = position_of(
+        arduino_startup,
+        "startup_shell::beginBootUi");
     const std::size_t export_core = position_of(
         arduino_startup,
         "debug::export_previous_coredump_to_sd");
-    assert(board_init < begin_log);
+    assert(board_init < display_init);
+    assert(display_init < begin_boot);
+    assert(begin_boot < begin_log);
     assert(begin_log < export_core);
 
     const std::string header = read_file(
@@ -87,12 +95,20 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
     const std::string idf_startup = read_file(
         repo_root / "apps/esp32_lvgl/src/esp32_lvgl_startup_runtime.cpp");
+    const std::size_t idf_display = position_of(
+        idf_startup,
+        "boards::initializeDisplay");
+    const std::size_t idf_begin_boot = position_of(
+        idf_startup,
+        "showBootUi(config");
     const std::size_t idf_sd_ready = position_of(
         idf_startup,
         "bsp_runtime::ensure_sdcard_ready");
     const std::size_t idf_export_core = position_of(
         idf_startup,
         "idf_common::debug::export_previous_coredump_to_sd");
+    assert(idf_display < idf_begin_boot);
+    assert(idf_begin_boot < idf_sd_ready);
     assert(idf_sd_ready < idf_export_core);
 
     const std::string idf_header = read_file(
diff --git a/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_shell.h b/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_shell.h
index 3b002ed4..56bb8dbe 100644
--- a/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_shell.h
+++ b/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_shell.h
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ bool format_menu_time(char* out, size_t out_len);
 menu_runtime::Hooks::WatchFaceHooks defaultWatchFaceHooks();
 menu_runtime::Hooks buildMenuRuntimeHooks(const Hooks& hooks);
 platform::ui::screen::Hooks buildScreenSleepHooks(const Hooks& hooks);
-void prepareBootUi(bool waking_from_sleep);
+void beginBootUi(bool waking_from_sleep, const char* initial_line);
+void setBootLogLine(const char* line);
+void prepareBootResources();
 void initializeShell(const Hooks& hooks);
 void finalizeStartup(bool waking_from_sleep);
 
diff --git a/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_ui_shell.h b/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_ui_shell.h
index 461cbc5d..40188aa3 100644
--- a/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_ui_shell.h
+++ b/modules/ui_shared/include/ui/startup_ui_shell.h
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ struct Hooks
     uint32_t lock_timeout_ms = 1000;
 };
 
-bool prepareBootUi(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep);
+bool beginBootUi(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep, const char* initial_line);
+void prepareBootResources();
 bool initializeMenuSkeleton(const Hooks& hooks);
 bool finalizeStartup(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep);
 
diff --git a/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_shell.cpp b/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_shell.cpp
index 8abd7f01..50926ebe 100644
--- a/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_shell.cpp
+++ b/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_shell.cpp
@@ -138,14 +138,23 @@ platform::ui::screen::Hooks buildScreenSleepHooks(const Hooks& hooks)
     return runtime_hooks;
 }
 
-void prepareBootUi(bool waking_from_sleep)
+void setBootLogLine(const char* line)
+{
+    ui::boot::set_log_line(line);
+    present_boot_overlay_now();
+}
+
+void beginBootUi(bool waking_from_sleep, const char* initial_line)
 {
     if (!waking_from_sleep)
     {
         ui::boot::show();
-        ui::boot::set_log_line("Loading language packs...");
-        present_boot_overlay_now();
+        setBootLogLine(initial_line);
     }
+}
+
+void prepareBootResources()
+{
     ::ui::i18n::reload_language();
     ui::feedback::init();
 }
diff --git a/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_ui_shell.cpp b/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_ui_shell.cpp
index c5fdf44d..df85b5af 100644
--- a/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_ui_shell.cpp
+++ b/modules/ui_shared/src/ui/startup_ui_shell.cpp
@@ -99,11 +99,10 @@ void unlock_ui(const Hooks& hooks)
 
 } // namespace
 
-bool prepareBootUi(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep)
+bool beginBootUi(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep, const char* initial_line)
 {
     if (waking_from_sleep)
     {
-        ::ui::i18n::reload_language();
         return true;
     }
     if (!lock_ui(hooks))
@@ -111,12 +110,16 @@ bool prepareBootUi(const Hooks& hooks, bool waking_from_sleep)
         return false;
     }
     ui::boot::show();
-    ui::boot::set_log_line("Loading language packs...");
+    ui::boot::set_log_line(initial_line);
     present_boot_overlay_now();
     unlock_ui(hooks);
+    return true;
+}
+
+void prepareBootResources()
+{
     ::ui::i18n::reload_language();
     ui::feedback::init();
-    return true;
 }
 
 bool initializeMenuSkeleton(const Hooks& hooks)
diff --git a/platform/linux/common/src/ui/shared_ui_shell.cpp b/platform/linux/common/src/ui/shared_ui_shell.cpp
index 7a255697..a1cc8718 100644
--- a/platform/linux/common/src/ui/shared_ui_shell.cpp
+++ b/platform/linux/common/src/ui/shared_ui_shell.cpp
@@ -189,10 +189,11 @@ bool SharedUiShellStartup::begin()
     }
 
     started_at_ms_ = lv_tick_get();
-    if (!ui::startup_ui_shell::prepareBootUi(buildHooks(), false))
+    if (!ui::startup_ui_shell::beginBootUi(buildHooks(), false, "Loading language packs..."))
     {
         return false;
     }
+    ui::startup_ui_shell::prepareBootResources();
 
     phase_ = Phase::BootVisible;
     return true;