diff --git a/main/global_state.h b/main/global_state.h
index 4e57109a6..cf1984cda 100644
--- a/main/global_state.h
+++ b/main/global_state.h
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ typedef struct
     char *message;
     char *result;
     char *finished;
+    esp_err_t system_init_ret;
 } SelfTestModule;
 
 typedef struct
diff --git a/main/main.c b/main/main.c
index 91c4a1502..1e7b46079 100644
--- a/main/main.c
+++ b/main/main.c
@@ -86,16 +86,22 @@ void app_main(void)
         wifi_init(&GLOBAL_STATE);
     }
 
-    SYSTEM_init_peripherals(&GLOBAL_STATE);
-
-    if (xTaskCreate(POWER_MANAGEMENT_task, "power management", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 10, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating power management task");
+    esp_err_t system_init_ret = SYSTEM_init_peripherals(&GLOBAL_STATE);
+    
+    if (system_init_ret == ESP_OK) {
+        if (xTaskCreate(POWER_MANAGEMENT_task, "power management", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 10, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating power management task");
+        }
+        if (!GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
+            if (xTaskCreate(FAN_CONTROLLER_task, "fan_controller", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+                ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating fan controller task");
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Critical peripheral initialization failure (%s). Entering degraded mode.", esp_err_to_name(GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.system_init_ret));
     }
-
+    
     if (!GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
-        if (xTaskCreate(FAN_CONTROLLER_task, "fan_controller", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating fan controller task");
-        }
         // start the API for AxeOS
         start_rest_server((void *) &GLOBAL_STATE);
     }
@@ -116,32 +122,37 @@ void app_main(void)
 
     queue_init(&GLOBAL_STATE.stratum_queue);
 
-    if (asic_initialize(&GLOBAL_STATE, ASIC_INIT_COLD_BOOT, 0) == 0) {
-        return;
-    }
+    if (system_init_ret == ESP_OK) {
+        if (asic_initialize(&GLOBAL_STATE, ASIC_INIT_COLD_BOOT, 0) == 0) {
+            return;
+        }
 
-    if (xTaskCreate(create_jobs_task, "stratum miner", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 20, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating stratum miner task");
-    }
-    if (xTaskCreate(ASIC_result_task, "asic result", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 15, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating asic result task");
-    }
+        if (xTaskCreate(create_jobs_task, "stratum miner", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 20, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating stratum miner task");
+        }
+        if (xTaskCreate(ASIC_result_task, "asic result", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 15, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating asic result task");
+        }
 
-    if (!GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
-        if (xTaskCreate(stratum_task, "stratum admin", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating stratum admin task");
+        if (!GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
+            if (xTaskCreate(stratum_task, "stratum admin", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+                ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating stratum admin task");
+            }
         }
-    } else {
-        if (xTaskCreate(self_test_task, "self_test", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 10, NULL) != pdPASS) {
-            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating self test task");
+
+        if (xTaskCreateWithCaps(hashrate_monitor_task, "hashrate monitor", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL, MALLOC_CAP_SPIRAM) !=
+            pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating hashrate monitor task");
+        }
+        if (xTaskCreateWithCaps(statistics_task, "statistics", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 3, NULL, MALLOC_CAP_SPIRAM) != pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating statistics task");
         }
     }
 
-    if (xTaskCreateWithCaps(hashrate_monitor_task, "hashrate monitor", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 5, NULL, MALLOC_CAP_SPIRAM) !=
-        pdPASS) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating hashrate monitor task");
-    }
-    if (xTaskCreateWithCaps(statistics_task, "statistics", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 3, NULL, MALLOC_CAP_SPIRAM) != pdPASS) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating statistics task");
+    if (GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
+        GLOBAL_STATE.SELF_TEST_MODULE.system_init_ret = system_init_ret;
+        if (xTaskCreate(self_test_task, "self_test", 8192, (void *) &GLOBAL_STATE, 10, NULL) != pdPASS) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error creating self test task");
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/main/screen.c b/main/screen.c
index 3f27d42a7..d28bb6fec 100644
--- a/main/screen.c
+++ b/main/screen.c
@@ -105,8 +105,6 @@ static uint64_t current_work_received;
 static int8_t current_rssi_value;
 static int current_block_height;
 
-static bool self_test_finished;
-
 static screen_t get_current_screen() {
     lv_obj_t * active_screen = lv_screen_active();
     for (screen_t scr = 0; scr < MAX_SCREENS; scr++) {
@@ -134,10 +132,7 @@ static lv_obj_t * create_scr_self_test() {
 
     self_test_message_label = lv_label_create(scr);
     self_test_result_label = lv_label_create(scr);
-
     self_test_finished_label = lv_label_create(scr);
-    lv_obj_set_width(self_test_finished_label, LV_HOR_RES);
-    lv_label_set_long_mode(self_test_finished_label, LV_LABEL_LONG_SCROLL_CIRCULAR);
 
     return scr;
 }
@@ -449,8 +444,7 @@ static void screen_update_cb(lv_timer_t * timer)
         
         lv_label_set_text(self_test_message_label, self_test->message);
         
-        if (self_test->is_finished && !self_test_finished) {
-            self_test_finished = true;
+        if (self_test->is_finished) {
             lv_label_set_text(self_test_result_label, self_test->result);
             lv_label_set_text(self_test_finished_label, self_test->finished);
         }
diff --git a/main/self_test/self_test.c b/main/self_test/self_test.c
index c4e82ceec..98ce4e5b2 100644
--- a/main/self_test/self_test.c
+++ b/main/self_test/self_test.c
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
-
-// #include "freertos/event_groups.h"
-// #include "freertos/timers.h"
 #include "driver/gpio.h"
-
 #include "esp_log.h"
 #include "esp_timer.h"
 #include "esp_check.h"
-#include "esp_psram.h"
 
 #include "DS4432U.h"
 #include "thermal.h"
@@ -15,8 +10,6 @@
 #include "power.h"
 #include "nvs_config.h"
 #include "global_state.h"
-
-#include "asic.h"
 #include "asic_reset.h"
 #include "device_config.h"
 #include "hashrate_monitor_task.h"
@@ -219,7 +212,7 @@ void self_test_task(void * pvParameters)
     if (!GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) return;
 
     // Check if we already have an error message from peripheral initialization
-    if (GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.message != NULL && strlen(GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.message) > 0) {
+    if (GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.system_init_ret != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Aborting self-test due to initialization failure: %s", GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.message);
         tests_done(GLOBAL_STATE, false);
     }
@@ -422,8 +415,12 @@ static void tests_done(GlobalState * GLOBAL_STATE, bool isTestPassed)
         }
         ESP_LOGI(TAG, "SELF-TEST PASS! -- Restarting in 10 seconds.");
         GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.result = "SELF-TEST PASS!";
-        GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.finished = "Restarting in 10 seconds.";
-        vTaskDelay(10000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+        char logString[21];
+        for (int i = 10; i > 0; i--) {
+            snprintf(logString, sizeof(logString), "Restarting in %d...", i);
+            GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.finished = logString;
+            vTaskDelay(1000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+        }
         esp_restart();
     } else {
         // isTestFailed
diff --git a/main/system.c b/main/system.c
index ddc91b4a6..a5bea2922 100644
--- a/main/system.c
+++ b/main/system.c
@@ -208,7 +208,9 @@ esp_err_t SYSTEM_init_peripherals(GlobalState * GLOBAL_STATE) {
     if (ret != ESP_OK) {
         self_test_show_message(GLOBAL_STATE, "FILESYS:FAIL");
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Filesystem init failed");
-        return ret;
+        if (GLOBAL_STATE->SELF_TEST_MODULE.is_active) {
+            return ret;
+        }
     }
 
     // Initialize the core voltage regulator