diff --git a/src/helpers/SdCardCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/SdCardCLI.cpp
index 743a60ee1..346f4fc52 100644
--- a/src/helpers/SdCardCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/SdCardCLI.cpp
@@ -57,6 +57,19 @@ static void formatSdCardElapsed(char* out, size_t out_len, bool recorded,
   }
 }
 
+// Keep the three failure exits shared even with LTO: each must preserve the
+// card error before reset cleanup can replace it, then sample the finish time.
+static __attribute__((noinline)) bool finishSdCardFailure(
+    mesh::ota::OtaContext& context, mesh::ota::OtaStoreSdNrf52& card,
+    char* reply, size_t capacity, const char* format) {
+  char error[80];
+  strncpy(error, card.last_error(), sizeof(error) - 1);
+  error[sizeof(error) - 1] = 0;
+  context.finishSdCardReset(millis());
+  snprintf(reply, capacity, format, error);
+  return true;
+}
+
 bool handleSdCardSet(SdCardCLIState& state, MainBoard& board,
                      const char* config, char* reply, size_t capacity) {
   if (!config || !reply || capacity == 0
@@ -139,13 +152,8 @@ bool handleSdCardSet(SdCardCLIState& state, MainBoard& board,
 
   if (is_format) {
     if (!card.formatCard(board)) {
-      char error[80];
-      strncpy(error, card.last_error(), sizeof(error) - 1);
-      error[sizeof(error) - 1] = 0;
-      context.finishSdCardReset(millis());
-      snprintf(reply, capacity, "Error: SD card format failed: %s",
-               error);
-      return true;
+      return finishSdCardFailure(context, card, reply, capacity,
+                                 "Error: SD card format failed: %s");
     }
     context.finishSdCardReset(millis());
     state.format_recorded = true;
@@ -155,25 +163,15 @@ bool handleSdCardSet(SdCardCLIState& state, MainBoard& board,
   }
 
   if (!card.eraseCard(board)) {
-    char error[80];
-    strncpy(error, card.last_error(), sizeof(error) - 1);
-    error[sizeof(error) - 1] = 0;
-    context.finishSdCardReset(millis());
-    snprintf(reply, capacity, "Error: SD card erase failed: %s",
-             error);
-    return true;
+    return finishSdCardFailure(context, card, reply, capacity,
+                               "Error: SD card erase failed: %s");
   }
   state.erase_recorded = true;
   state.erase_at = millis();
 
   if (!card.formatCard(board)) {
-    char error[80];
-    strncpy(error, card.last_error(), sizeof(error) - 1);
-    error[sizeof(error) - 1] = 0;
-    context.finishSdCardReset(millis());
-    snprintf(reply, capacity, "Error: SD card erased but format failed: %s",
-             error);
-    return true;
+    return finishSdCardFailure(context, card, reply, capacity,
+                               "Error: SD card erased but format failed: %s");
   }
   state.format_recorded = true;
   state.format_at = millis();
diff --git a/test/test_sdcard_cli_parity.py b/test/test_sdcard_cli_parity.py
index 4184b83d1..64ed249f9 100644
--- a/test/test_sdcard_cli_parity.py
+++ b/test/test_sdcard_cli_parity.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ CONTEXT = r'''
 #include <MeshCore.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 namespace mesh { namespace ota {
 inline bool ethernet_owned = false;
 inline bool rak4631_ethernet_owns_spi() { return ethernet_owned; }
@@ -44,16 +45,17 @@ struct FetchStore {
 struct OtaStoreSdNrf52 {
   unsigned formats = 0, erases = 0, spaces = 0, lists = 0;
   uint16_t page = 0;
+  char error[120] = "card unavailable";
   bool format_ok = true, erase_ok = true, read_ok = true;
-  bool formatCard(MainBoard&) { ++formats; return format_ok; }
-  bool eraseCard(MainBoard&) { ++erases; return erase_ok; }
+  bool formatCard(MainBoard&) { ++formats; strcpy(error, "card unavailable"); return format_ok; }
+  bool eraseCard(MainBoard&) { ++erases; strcpy(error, "card unavailable"); return erase_ok; }
   bool getSpace(MainBoard&, uint64_t& used, uint64_t& free) {
     ++spaces; used = 12; free = 34; return read_ok;
   }
   bool listFiles(MainBoard&, uint16_t p, char* reply, size_t cap) {
     ++lists; page = p; snprintf(reply, cap, "> files page=%u", unsigned(p)); return read_ok;
   }
-  const char* last_error() const { return "card unavailable"; }
+  const char* last_error() const { return error; }
 };
 struct OtaContext {
   OtaManager manager;
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ struct OtaContext {
   unsigned prepares = 0, finishes = 0;
   OtaStoreSdNrf52& sdStagingStore() { return card; }
   void prepareSdCardReset() { ++prepares; }
-  void finishSdCardReset(uint32_t) { ++finishes; }
+  void finishSdCardReset(uint32_t) { ++finishes; strcpy(card.error, "cleanup replaced error"); }
 };
 inline OtaContext context;
 inline bool acquired = false, out_of_memory = false;
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ int main() {
   context.card.format_ok = false;
   assert(command("set sdcard format"));
   assert(strstr(reply.text, "format failed") && context.prepares == 1 && context.finishes == 1);
+  assert(strcmp(reply.text, "Error: SD card format failed: card unavailable") == 0);
   assert(!state.format_recorded);
   context.card.format_ok = true;
   assert(command("set sdcard format")); assert(state.format_recorded && state.format_at == clock_ms);
@@ -141,9 +144,11 @@ int main() {
   assert(command("set sdcard format --force")); assert(context.card.formats == formats + 1);
   context.card.erase_ok = false;
   assert(command("set sdcard erase")); assert(strstr(reply.text, "erase failed"));
+  assert(strcmp(reply.text, "Error: SD card erase failed: card unavailable") == 0);
   assert(!state.erase_recorded && context.prepares == context.finishes);
   context.card.erase_ok = true; context.card.format_ok = false;
   assert(command("set sdcard erase")); assert(strstr(reply.text, "erased but format failed"));
+  assert(strcmp(reply.text, "Error: SD card erased but format failed: card unavailable") == 0);
   assert(state.erase_recorded && context.prepares == context.finishes);
   context.card.format_ok = true;
   assert(command("set sdcard erase --force")); assert(strstr(reply.text, "erase and format complete"));