diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
index 7bd947f4..4090b40f 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
@@ -1516,7 +1516,9 @@ void halt() {
   void reloadCompanionWiFiPowerSave() {
     uint8_t configured = mesh::wifi::kDefaultPowerSave;
     Preferences nvs;
-    if (nvs.begin("mesh-wifi", true)) {
+    // On a fresh install the namespace may not exist until WiFi setup runs.
+    // Create it here so loading the default does not log NVS_NOT_FOUND.
+    if (nvs.begin("mesh-wifi", false)) {
       configured = nvs.getUChar("powersave", mesh::wifi::kDefaultPowerSave);
       nvs.end();
     }
diff --git a/src/helpers/IdentityStore.cpp b/src/helpers/IdentityStore.cpp
index feb24bb2..732e0da8 100644
--- a/src/helpers/IdentityStore.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/IdentityStore.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ IdentityLoadResult IdentityStore::loadResult(
   // accepts either that temporary key or a missing identity.
   if (strcmp(_dir, "/identity") == 0 && strcmp(name, "_main") == 0) {
     Preferences migration_nvs;
-    if (migration_nvs.begin("mesh-pt-migrate", true)) {
+    // A fresh device has no migration namespace. Open read-write to create the
+    // empty namespace once instead of logging NVS_NOT_FOUND on every boot.
+    if (migration_nvs.begin("mesh-pt-migrate", false)) {
       const bool pending = migration_nvs.getBool("id-pending", false);
       uint8_t file_bytes[PUB_KEY_SIZE + PRV_KEY_SIZE];
       const size_t staged = pending