diff --git a/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.cpp b/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.cpp
index 3766935..95fd630 100644
--- a/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.cpp
+++ b/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
       g_head = 0;
       g_cnt  = 0;
   }
+  extern "C" void event_log_test_simulate_reboot() {
+      // Simulate device reboot: clear in-RAM state, keep persistent slots.
+      g_head = 0;
+      g_cnt  = 0;
+  }
 #endif
 
 static const size_t SLOTS     = 32;
@@ -69,6 +74,7 @@ void event_log_init() {
         Serial.println("[evlog] NVS begin failed");
         return;
     }
+#endif
     // Scan all 32 slots; locate the one with the largest seq.
     // Empty log: every slot tag == 0 (not a valid EventLogTag, which starts at 1).
     uint32_t max_seq = 0;
@@ -91,9 +97,6 @@ void event_log_init() {
         g_head = 0;
         g_cnt  = 0;
     }
-#else
-    // nothing
-#endif
 }
 
 void event_log_write(EventLogTag tag, uint16_t data0, uint16_t data1) {
diff --git a/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.h b/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.h
index d4ff60f..0782743 100644
--- a/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.h
+++ b/firmware/lib/event_log/event_log.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ struct EventLogEntry {
 static_assert(sizeof(EventLogEntry) == 32, "EventLogEntry must be 32 bytes");
 
 // NVS-backed 32-slot ring buffer. Safe to call before NTP sync.
+// Call exactly once from application setup, before any task writes events.
 void event_log_init();
 void event_log_write(EventLogTag tag, uint16_t data0 = 0, uint16_t data1 = 0);
 size_t event_log_read_recent(EventLogEntry* out, size_t max_entries);
diff --git a/firmware/test/test_event_log/test_event_log.cpp b/firmware/test/test_event_log/test_event_log.cpp
index aceb47f..5742b2e 100644
--- a/firmware/test/test_event_log/test_event_log.cpp
+++ b/firmware/test/test_event_log/test_event_log.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,58 @@ void test_path_hash_distinguishes_real_api_paths() {
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_EQUAL(h2, h3);
 }
 
+extern "C" void event_log_test_simulate_reboot();
+
+void test_boot_recovery_after_partial_fill() {
+    // Phase 1: write 5 entries before "reboot"
+    event_log_init();
+    for (uint16_t i = 0; i < 5; i++) event_log_write(EVT_HTTP_OK, i, 0);
+
+    // Phase 2: simulate reboot (clear RAM state, keep slots), re-init, verify
+    event_log_test_simulate_reboot();
+    event_log_init();
+
+    // All 5 original entries should still be readable, newest first
+    EventLogEntry buf[8];
+    size_t n = event_log_read_recent(buf, 8);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(5, n);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(4, buf[0].data0);  // newest
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, buf[4].data0);  // oldest
+
+    // Phase 3: write one more — seq must continue (not restart at 0),
+    // so the new entry is the newest and slot index 5 holds it
+    event_log_write(EVT_HTTP_OK, 99, 0);
+    n = event_log_read_recent(buf, 8);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(6, n);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(99, buf[0].data0);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(4,  buf[1].data0);
+}
+
+void test_boot_recovery_after_wrap() {
+    // Phase 1: write 40 entries (wraps the 32-slot ring once; oldest 8 dropped)
+    event_log_init();
+    for (uint16_t i = 0; i < 40; i++) event_log_write(EVT_HTTP_OK, i, 0);
+
+    // Phase 2: simulate reboot, re-init
+    event_log_test_simulate_reboot();
+    event_log_init();
+
+    // Still 32 entries visible, newest=39, oldest=8
+    EventLogEntry buf[32];
+    size_t n = event_log_read_recent(buf, 32);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(32, n);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(39, buf[0].data0);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(8,  buf[31].data0);
+
+    // Phase 3: one more write — newest becomes 100, head advances past
+    // wherever the max-seq slot was, oldest drops to data0=9
+    event_log_write(EVT_HTTP_OK, 100, 0);
+    n = event_log_read_recent(buf, 32);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(32, n);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(100, buf[0].data0);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(9,   buf[31].data0);
+}
+
 int main() {
     UNITY_BEGIN();
     RUN_TEST(test_entry_is_32_bytes);
@@ -83,5 +135,7 @@ int main() {
     RUN_TEST(test_empty_log_read_returns_zero);
     RUN_TEST(test_read_recent_truncates_to_max_entries);
     RUN_TEST(test_path_hash_distinguishes_real_api_paths);
+    RUN_TEST(test_boot_recovery_after_partial_fill);
+    RUN_TEST(test_boot_recovery_after_wrap);
     return UNITY_END();
 }