diff --git a/CHANGELOG_LATEST.md b/CHANGELOG_LATEST.md
index 956eb2cb6..b483725d2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG_LATEST.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG_LATEST.md
@@ -18,4 +18,5 @@ For more details go to [emsesp.org](https://emsesp.org/).
 
 - various memory optimizations [#3083](https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP32/issues/3083)
 - Scheduler name is mandatory
-- Scheduler with type "Immediate", click Execute does not run the command [#3092](https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP32/issues/3092)
\ No newline at end of file
+- Scheduler with type "Immediate", click Execute does not run the command [#3092](https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP32/issues/3092)
+- network fallback to AP only after start [#3090](https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP32/issues/3090)
diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index eacaa0944..f7cca72de 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ lib_deps =
   bblanchon/ArduinoJson @ 7.4.3
   ESP32Async/AsyncTCP @ 3.4.10
   ESP32Async/ESPAsyncWebServer @ 3.11.0
-  https://github.com/mobizt/ReadyMail.git @ 0.4.0
+  https://github.com/mobizt/ReadyMail.git @ 0.4.2
   https://github.com/mobizt/ESP_SSLClient.git @ 3.1.3
   ; https://github.com/emsesp/EMS-ESP-Modules.git @ 1.0.8
 
diff --git a/src/core/network.cpp b/src/core/network.cpp
index 80fdbab4b..423b1d11e 100644
--- a/src/core/network.cpp
+++ b/src/core/network.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ void Network::begin() {
     WiFi.persistent(false);
     WiFi.setAutoReconnect(false);
     WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
-    WiFi.disconnect(true);                   // wipe old settings in NVS
+    WiFi.disconnect(true, true);             // wipe old settings in NVS
+    WiFi.setScanMethod(WIFI_ALL_CHANNEL_SCAN);
     WiFi.setHostname(hostname_.c_str());     // updates shared default_hostname buffer
     WiFi.enableSTA(true);                    // creates the STA netif
     WiFi.STA.setHostname(hostname_.c_str()); // pushes to esp_netif_set_hostname
@@ -235,7 +236,6 @@ void Network::reconnect() {
     last_disconnect_reason_   = 0;
     connect_retry_            = 0;
     reconnect_count_          = 0;
-    phase_                    = NetPhase::ETHERNET; // begin() will refine this once settings are reloaded
 
     // reload the network settings and apply them
     begin();
@@ -304,23 +304,15 @@ void Network::checkConnection() {
     }
 
     if (!still_up) {
-        if (network_iface_ == NetIface::WIFI) {
-            uint8_t reason = last_disconnect_reason_;
-            if (reason == 0) {
-                reason = WIFI_REASON_UNSPECIFIED; // event hasn't fired yet (or was cleared); avoid logging "0"
-            }
-            LOG_INFO("WiFi connection lost (reason %u: %s)", reason, disconnectReason(reason));
-            wifi_connect_pending_ = false;
-        } else if (network_iface_ == NetIface::ETHERNET) {
-            LOG_INFO("Ethernet connection lost");
-            ethernet_connect_pending_ = false;
-        }
         juststopped_   = true;
-        network_iface_ = NetIface::NONE;
         network_ip_    = 0;
         has_ipv6_      = false;
         connect_retry_ = 0;
-        phase_         = initialPhase();
+        if (network_iface_ == NetIface::ETHERNET) {
+            LOG_WARNING("Ethernet connection lost");
+            return;
+        }
+        begin();
     }
 #endif
 }
@@ -543,12 +535,6 @@ void Network::startEthernet() {
         return;
     }
 
-    // disabled Ethernet for boards with only 4MB flash and no PSRAM
-    if (ESP.getFlashChipSize() < 4194304 && !ESP.getPsramSize()) { // 4MB
-        LOG_NOTICE("Ethernet disabled for boards with only 4MB flash");
-        return;
-    }
-
     // reset power and add a delay as ETH doesn't not always start up correctly after a warm boot
     if (eth_power_ != -1) {
         pinMode(eth_power_, OUTPUT);
@@ -657,7 +643,9 @@ void Network::findNetworks() {
         } else if (network_iface_ == NetIface::AP) {
             phase_ = NetPhase::AP;
         }
-
+        if (!ethernet_ever_connected && ethernet_connected()) {
+            ethernet_ever_connected_ = true;
+        }
         LOG_INFO("Network connected via %s (IP: " IPSTR ")",
                  network_iface_ == NetIface::ETHERNET ? "Ethernet"
                  : network_iface_ == NetIface::WIFI   ? "WiFi"
@@ -703,18 +691,21 @@ void Network::findNetworks() {
         if (connect_retry_ >= MAX_NETWORK_RECONNECTION_ATTEMPTS && phase_ != NetPhase::AP) {
             if (phase_ == NetPhase::ETHERNET) {
                 if (ssid_.isEmpty()) {
-                    LOG_WARNING("Ethernet failed to connect after %u attempts, falling back to AP", connect_retry_);
-                    phase_ = NetPhase::AP;
+                    if (!ethernet_ever_connected_) {
+                        LOG_WARNING("Ethernet failed to connect after %u attempts, falling back to AP", connect_retry_);
+                        phase_ = NetPhase::AP;
+                    }
                 } else {
                     LOG_WARNING("Ethernet failed to connect after %u attempts, switching to WiFi", connect_retry_);
                     phase_ = NetPhase::WIFI;
                 }
                 ethernet_connect_pending_ = false;
             } else if (phase_ == NetPhase::WIFI) {
-                LOG_WARNING("WiFi failed to connect after %u attempts, falling back to AP", connect_retry_);
-                phase_                = NetPhase::AP;
+                if (!wifi_ever_connected_) {
+                    LOG_WARNING("WiFi failed to connect after %u attempts, falling back to AP", connect_retry_);
+                    phase_ = NetPhase::AP;
+                }
                 wifi_connect_pending_ = false;
-                WiFi.disconnect(true);
             }
             connect_retry_ = 0;
         }
diff --git a/src/core/network.h b/src/core/network.h
index abfe3750d..92da60be3 100644
--- a/src/core/network.h
+++ b/src/core/network.h
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ class Network {
 
     NetPhase phase_ = NetPhase::ETHERNET;
 
-    bool wifi_events_registered_ = false; // ensure WiFi.onEvent() handlers are registered only once across begin()/reconnect() cycles
-    bool wifi_ever_connected_    = false; // set true once we've successfully obtained an IP
+    bool wifi_events_registered_  = false; // ensure WiFi.onEvent() handlers are registered only once across begin()/reconnect() cycles
+    bool wifi_ever_connected_     = false; // set true once we've successfully obtained an IP
+    bool ethernet_ever_connected_ = false; // set true once we've successfully obtained an IP
 
     // Network and AP settings
     bool      enableMDNS_;
diff --git a/src/core/telegram.cpp b/src/core/telegram.cpp
index 010b3ae49..9b3404318 100644
--- a/src/core/telegram.cpp
+++ b/src/core/telegram.cpp
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ void TxService::send_telegram(const QueuedTxTelegram & tx_telegram) {
     }
 
     LOG_DEBUG("Sending %s Tx [#%d], telegram: %s",
-              (telegram->operation != Telegram::Operation::TX_READ) ? ("write") : ("read"),
+              (telegram->operation != Telegram::Operation::TX_READ) ? "write" : "read",
               tx_telegram.id_,
               Helpers::data_to_hex(telegram_raw, length - 1).c_str()); // exclude the last CRC byte
 
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ void TxService::retry_tx(const uint8_t operation, const uint8_t * data, const ui
     }
 
     LOG_DEBUG("Last Tx %s operation failed. Retry #%d. sent message: %s, received: %s",
-              (operation == Telegram::Operation::TX_WRITE) ? ("Write") : ("Read"),
+              (operation == Telegram::Operation::TX_WRITE) ? "Write" : "Read",
               retry_count_,
               telegram_last_->to_string().c_str(),
               Helpers::data_to_hex(data, length - 1).c_str());