diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 7bd51b3..0b91b05 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -424,27 +424,24 @@ static void factoryReset(bool clearWifi) {
   ESP.restart();
 }
 
-static void checkFactoryReset() {
-  const int THRESHOLD_CONFIG = 5;
-  const int THRESHOLD_WIFI   = 10;
+static int incrementResetCount() {
   int count = 0;
   File f = LittleFS.open("/reset_count", "r");
-  if (f) {
-    count = f.parseInt();
-    f.close();
-  }
+  if (f) { count = f.parseInt(); f.close(); }
   count++;
+  f = LittleFS.open("/reset_count", "w");
+  if (f) { f.print(count); f.close(); }
+  Serial.printf("[BOOT] reset count %d\n", count);
+  return count;
+}
+
+static void applyFactoryResetIfNeeded(int count) {
+  const int THRESHOLD_CONFIG = 5;
+  const int THRESHOLD_WIFI   = 10;
+  LittleFS.remove("/reset_count");
   if (count >= THRESHOLD_CONFIG) {
-    LittleFS.remove("/reset_count");
     Serial.printf("[BOOT] reset count %d, triggering factory reset\n", count);
     factoryReset(count >= THRESHOLD_WIFI);
-    return;
-  }
-  f = LittleFS.open("/reset_count", "w");
-  if (f) {
-    f.print(count);
-    f.close();
-    Serial.printf("[BOOT] reset count %d/%d\n", count, THRESHOLD_CONFIG);
   }
 }
 
@@ -460,13 +457,13 @@ void setup() {
   loadConfig();
   hostnameParam.setValue(hostname, strlen(hostname));
 
-  checkFactoryReset();
+  int resetCount = incrementResetCount();
 
-  // Reset-counter settle window: if the device stays powered past this point it
-  // wasn't a rapid power-cycle, so clear the counter before the (possibly
-  // indefinitely blocking) WiFi portal.
+  // Settle window: if the device stays powered past this point it wasn't a
+  // rapid power-cycle. After the delay, act on the accumulated count (5x =
+  // config reset, 10x = config + WiFi reset) then clear the counter.
   delay(3000);
-  LittleFS.remove("/reset_count");
+  applyFactoryResetIfNeeded(resetCount);
 
   Serial.println("[WIFI] starting WiFiManager");
   WiFiManager wm;