diff --git a/gauge.py b/gauge.py
index dc3aed3..c0648fb 100644
--- a/gauge.py
+++ b/gauge.py
@@ -30,8 +30,12 @@ from machine import UART
 
 # Activate WiFi driver before any heavy heap allocation so it can claim its
 # contiguous DRAM block before the Python heap fragments the address space.
+# Only activate if not already running (e.g. boot.py may have started it).
 gc.collect()
-network.WLAN(network.STA_IF).active(True)
+_early_wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
+if not _early_wlan.active():
+    _early_wlan.active(True)
+del _early_wlan
 gc.collect()
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------