diff --git a/.agents/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/references/native-and-artifacts.md b/.agents/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/references/native-and-artifacts.md
index 2b67df630d..d4e62ab5b0 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/references/native-and-artifacts.md
+++ b/.agents/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/references/native-and-artifacts.md
@@ -679,7 +679,8 @@ cannot be opened as raw-binary. See
 A whole-flash dump opens as `esp-flash-image`. `root_format_metadata` holds
 `partition_table` (its `method`: `default`, `caller` or a derived
 `scan`), `bootloader` and `apps` ESP image facts, `otadata` with a derived
-`selected` slot and its `assumptions`, and `partitions_outside_dump`;
+`selected` slot (null when a record is missing) and its `assumptions`, and
+`partitions_outside_dump`;
 `running_partition` is always `unknown`. Partition rows
 (`partitions/<label>.bin`) carry the declared `type`, `subtype`, names,
 `flash_address`, `size` and flags; `encrypted` is a storage flag, not
diff --git a/docs/esp-flash-image.md b/docs/esp-flash-image.md
index 98467a256c..e54f0fe187 100644
--- a/docs/esp-flash-image.md
+++ b/docs/esp-flash-image.md
@@ -16,28 +16,45 @@ headers, segments, integrity and descriptors appear in the root
 
 ## Recognition
 
-A file is a flash image when REA finds a partition table that ESP-IDF's
-bootloader accepts (`esp_partition_table_verify`): 32-byte `0x50AA` entries,
-at most one `0xEBEB` MD5 entry over the entries before it, and a terminating
-entry within `0xC00` bytes. The table is located in this order:
+A file is a flash image when REA finds a partition table in the entry
+structure ESP-IDF's bootloader verifies (`esp_partition_table_verify`):
+32-byte `0x50AA` entries, at most one `0xEBEB` MD5 entry over the entries
+before it, and a terminating entry within `0xC00` bytes. ESP-IDF accepts a
+table with no entries, but REA requires one so that erased flash is not a
+table. A table whose MD5 does not match, or that has a second MD5 entry, is
+still read, with `md5.status` `invalid` and a limitation, because the
+bootloader would refuse it. The table is located in this order:
 
 1. at the caller's `partition_table_offset`, when given; no scan follows;
 2. at the default `0x8000`;
 3. by scanning every `0x1000`-aligned flash sector for a table whose MD5
    verifies. This location is derived, and the inventory says so.
 
-Without a caller selection, the scan runs only when an ESP image sits at a
-ROM bootloader offset, so ordinary files are not scanned. A C3 or S3 dump
-begins with its bootloader, so flash layouts are detected before a file is
-read as one ESP image. An image at another chip's ROM offset, such as an
-ESP32 bootloader at the start of a dump read from `0x1000`, means the dump's
-origin is not flash address 0. REA then does not scan, because a table found
-that way would place every partition at the wrong file offset; pass
-`flash_offset`.
+A table never lies inside the located bootloader image, so the default
+offset and the scan are tried only after the image's last segment. Without
+a caller selection, the scan runs only when an ESP image sits at a ROM
+bootloader offset, and a single app or bootloader image ends at its last
+segment, so neither ordinary files nor single images are scanned. A C3 or
+S3 dump begins with its bootloader, so flash layouts are detected before a
+file is read as one ESP image.
+
+Unless the caller names the table with `partition_table_offset`, REA
+refuses two kinds of dump before looking for a table:
+
+- an image of a known chip at another chip's ROM offset, such as an ESP32
+  bootloader at the start of a dump read from `0x1000`. The dump's origin
+  is not the flash address REA assumed, given or default, and a table found
+  there would place every partition at the wrong file offset; pass the
+  `flash_offset` where the dump starts.
+- an ESP8266 image at a ROM offset. ESP8266 dumps can hold the same table
+  format, and they keep the [ESP image](esp-image.md) reader's ESP8266
+  refusal.
 
 When no table is found the layout is not recognized. This is an unknown
 outcome, not a malformed file: flash encryption, which encrypts the
-bootloader and the table, is one cause.
+bootloader and the table, is one cause. When a table is found without a
+located bootloader and `flash_offset` is omitted, a limitation says that
+each partition's file offset assumes the dump starts at flash `0x0`.
 
 ## Caller inputs
 
@@ -72,7 +89,8 @@ The root `format_metadata` (`esp-flash-image`) records:
 - `apps`: ESP image facts for each app partition the dump holds;
 - `otadata`: the OTA records and the derived selection;
 - `partitions_outside_dump`: declared partitions with no bytes in the file;
-- `undescribed`: byte ranges outside every region that are not erased flash.
+- `undescribed`: ranges outside every region, each from a byte that is not
+  erased flash to the end of its gap.
 
 The ROM loads the bootloader from `ESP_ROM_BOOTLOADER_OFFSET_FLASH`:
 `0x1000` for ESP32 and ESP32-S2; `0x0` for ESP32-S3, C2, C3, C6, C61, H2 and
@@ -81,15 +99,25 @@ where its own `chip_id` says the ROM loads it.
 
 ### Partitions
 
-Each partition entry is `partitions/<label>.bin` when the label is a safe,
-unique name of letters, digits, `.`, `_` and `-` with at least one letter or
-underscore, and `partitions/<index>.bin` otherwise; `source_path` keeps the
-label. Its `format_metadata` (`esp-flash-partition`) records the table
-`index`, `label` (null when not UTF-8), `type`, `subtype`, ESP-IDF's
-`type_name` and `subtype_name`, `flash_address`, `size`, the `encrypted` and
-`readonly` flags and any `unknown_flags`. The `encrypted` flag says how a
-device with flash encryption stores the partition; it does not establish
-that the dump's bytes are ciphertext.
+Each partition entry is `partitions/<label>.bin` when the label is a safe
+name of up to 16 letters, digits, `.`, `_` and `-` that starts with a
+letter, digit or underscore and has at least one letter or underscore, and
+no other label repeats it, ignoring case as some file systems do; it is
+`partitions/<index>.bin` otherwise. `source_path` keeps the label, the
+table's own name for the partition. Its `format_metadata`
+(`esp-flash-partition`) records the table `index`, `label` (null when not
+UTF-8), `label_hex` (the label's bytes when it is not UTF-8, else null),
+`type`, `subtype`, ESP-IDF's `type_name` and `subtype_name`,
+`flash_address`, `size`, the `encrypted` and `readonly` flags and any
+`unknown_flags`. The `encrypted` flag says how a device with flash
+encryption stores the partition; it does not establish that the dump's
+bytes are ciphertext.
+
+ESP-IDF 5.3 and later may declare primary `bootloader` and `partition_table`
+entries over the bootloader region and the table sector. They are
+partitions like any other, whose bytes are also `bootloader.bin` and
+`partition-table.bin`, and they are exempt from the rule that partitions
+follow the table, as in `gen_esp32part.py`.
 
 A partition that the file holds only in part is the bytes the file holds,
 with a limitation. One unreadable partition does not hide the others:
@@ -109,27 +137,44 @@ segments as entries.
 ### OTA data
 
 The otadata partition holds two `esp_ota_select_entry_t` records, one at the
-start of each 4 KiB sector. REA reports each record's `ota_seq`,
-`seq_label`, `ota_state` and its name, `crc`, whether the CRC matches (CRC-32
-of `ota_seq` seeded with `0xFFFFFFFF`) and whether the bootloader would treat
+start of each 4 KiB sector. Like the bootloader, REA reads the last otadata
+partition the table declares, and the last factory app and OTA app of each
+subtype; a limitation names any repeated declaration. REA reports each
+record the partition and the dump hold: its `ota_seq`, `seq_label`,
+`ota_state` and its name, `crc`, whether the CRC matches (CRC-32 of
+`ota_seq` seeded with `0xFFFFFFFF`) and whether the bootloader would treat
 it as valid.
 
 `selected` is derived as `bootloader_utility_get_selected_boot_partition`
-does without app rollback or anti-rollback: the valid record with the higher
-`ota_seq` selects slot `(ota_seq - 1) % ota_app_count`, indexed by OTA
-subtype. With no usable record or no OTA app, the factory app is selected,
-else `ota_0`. Its `assumptions` list what the derivation leaves out.
-`running_partition` is always `unknown`: at boot the bootloader may first
-mark a pending-verify record aborted, check the app's secure version against
-eFuse, and fall back to another partition when an app fails to load.
+does without app rollback or anti-rollback. `basis` names its branch:
+
+- `otadata`: the valid record with the higher `ota_seq` (record 0 on a tie)
+  selects slot `(ota_seq - 1) % ota_app_count`, indexed by OTA subtype;
+- `factory-fallback`: no record is usable, or the table has no OTA app, and
+  a factory app is declared; or records are set but none is valid, as after
+  a CRC mismatch, which selects the factory index whether or not a factory
+  app is declared;
+- `ota_0-fallback`: no record is usable and no factory app is declared, so
+  the bootloader selects boot index 0;
+- `none`: the otadata partition is smaller than two 4 KiB sectors, so the
+  bootloader cannot read it and resets without selecting an app.
+
+`partition_index` is null when the table declares no partition for the
+selected slot or fallback; the bootloader then tries the other apps.
+`selected` is null when the dump lacks a record the bootloader reads. Its
+`assumptions` list what the derivation leaves out, among them factory-reset
+and test-app GPIO holds and a wake from deep sleep. `running_partition` is
+always `unknown`: at boot the bootloader may first mark a pending-verify
+record aborted, check the app's secure version against eFuse, and fall back
+to another partition when an app fails to load.
 
 ## Coverage and extraction
 
-Erased flash (`0xFF`) between regions is described; any other byte outside
-the bootloader region, the table sector and the partitions is listed in
-`undescribed` and makes coverage `unknown`. Coverage is also `unknown` when a
-partition is truncated or outside the dump, or when no bootloader is
-located.
+Erased flash (`0xFF`) between regions is described. In a gap between
+regions, the first byte that is not erased starts an `undescribed` range to
+the end of the gap, and makes coverage `unknown`; the rest of that range is
+not examined. Coverage is also `unknown` when a partition is truncated or
+outside the dump, or when no bootloader is located.
 
 `extract_artifact` writes every entry as an ordinary file, `nvs_keys`
 partitions included. On a device without flash encryption an `nvs_keys`
@@ -139,31 +184,40 @@ NVS.
 
 ## Comparison
 
-Artifact comparison uses each partition's `label`, `type`, `subtype`,
-`flash_address`, `size` and flags as its declaration, so a partition that
-moves or changes type with unchanged bytes is `changed` in `metadata`.
-Partitions pair by path. The root facts derive from the dump's bytes, which
-content comparison covers.
+Artifact comparison uses each partition's `label`, `label_hex`, `type`,
+`subtype`, `flash_address`, `size` and flags as its declaration, so a
+partition that moves, changes type or flags, or is renamed with unchanged
+bytes is `changed` in `metadata`. Partitions pair by path. The root facts
+are not compared as a declaration: they derive from the dump's bytes, which
+content comparison covers, and from the caller's `flash_offset` and
+`partition_table_offset`, which are part of the target's identity and
+decide each partition's byte range.
 
 ## Limits
 
 - A flash dump inside another container, such as a ZIP, is classified from
   its first bytes and so reads as an ESP image, not as a flash layout; extract
   it first.
-- ESP8266 dumps, Secure Boot v1 bootloader digests and flash-encrypted
-  layouts are not read.
+- ESP8266 dumps are refused; Secure Boot v1 bootloader digests and
+  flash-encrypted layouts are not read.
+- Partitions are not checked against the flash chip size, which the
+  bootloader also verifies.
 - NVS, FAT, SPIFFS and other data partitions are extracted, not decoded.
 - An image nested in a partition is decoded for its facts; its segments are
   not inventory entries.
 
 ## Verification
 
-Synthetic fixtures with computed MD5s and CRCs cover the table rules, every
-way the table is located, the misplaced-origin guard, the ROM bootloader
-offsets, overlaps, truncation and partitions outside the dump, index names
-for unsafe labels, the otadata states and the bootloader's selection rules.
-CLI and stdio MCP tests exercise the inputs, their identity, extraction and
-comparison.
+Synthetic fixtures with computed MD5s and CRCs, and one CRC otatool wrote,
+cover the table rules, every way the table is located, the scan's chunk and
+sector edges, the misplaced-origin guard with the origin omitted or given,
+the ESP8266 refusal, the `0x0`, `0x1000` and `0x2000` ROM bootloader
+offsets, single images that are not scanned, overlaps, primary entries,
+truncation and partitions outside the dump, index names for unsafe labels,
+repeated declarations, the otadata states and records, and each branch of
+the bootloader's selection. CLI and stdio MCP tests exercise the inputs and
+their identity and extraction, and an MCP `compare_artifacts` test compares
+partition declarations, labels that are not UTF-8 included.
 
 The optional real lane builds its dumps with esptool and ESP-IDF's own tools:
 
@@ -207,7 +261,10 @@ The lane does not establish:
 
 - dumps read from a device: its dumps come from `merge-bin`;
 - chips other than ESP32-C3 and ESP32;
-- OTA states the bootloader writes itself, app rollback or anti-rollback;
+- `ota_state` and record validity, which `read_otadata` does not print, or
+  OTA states the bootloader writes itself, app rollback or anti-rollback;
+- selection with gaps or repeated OTA subtypes, which otatool does not
+  write;
 - flash-encrypted dumps, which are not recognized by design.
 
 It does not run in CI.
diff --git a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.test.ts b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.test.ts
index 9fc6e901a1..ae8adb76a8 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.test.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 import { EspFlashImageArtifactReader } from "./EspFlashImageArtifactReader.js";
 import { ArtifactResourceScope } from "./ArtifactResourceScope.js";
+import type { ArtifactEntry } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import { extractArtifact } from "./extraction/ArtifactExtraction.js";
 import * as espImageDecoding from "../domain/firmware/espImage.js";
 import {
@@ -51,6 +52,12 @@ const root = (
   snapshot.occurrences.find(({ logical_path }) => logical_path === ".")
     ?.format_metadata;
 
+const list = async (reader: EspFlashImageArtifactReader) => {
+  const entries: ArtifactEntry[] = [];
+  for await (const entry of reader.entries()) entries.push(entry);
+  return entries;
+};
+
 describe("ESP flash layout inventory", () => {
   it("inventories the bootloader, table and partitions with app and otadata facts", async () => {
     const snapshot = await scanCanonicalArtifactInventory(
@@ -219,6 +226,87 @@ describe("ESP flash layout coverage and selection", () => {
     } finally {
       await reader.close();
     }
+    // The caller's selection decides before another container's signature.
+    const zipLike = await writeDump(
+      Buffer.concat([Buffer.from("PK\x03\x04"), pattern(0x1_0000, 3)]),
+      "dump.zip",
+    );
+    await expect(
+      scanCanonicalArtifactInventory(zipLike, { espFlashSelection: {} }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(/ESP flash image layout is not recognized/u);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("ESP flash layout reader identity", () => {
+  it("rejects a changed carrier during extraction preparation", async () => {
+    const reader = new EspFlashImageArtifactReader(await writeDump(DUMP));
+    try {
+      await expect(
+        reader.prepareContainer("0".repeat(64)),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "integrity" });
+    } finally {
+      await reader.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("rejects forged entries and changed carrier identity, then closes idempotently", async () => {
+    const path = await writeDump(DUMP);
+    const reader = new EspFlashImageArtifactReader(path);
+    try {
+      const entry = (await list(reader)).find(
+        ({ path: name }) => name === "partitions/nvs.bin",
+      );
+      if (entry === undefined) throw new Error("Missing nvs partition");
+      await expect(
+        reader.open({ ...entry, declaredSize: 1 }),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "integrity" });
+      await expect(
+        reader.open({ ...entry, byteOffset: 0 }),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "integrity" });
+      await expect(
+        reader.open({
+          ...entry,
+          adapterKey: "esp-flash-image:partitions/x.bin",
+        }),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "integrity" });
+      await writeFile(path, DUMP.subarray(0, 0x1_0000));
+      await expect(reader.open(entry)).rejects.toMatchObject({
+        reason: "integrity",
+      });
+    } finally {
+      await reader.close();
+      await reader.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("settles an active entry stream when closed", async () => {
+    const reader = new EspFlashImageArtifactReader(await writeDump(DUMP));
+    try {
+      const [entry] = await list(reader);
+      if (entry === undefined) throw new Error("Missing entry");
+      const stream = await reader.open(entry);
+      await reader.close();
+      expect(stream.destroyed).toBe(true);
+      await expect(
+        reader.entries()[Symbol.asyncIterator]().next(),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "unavailable" });
+    } finally {
+      await reader.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("honors cancellation before admitting a file with the exact reason", async () => {
+    const reader = new EspFlashImageArtifactReader(await writeDump(DUMP));
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const reason = { stage: "before admission" };
+    controller.abort(reason);
+    try {
+      await expect(
+        reader.entries(controller.signal)[Symbol.asyncIterator]().next(),
+      ).rejects.toMatchObject({ reason: "cancelled", cause: reason });
+    } finally {
+      await reader.close();
+    }
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
index f0ebddbaf9..e6f2d765cb 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
@@ -265,15 +265,17 @@ export class EspFlashImageArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     context: EspFlashReadContext,
     plan: EspFlashPlan,
   ): Promise<EspFlashLayoutFacts> {
-    const record = (position: number) =>
-      readEspFlashRange(context, position, ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES);
-    const otadataRecords =
-      plan.otadata === undefined
-        ? undefined
-        : ([
-            await record(plan.otadata.records[0]),
-            await record(plan.otadata.records[1]),
-          ] as const);
+    const otadataRecords: (Uint8Array | undefined)[] = [];
+    for (const { fileOffset, available } of plan.otadata?.records ?? [])
+      otadataRecords.push(
+        available
+          ? await readEspFlashRange(
+              context,
+              fileOffset,
+              ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES,
+            )
+          : undefined,
+      );
     const gapFirstUnerased: (number | undefined)[] = [];
     for (const gap of plan.gaps) {
       this.#assertOpen(context.signal);
@@ -426,10 +428,13 @@ const layoutMetadata = (
         : {
             ...facts.otadata,
             records: facts.otadata.records.map((record) => ({ ...record })),
-            selected: {
-              ...facts.otadata.selected,
-              assumptions: [...facts.otadata.selected.assumptions],
-            },
+            selected:
+              facts.otadata.selected === null
+                ? null
+                : {
+                    ...facts.otadata.selected,
+                    assumptions: [...facts.otadata.selected.assumptions],
+                  },
           },
     undescribed: [...facts.undescribed],
   };
diff --git a/src/artifacts/EspFlashRegionReads.ts b/src/artifacts/EspFlashRegionReads.ts
index cfab701c54..0d82901203 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/EspFlashRegionReads.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/EspFlashRegionReads.ts
@@ -99,8 +99,9 @@ export const decodeEspFlashImage = async (
     region.start,
     PROBE_BYTES,
   );
+  // A region shorter than a header is erased when all of its bytes are.
   if (
-    prefix.length >= HEADER_BYTES &&
+    prefix.length > 0 &&
     prefix.subarray(0, HEADER_BYTES).every((byte) => byte === 0xff)
   )
     return noImage("erased", []);
diff --git a/src/artifacts/inventory/classify.ts b/src/artifacts/inventory/classify.ts
index 914fa7b778..333b6e7fb4 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/inventory/classify.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/inventory/classify.ts
@@ -242,17 +242,6 @@ const classifyRootFormat = async (
   const archiveBytes = (await handle.stat()).size;
   const evidence = probe.finish(archiveBytes);
   abortIfNeeded(signal);
-  const classificationPath = artifactNameForClassification(
-    selectedPath ?? path,
-    path,
-  );
-  const lower = classificationPath.toLowerCase();
-  if (hasZipSignature(evidence.prefix)) return zipRootPackageFormat(lower);
-  if (
-    lower.endsWith(".pkg") &&
-    evidence.prefix.subarray(0, 4).equals(Buffer.from("xar!"))
-  )
-    return "pkg";
   // Fill each range: a short result is end of file, not a partial host read.
   const read = async (position: number, length: number): Promise<Buffer> => {
     const bytes = Buffer.alloc(length);
@@ -271,6 +260,32 @@ const classifyRootFormat = async (
     }
     return bytes.subarray(0, filled);
   };
+  const locateFlash = (selection: EspFlashSelection, explicit: boolean) =>
+    locateEspFlashLayout(archiveBytes, read, selection, {
+      explicit,
+      ...(signal === undefined ? {} : { signal }),
+    });
+  // The caller's format selection decides before any other signature.
+  if (espFlashSelection !== undefined) {
+    const selected = await locateFlash(espFlashSelection, true);
+    if (!selected.ok)
+      throw new ArtifactReaderFailure(
+        "unavailable",
+        `ESP flash image layout is not recognized: ${selected.error}`,
+      );
+    return { kind: "esp-flash-image", source, location: selected.value };
+  }
+  const classificationPath = artifactNameForClassification(
+    selectedPath ?? path,
+    path,
+  );
+  const lower = classificationPath.toLowerCase();
+  if (hasZipSignature(evidence.prefix)) return zipRootPackageFormat(lower);
+  if (
+    lower.endsWith(".pkg") &&
+    evidence.prefix.subarray(0, 4).equals(Buffer.from("xar!"))
+  )
+    return "pkg";
   if (
     lower.endsWith(".dmg") &&
     (await hasDiskImageSignature(archiveBytes, read))
@@ -280,22 +295,9 @@ const classifyRootFormat = async (
   if (pck !== undefined) return { kind: "godot-pck", source, location: pck };
   // A C3 or S3 dump begins with its bootloader, so the layout is located
   // before the bytes are read as one ESP image.
-  const flash = await locateEspFlashLayout(
-    archiveBytes,
-    read,
-    espFlashSelection ?? {},
-    {
-      explicit: espFlashSelection !== undefined,
-      ...(signal === undefined ? {} : { signal }),
-    },
-  );
+  const flash = await locateFlash({}, false);
   if (flash.ok)
     return { kind: "esp-flash-image", source, location: flash.value };
-  if (espFlashSelection !== undefined)
-    throw new ArtifactReaderFailure(
-      "unavailable",
-      `ESP flash image layout is not recognized: ${flash.error}`,
-    );
   const fatEvidence = await readRootFatSliceHeaders(handle, evidence, signal);
   const mzWindowsHeaderSignature = await readRootMzWindowsHeaderSignature(
     handle,
diff --git a/src/cli/options.ts b/src/cli/options.ts
index 2de0d6b1e7..fac3cb1ffe 100644
--- a/src/cli/options.ts
+++ b/src/cli/options.ts
@@ -33,8 +33,12 @@ export const snapshotSelectionOption = z
   .optional()
   .describe("Load and update a local analysis snapshot");
 
-/** Explicit interpretation for headerless native executable formats. */
+/**
+ * Explicit interpretation for headerless native executable formats. Flash
+ * dumps take their offsets on the artifact commands instead.
+ */
 export const formatSelectionOption = executableFormatHintSchema
+  .exclude(["esp-flash-image"])
   .optional()
   .describe(
     "Explicit interpretation: dos-com or raw-binary (headerless), or gamecube-dol (GameCube/Wii DOL, never auto-detected); omission preserves header-based detection",
diff --git a/src/domain/artifactFormatMetadata.ts b/src/domain/artifactFormatMetadata.ts
index 3c207b04a9..72dd6ecdff 100644
--- a/src/domain/artifactFormatMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/domain/artifactFormatMetadata.ts
@@ -274,6 +274,11 @@ export const espFlashPartitionMetadataSchema = z.strictObject({
   index: uint8,
   /** The label up to its first NUL; null when it is not UTF-8. */
   label: z.string().nullable(),
+  /** The label's bytes up to its first NUL in hex, when it is not UTF-8. */
+  label_hex: z
+    .string()
+    .regex(/^(?:[0-9a-f]{2}){1,16}$/u)
+    .nullable(),
   type: uint8,
   subtype: uint8,
   /** `gen_esp32part.py` names; null for values it does not name. */
@@ -295,6 +300,7 @@ export const espFlashPartitionDeclaration = (
   metadata: EspFlashPartitionMetadata,
 ) => ({
   label: metadata.label,
+  label_hex: metadata.label_hex,
   type: metadata.type,
   subtype: metadata.subtype,
   flash_address: metadata.flash_address,
@@ -374,28 +380,40 @@ export const espFlashImageMetadataSchema = z.strictObject({
   apps: z.array(
     z.strictObject({ partition_index: uint8, facts: espFlashImageFactsSchema }),
   ),
+  /** The otadata partition the bootloader uses: the last one declared. */
   otadata: z
     .strictObject({
       partition_index: uint8,
-      records: z.array(espOtaRecordSchema),
-      /** Derived from the records under the stated assumptions. */
-      selected: z.strictObject({
-        active_record: z.union([z.literal(0), z.literal(1)]).nullable(),
-        slot: uint8.nullable(),
-        partition_index: uint8.nullable(),
-        basis: z.enum([
-          "otadata",
-          "factory-fallback",
-          "ota_0-fallback",
-          "none",
-        ]),
-        assumptions: z.array(z.string()),
-      }),
+      /** The records the dump holds, at most one per sector. */
+      records: z.array(espOtaRecordSchema).max(2),
+      /**
+       * Derived from both records under the stated assumptions; null when
+       * the dump lacks one. `partition_index` is null when the table
+       * declares no partition for the selected slot or fallback, and `none`
+       * is the bootloader's INVALID_INDEX, after which it resets.
+       */
+      selected: z
+        .strictObject({
+          active_record: z.union([z.literal(0), z.literal(1)]).nullable(),
+          slot: uint8.nullable(),
+          partition_index: uint8.nullable(),
+          basis: z.enum([
+            "otadata",
+            "factory-fallback",
+            "ota_0-fallback",
+            "none",
+          ]),
+          assumptions: z.array(z.string()),
+        })
+        .nullable(),
       /** Rollback, anti-rollback and load fallback decide it at boot. */
       running_partition: z.literal("unknown"),
     })
     .nullable(),
-  /** Bytes outside every described region that are not erased flash. */
+  /**
+   * Ranges outside every described region, each from a byte that is not
+   * erased flash to the end of its gap.
+   */
   undescribed: z.array(byteRange),
 });
 export type EspFlashImageMetadata = z.infer<typeof espFlashImageMetadataSchema>;
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashBootloader.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashBootloader.ts
index 25bf583424..35e1af771d 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashBootloader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashBootloader.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,13 @@ import {
   espChipForId,
   type EspChip,
 } from "./espChips.js";
-import { recognizeEspImage } from "./espImage.js";
-import { offsetText, u16 } from "./espImageStructures.js";
+import { ESP_IMAGE_HEADER_BYTES, recognizeEspImage } from "./espImage.js";
+import {
+  ESP_IMAGE_SEGMENT_HEADER_BYTES,
+  offsetText,
+  u16,
+  u32,
+} from "./espImageStructures.js";
 
 /** Bytes that recognition needs at a candidate bootloader offset. */
 export const ESP_BOOTLOADER_PROBE_BYTES = 32;
@@ -27,22 +32,31 @@ export interface EspBootloaderLocation {
   readonly chip: EspChip;
 }
 
+export interface EspBootloaderSearch {
+  readonly location: EspBootloaderLocation | undefined;
+  readonly limitations: readonly string[];
+  /** A known chip's image sits at another chip's ROM offset. */
+  readonly misplaced: boolean;
+  /** An ESP8266 image sits at a ROM offset. */
+  readonly esp8266: boolean;
+}
+
 /**
  * The bootloader is the ESP image at the flash address its chip's ROM loads
- * from (`ESP_ROM_BOOTLOADER_OFFSET_FLASH`). An image at another chip's ROM
- * offset is reported, not located: the dump may not start where its flash
- * offset says.
+ * from (`ESP_ROM_BOOTLOADER_OFFSET_FLASH`). Without one, an image of a known
+ * chip at another chip's ROM offset says the dump may not start where its
+ * flash offset says, and an ESP8266 image says it is an ESP8266 dump.
  */
 export const locateEspBootloader = (
   probes: readonly EspBootloaderProbe[],
-): {
-  readonly location: EspBootloaderLocation | undefined;
-  readonly limitations: readonly string[];
-} => {
+): EspBootloaderSearch => {
   const limitations: string[] = [];
+  let misplaced = false;
+  let esp8266 = false;
   for (const probe of probes) {
-    if (recognizeEspImage(probe.prefix, probe.available) !== "esp-image")
-      continue;
+    const recognized = recognizeEspImage(probe.prefix, probe.available);
+    if (recognized === "esp8266") esp8266 = true;
+    if (recognized !== "esp-image") continue;
     const chipId = u16(probe.prefix, 12);
     const chip = espChipForId(chipId);
     if (chip?.romBootloaderOffset === probe.flashAddress)
@@ -53,14 +67,39 @@ export const locateEspBootloader = (
           chip,
         },
         limitations: [],
+        misplaced: false,
+        esp8266: false,
       };
+    if (chip !== undefined) misplaced = true;
     limitations.push(
       chip === undefined
         ? `An ESP image at flash ${offsetText(probe.flashAddress)} has chip_id 0x${chipId.toString(16).padStart(4, "0")}, which is not in the chip table; it is not read as the bootloader.`
-        : `An ${chip.target} image is at flash ${offsetText(probe.flashAddress)}, but its ROM loads the bootloader from ${offsetText(chip.romBootloaderOffset)}; the dump may not start at the given flash offset.`,
+        : `An ${chip.target} image is at flash ${offsetText(probe.flashAddress)}, but its ROM loads the bootloader from ${offsetText(chip.romBootloaderOffset)}; the dump may not start at flash ${offsetText(probe.flashAddress - probe.fileOffset)}.`,
     );
   }
-  return { location: undefined, limitations };
+  return { location: undefined, limitations, misplaced, esp8266 };
+};
+
+/**
+ * The file offset just past the last segment of the image at `fileOffset`,
+ * found by following its segment headers, or the file size when they run
+ * past the end. No partition table lies before it.
+ */
+export const espImageSegmentsEnd = async (
+  read: (position: number, length: number) => Promise<Uint8Array>,
+  fileOffset: number,
+  fileSize: number,
+): Promise<number> => {
+  const header = await read(fileOffset, ESP_IMAGE_HEADER_BYTES);
+  if (header.length < ESP_IMAGE_HEADER_BYTES) return fileSize;
+  let cursor = fileOffset + ESP_IMAGE_HEADER_BYTES;
+  for (let index = 0; index < (header[1] ?? 0); index += 1) {
+    const segment = await read(cursor, ESP_IMAGE_SEGMENT_HEADER_BYTES);
+    if (segment.length < ESP_IMAGE_SEGMENT_HEADER_BYTES) return fileSize;
+    cursor += ESP_IMAGE_SEGMENT_HEADER_BYTES + u32(segment, 4);
+    if (cursor >= fileSize) return fileSize;
+  }
+  return cursor;
 };
 
 /** The file offsets that hold each ROM bootloader offset, given the dump's origin. */
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.test.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.test.ts
index 38595e40de..b67d94a03a 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 import {
   decodeEspPartitionTable,
+  espBootPartitions,
   espPartitionSubtypeName,
   espPartitionTypeName,
   type EspPartition,
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 import { decodeEspOtaRecord, selectEspOtaSlot } from "./espOtaData.js";
 import {
   espBootloaderProbeOffsets,
+  espImageSegmentsEnd,
   locateEspBootloader,
 } from "./espFlashBootloader.js";
 import {
@@ -17,7 +19,11 @@ import {
   partitionEntry,
   partitionTable,
 } from "./espFlash.fixture.js";
-import { ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS, espImage } from "./espImage.fixture.js";
+import {
+  ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+  esp8266Image,
+  espImage,
+} from "./espImage.fixture.js";
 
 const table = (bytes: Uint8Array) => {
   const decoded = decodeEspPartitionTable(bytes);
@@ -142,10 +148,37 @@ describe("ESP partition tables", () => {
     ).partitions;
     expect(decoded).toMatchObject({
       label: null,
+      // The source bytes stay comparable when the label is not UTF-8.
+      labelHex: "78ff",
       encrypted: true,
       unknownFlags: 0x8000_0000,
     });
   });
+
+  it("keeps the partitions the bootloader keeps: the last of each role", () => {
+    const [nvs, otadata, , factory, ota0] = TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS;
+    const boot = espBootPartitions(
+      table(
+        partitionTable([
+          ...TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS,
+          { ...factory!, label: "factory2", offset: 0x4_0000 },
+          { ...otadata!, label: "otadata2", offset: 0x5_0000 },
+          { ...ota0!, label: "again", offset: 0x6_0000 },
+          { ...nvs!, label: "nvs2", offset: 0x7_0000 },
+        ]),
+      ).partitions,
+    );
+    expect(boot.factory?.label).toBe("factory2");
+    expect(boot.otadata?.label).toBe("otadata2");
+    // A same-subtype OTA entry replaces the slot but still counts.
+    expect(boot.otaSlots.get(0)?.label).toBe("again");
+    expect(boot.otaAppCount).toBe(3);
+    expect(boot.limitations).toEqual([
+      "The table declares otadata 2 times (partitions #1, #7); ESP-IDF's bootloader uses the last.",
+      "The table declares factory 2 times (partitions #3, #6); ESP-IDF's bootloader uses the last.",
+      "The table declares ota_0 2 times (partitions #4, #8); ESP-IDF's bootloader uses the last.",
+    ]);
+  });
 });
 
 const partitions = (): readonly EspPartition[] =>
@@ -167,6 +200,10 @@ describe("ESP otadata selection", () => {
       crc_matches: false,
       valid: false,
     });
+    // The CRC otatool v5.5.2 wrote for ota_seq 1 in the real-tool lane.
+    expect(
+      decodeEspOtaRecord(otaRecord({ seq: 1, crc: 0x4743_989a }), 0),
+    ).toMatchObject({ crc_matches: true, valid: true });
     expect(decodeEspOtaRecord(Buffer.alloc(32, 0xff), 1)).toMatchObject({
       ota_seq: 0xffff_ffff,
       state_name: "undefined",
@@ -174,10 +211,16 @@ describe("ESP otadata selection", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  const select = (first: Buffer, second: Buffer, parts = partitions()) =>
+  const select = (
+    first: Buffer,
+    second: Buffer,
+    parts = partitions(),
+    otadataSize = 0x2000,
+  ) =>
     selectEspOtaSlot(
       [decodeEspOtaRecord(first, 0), decodeEspOtaRecord(second, 1)],
-      parts,
+      espBootPartitions(parts),
+      otadataSize,
     );
   const erased = Buffer.alloc(32, 0xff);
 
@@ -197,6 +240,12 @@ describe("ESP otadata selection", () => {
       slot: 1,
       partition_index: 5,
     });
+    // ota_seq 0 is set; (0 - 1) wraps to 0xFFFFFFFF, and 0xFFFFFFFF % 2 is 1.
+    expect(select(otaRecord({ seq: 0 }), erased)).toMatchObject({
+      active_record: 0,
+      slot: 1,
+      partition_index: 5,
+    });
   });
 
   it("falls back as the bootloader does without usable records", () => {
@@ -211,11 +260,37 @@ describe("ESP otadata selection", () => {
       slot: 0,
       partition_index: 4,
     });
-    // A set sequence with a bad CRC is not unusable, but no record is valid.
+    // Boot index 0 stands without an ota_0 partition.
+    const onlyOta1 = noFactory.filter(({ label }) => label !== "ota_0");
+    expect(select(erased, erased, onlyOta1)).toMatchObject({
+      basis: "ota_0-fallback",
+      slot: 0,
+      partition_index: null,
+    });
+    // A set sequence with a bad CRC is not unusable, but no record is valid:
+    // the factory index, with no factory partition to name.
     expect(
       select(otaRecord({ seq: 2, crc: 1 }), erased, noFactory),
-    ).toMatchObject({ basis: "none", partition_index: null });
-    expect(select(otaRecord({ seq: 2 }), erased).assumptions).toHaveLength(3);
+    ).toMatchObject({ basis: "factory-fallback", partition_index: null });
+    expect(select(otaRecord({ seq: 2 }), erased)?.assumptions).toHaveLength(4);
+  });
+
+  it("selects nothing from a short otadata partition and nothing known from one record", () => {
+    expect(
+      select(
+        otaRecord({ seq: 1 }),
+        otaRecord({ seq: 2 }),
+        partitions(),
+        0x1000,
+      ),
+    ).toMatchObject({ basis: "none", slot: null, partition_index: null });
+    expect(
+      selectEspOtaSlot(
+        [decodeEspOtaRecord(otaRecord({ seq: 1 }), 0)],
+        espBootPartitions(partitions()),
+        0x2000,
+      ),
+    ).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it("indexes OTA slots by subtype, so a missing subtype selects no partition", () => {
@@ -260,11 +335,45 @@ describe("ESP bootloader location", () => {
     expect(locateEspBootloader([probe(0, esp32)])).toEqual({
       location: undefined,
       limitations: [
-        "An esp32 image is at flash 0x0, but its ROM loads the bootloader from 0x1000; the dump may not start at the given flash offset.",
+        "An esp32 image is at flash 0x0, but its ROM loads the bootloader from 0x1000; the dump may not start at flash 0x0.",
       ],
+      misplaced: true,
+      esp8266: false,
     });
   });
 
+  it("tells an unknown chip and an ESP8266 image from a misplaced origin", () => {
+    const unknown = espImage({
+      segments: ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+      chipId: 0x7777,
+    });
+    expect(locateEspBootloader([probe(0, unknown)])).toMatchObject({
+      location: undefined,
+      misplaced: false,
+      esp8266: false,
+    });
+    expect(locateEspBootloader([probe(0, esp8266Image())])).toMatchObject({
+      location: undefined,
+      limitations: [],
+      misplaced: false,
+      esp8266: true,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("finds where a located image's segments end by their headers", async () => {
+    const read = async (position: number, length: number) =>
+      bootloader.subarray(position, position + length);
+    const declared = ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS.reduce(
+      (end, { data }) => end + 8 + data.length,
+      24,
+    );
+    expect(await espImageSegmentsEnd(read, 0, bootloader.length)).toBe(
+      declared,
+    );
+    // Segments that run past the file end at the file.
+    expect(await espImageSegmentsEnd(read, 0, 40)).toBe(40);
+  });
+
   it("probes only the ROM offsets the file holds after its flash offset", () => {
     expect(espBootloaderProbeOffsets(0, 0x10_0000)).toEqual([
       { flashAddress: 0, fileOffset: 0 },
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.ts
index 8870d5b09c..d7d004855e 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLayout.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@ import { offsetText } from "./espImageStructures.js";
 import type { EspBootloaderLocation } from "./espFlashBootloader.js";
 import {
   ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES,
+  espBootPartitions,
   espPartitionSubtypeName,
   espPartitionTypeName,
-  isEspOtaData,
+  espPrimaryLayoutRole,
+  type EspBootPartitions,
   type EspPartition,
   type EspPartitionTable,
 } from "./espPartitionTable.js";
 import {
+  ESP_OTA_DATA_MIN_BYTES,
   ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES,
+  ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES,
   decodeEspOtaRecord,
   selectEspOtaSlot,
   type EspOtaRecord,
@@ -46,6 +50,13 @@ export interface EspFlashPlanInput {
   readonly table: EspPartitionTable;
 }
 
+/** One otadata record within its partition, and whether the file holds it. */
+export interface EspOtaRecordPlan {
+  readonly index: 0 | 1;
+  readonly fileOffset: number;
+  readonly available: boolean;
+}
+
 /** Regions to inventory and the byte ranges the adapter must still read. */
 export interface EspFlashPlan {
   readonly input: EspFlashPlanInput;
@@ -55,11 +66,13 @@ export interface EspFlashPlan {
     readonly offset: number;
     readonly length: number;
   }[];
-  /** File offsets of the two otadata records, when the file holds them. */
+  /** The partitions the bootloader keeps from the table. */
+  readonly boot: EspBootPartitions;
+  /** The otadata partition the bootloader uses and its records. */
   readonly otadata:
     | {
         readonly partition: EspPartition;
-        readonly records: readonly [number, number];
+        readonly records: readonly EspOtaRecordPlan[];
       }
     | undefined;
   readonly limitations: readonly string[];
@@ -68,21 +81,26 @@ export interface EspFlashPlan {
 const SAFE_LABEL = /^(?=.*[A-Za-z_])[A-Za-z0-9_][A-Za-z0-9._-]{0,15}$/u;
 
 /**
- * Partition paths use the label when it is a safe, unique path segment
- * with a letter or underscore, else the table index, which then cannot
- * collide with a label.
+ * Partition paths use the label when it is a safe path segment with a
+ * letter or underscore that no other label repeats, ignoring case as some
+ * file systems do; else the table index, which cannot collide with a label.
  */
 const partitionPaths = (
   partitions: readonly EspPartition[],
 ): ReadonlyMap<number, string> => {
   const counts = new Map<string, number>();
   for (const { label } of partitions)
-    if (label !== null) counts.set(label, (counts.get(label) ?? 0) + 1);
+    if (label !== null) {
+      const folded = label.toLowerCase();
+      counts.set(folded, (counts.get(folded) ?? 0) + 1);
+    }
   return new Map(
     partitions.map((part) => {
       const label = part.label;
       const named =
-        label !== null && SAFE_LABEL.test(label) && counts.get(label) === 1;
+        label !== null &&
+        SAFE_LABEL.test(label) &&
+        counts.get(label.toLowerCase()) === 1;
       return [
         part.index,
         `partitions/${named ? label : String(part.index)}.bin`,
@@ -104,6 +122,39 @@ const region = (
 const rangeText = (address: number, length: number): string =>
   `${offsetText(address)}-${offsetText(address + length)}`;
 
+const partitionName = (part: EspPartition): string =>
+  part.label ?? `#${String(part.index)}`;
+
+/** The records the otadata partition holds, each where the file holds it. */
+const otadataPlan = (
+  input: EspFlashPlanInput,
+  partition: EspPartition,
+  limitations: string[],
+): NonNullable<EspFlashPlan["otadata"]> => {
+  const name = partitionName(partition);
+  const small = partition.size < ESP_OTA_DATA_MIN_BYTES;
+  if (small)
+    limitations.push(
+      `The otadata partition ${name} is ${offsetText(partition.size)} bytes, smaller than the two 4 KiB sectors ESP-IDF's bootloader reads; the bootloader resets without selecting an app.`,
+    );
+  const records: EspOtaRecordPlan[] = [];
+  for (const index of [0, 1] as const) {
+    const within = index * ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES;
+    // A record past the declared size belongs to whatever follows.
+    if (within + ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES > partition.size) continue;
+    const fileOffset = partition.offset + within - input.origin.value;
+    const available =
+      fileOffset >= 0 &&
+      fileOffset + ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES <= input.fileSize;
+    if (!available)
+      limitations.push(
+        `otadata record ${String(index)} of partition ${name} at flash ${offsetText(partition.offset + within)} is outside the dump${small ? "." : "; the OTA selection is unknown."}`,
+      );
+    records.push({ index, fileOffset, available });
+  }
+  return { partition, records };
+};
+
 /** Lay the bootloader, table and partitions over the dump. */
 export const planEspFlashLayout = (input: EspFlashPlanInput): EspFlashPlan => {
   const limitations: string[] = [...input.table.limitations];
@@ -145,8 +196,8 @@ export const planEspFlashLayout = (input: EspFlashPlanInput): EspFlashPlan => {
       length: part.size,
       partition: part,
     });
-    const name = part.label ?? `#${String(part.index)}`;
-    if (part.offset < tableEnd)
+    const name = partitionName(part);
+    if (part.offset < tableEnd && espPrimaryLayoutRole(part) === undefined)
       limitations.push(
         `Partition ${name} at ${offsetText(part.offset)} starts before the end of the partition table at ${offsetText(tableEnd)}; gen_esp32part.py rejects such a table.`,
       );
@@ -165,54 +216,59 @@ export const planEspFlashLayout = (input: EspFlashPlanInput): EspFlashPlan => {
     if (placed.fileOffset >= 0 && placed.available > 0) regions.push(placed);
   }
   limitations.push(...overlaps(regions));
-  const otadataPartition = input.table.partitions.find(isEspOtaData);
-  const otadataStart =
-    otadataPartition === undefined
-      ? undefined
-      : otadataPartition.offset - input.origin.value;
-  const otadata =
-    otadataPartition === undefined || otadataStart === undefined
-      ? undefined
-      : otadataStart >= 0 &&
-          otadataStart + ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES + 32 <= input.fileSize
-        ? {
-            partition: otadataPartition,
-            records: [
-              otadataStart,
-              otadataStart + ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES,
-            ] as const,
-          }
-        : undefined;
-  if (otadataPartition !== undefined && otadata === undefined)
-    limitations.push(
-      `The dump does not hold both otadata records of partition ${otadataPartition.label ?? `#${String(otadataPartition.index)}`}; the OTA selection is unknown.`,
-    );
+  const boot = espBootPartitions(input.table.partitions);
+  limitations.push(...boot.limitations);
   return {
     input,
     regions,
     gaps: gapsBetween(regions, input.fileSize),
-    otadata,
+    boot,
+    otadata:
+      boot.otadata === undefined
+        ? undefined
+        : otadataPlan(input, boot.otadata, limitations),
     limitations,
   };
 };
 
+const regionEnd = ({ flashAddress, length }: EspFlashRegion): number =>
+  flashAddress + length;
+
+/** A primary bootloader or table entry declared over exactly its region. */
+const declaresRegion = (
+  first: EspFlashRegion,
+  second: EspFlashRegion,
+): boolean => {
+  const [region, entry] =
+    first.partition === undefined ? [first, second] : [second, first];
+  return (
+    region.partition === undefined &&
+    entry.partition !== undefined &&
+    espPrimaryLayoutRole(entry.partition) === region.role &&
+    region.flashAddress === entry.flashAddress &&
+    region.length === entry.length
+  );
+};
+
 /** Regions that share bytes, which gen_esp32part.py rejects for partitions. */
 const overlaps = (regions: readonly EspFlashRegion[]): string[] => {
   const ordered = [...regions].sort(
     (left, right) => left.flashAddress - right.flashAddress,
   );
   const found: string[] = [];
-  for (let index = 1; index < ordered.length; index += 1) {
-    const previous = ordered[index - 1];
-    const current = ordered[index];
+  // The region reaching furthest so far, so a long one shows every overlap.
+  let furthest: EspFlashRegion | undefined;
+  for (const current of ordered) {
     if (
-      previous !== undefined &&
-      current !== undefined &&
-      current.flashAddress < previous.flashAddress + previous.length
+      furthest !== undefined &&
+      current.flashAddress < regionEnd(furthest) &&
+      !declaresRegion(furthest, current)
     )
       found.push(
-        `${current.path} at ${offsetText(current.flashAddress)} overlaps ${previous.path}, which ends at ${offsetText(previous.flashAddress + previous.length)}.`,
+        `${current.path} at ${offsetText(current.flashAddress)} overlaps ${furthest.path}, which ends at ${offsetText(regionEnd(furthest))}.`,
       );
+    if (furthest === undefined || regionEnd(current) > regionEnd(furthest))
+      furthest = current;
   }
   return found;
 };
@@ -242,16 +298,18 @@ const gapsBetween = (
 
 export interface EspFlashOtaFacts {
   readonly partition_index: number;
+  /** The records the dump holds, each with its index. */
   readonly records: readonly EspOtaRecord[];
-  /** Derived from the records; see its assumptions. */
-  readonly selected: EspOtaSelection;
+  /** Derived from the records; see its assumptions. Null when unknown. */
+  readonly selected: EspOtaSelection | null;
   /** The bootloader's rollback and fallback decide it at boot. */
   readonly running_partition: "unknown";
 }
 
 /** Facts the adapter read for the plan: the otadata records and the gaps. */
 export interface EspFlashReads {
-  readonly otadataRecords: readonly [Uint8Array, Uint8Array] | undefined;
+  /** The bytes of each planned otadata record the file holds, in plan order. */
+  readonly otadataRecords: readonly (Uint8Array | undefined)[];
   /** The first non-erased file offset in each gap, in plan order. */
   readonly gapFirstUnerased: readonly (number | undefined)[];
 }
@@ -281,12 +339,12 @@ export const finishEspFlashLayout = (
   const total = undescribed.reduce((sum, { length }) => sum + length, 0);
   if (undescribed.length > 0)
     limitations.push(
-      `${String(total)} bytes of the dump, in ${String(undescribed.length)} range(s), lie outside the bootloader region, the partition table and every partition and are not erased flash.`,
+      `${String(undescribed.length)} range(s) of the dump, ${String(total)} bytes in all, lie outside the bootloader region, the partition table and every partition and are not described; each runs from a byte that is not erased flash to the end of its gap.`,
     );
   const otadata =
-    plan.otadata === undefined || reads.otadataRecords === undefined
+    plan.otadata === undefined
       ? null
-      : otaFacts(plan, reads.otadataRecords);
+      : otaFacts(plan, plan.otadata, reads.otadataRecords);
   const incomplete = plan.input.table.partitions.some((part) => {
     const region = plan.regions.find((item) => item.partition === part);
     return region === undefined || region.available < part.size;
@@ -306,14 +364,21 @@ export const finishEspFlashLayout = (
 
 const otaFacts = (
   plan: EspFlashPlan,
-  [first, second]: readonly [Uint8Array, Uint8Array],
-): EspFlashOtaFacts | null => {
-  if (plan.otadata === undefined) return null;
-  const records = [decodeEspOtaRecord(first, 0), decodeEspOtaRecord(second, 1)];
+  otadata: NonNullable<EspFlashPlan["otadata"]>,
+  bytes: readonly (Uint8Array | undefined)[],
+): EspFlashOtaFacts => {
+  const records = otadata.records.flatMap(({ index, available }, position) => {
+    const read = bytes[position];
+    return available &&
+      read !== undefined &&
+      read.length >= ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES
+      ? [decodeEspOtaRecord(read, index)]
+      : [];
+  });
   return {
-    partition_index: plan.otadata.partition.index,
+    partition_index: otadata.partition.index,
     records,
-    selected: selectEspOtaSlot(records, plan.input.table.partitions),
+    selected: selectEspOtaSlot(records, plan.boot, otadata.partition.size),
     running_partition: "unknown",
   };
 };
@@ -323,6 +388,7 @@ export const espFlashPartitionFacts = (part: EspPartition) => ({
   kind: "esp-flash-partition" as const,
   index: part.index,
   label: part.label,
+  label_hex: part.labelHex,
   type: part.type,
   subtype: part.subtype,
   type_name: espPartitionTypeName(part.type),
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.test.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.test.ts
index 052ba146ad..e83cd0b831 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.test.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,18 @@ import {
   locateEspFlashLayout,
   type EspFlashSelection,
 } from "./espFlashLocation.js";
+import { ESP8266_REFUSAL } from "./espImage.js";
 import {
   TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS,
   flashImage,
   partitionTable,
 } from "./espFlash.fixture.js";
-import { ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS, espImage } from "./espImage.fixture.js";
+import {
+  ESP32C3_APP_SEGMENTS,
+  ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+  esp8266Image,
+  espImage,
+} from "./espImage.fixture.js";
 
 const c3Bootloader = espImage({ segments: ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS });
 const esp32Bootloader = espImage({
@@ -21,11 +27,17 @@ const locate = (
   bytes: Uint8Array,
   selection: EspFlashSelection = {},
   explicit = false,
+  reads: [number, number][] = [],
 ) =>
   locateEspFlashLayout(
     bytes.length,
-    async (position, length) =>
-      bytes.subarray(Math.max(0, position), Math.max(0, position) + length),
+    async (position, length) => {
+      reads.push([position, length]);
+      return bytes.subarray(
+        Math.max(0, position),
+        Math.max(0, position) + length,
+      );
+    },
     selection,
     { explicit },
   );
@@ -47,6 +59,15 @@ const dump = (
     { at: tableAt, bytes: partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS, { md5 }) },
   ]);
 
+/** An ESP32 dump read from flash 0x1000: its bootloader is the file's first byte. */
+const fromSecondSector = (tableAt: number) =>
+  dump(tableAt, { bootloader: esp32Bootloader, bootloaderAt: 0x1000 }).subarray(
+    0x1000,
+  );
+
+const UNCONFIRMED =
+  "No bootloader at a ROM offset confirms that the dump starts at flash 0x0; each partition's file offset assumes it. Pass flash_offset if the dump starts elsewhere.";
+
 describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
   it("finds the bootloader and the table at their default offsets", async () => {
     const located = await locate(dump(0x8000));
@@ -60,6 +81,20 @@ describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("locates a bootloader at the 0x2000 ROM offset of the chips that use it", async () => {
+    const c5 = espImage({
+      segments: ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+      chipId: 0x17,
+    });
+    const located = await locate(
+      dump(0x8000, { bootloader: c5, bootloaderAt: 0x2000 }),
+    );
+    expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
+      bootloader: { flashAddress: 0x2000, chip: { target: "esp32c5" } },
+      tableMethod: "default",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("scans for a relocated table only when its MD5 verifies", async () => {
     const located = await locate(dump(0xa000));
     expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
@@ -69,10 +104,48 @@ describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
     expect(await locate(dump(0xa000, { md5: "absent" }))).toEqual({
       ok: false,
       error:
-        "no partition table at 0x8000 or in any 0x1000-aligned flash sector with a verified MD5; flash encryption is one cause",
+        "no partition table at 0x8000 or in any 0x1000-aligned flash sector after the bootloader image with a verified MD5; flash encryption is one cause",
     });
   });
 
+  it.each([0x1_0000, 0x1_1000])(
+    "scans across read chunks to a table at %s",
+    async (tableAt) => {
+      const located = await locate(dump(tableAt));
+      expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
+        tableAddress: tableAt,
+        tableMethod: "scan",
+      });
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("scans the sectors of a dump whose origin is not sector-aligned", async () => {
+    // Flash 0x9000 is file offset 0x8800 when the dump starts at flash 0x800.
+    const bytes = flashImage(0x2_0000, [
+      { at: 0x8800, bytes: partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS) },
+    ]);
+    const located = await locate(bytes, { flashOffset: 0x800 }, true);
+    expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
+      origin: { value: 0x800, source: "caller" },
+      tableAddress: 0x9000,
+      tableMethod: "scan",
+      limitations: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not look for a table inside a single app image", async () => {
+    const app = espImage({
+      segments: [
+        ...ESP32C3_APP_SEGMENTS,
+        { address: 0x4038_0000, data: Buffer.alloc(0x2_0000, 0x5a) },
+      ],
+    });
+    const reads: [number, number][] = [];
+    expect((await locate(app, {}, false, reads)).ok).toBe(false);
+    // Probes and segment headers only: no table read, no scan chunk.
+    expect(reads.every(([, length]) => length <= 32)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("uses the caller's table offset and does not scan", async () => {
     const located = await locate(dump(0xa000), {
       partitionTableOffset: 0xa000,
@@ -90,13 +163,22 @@ describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("rejects a table offset outside the dump", async () => {
+    expect(
+      await locate(dump(0x8000), { partitionTableOffset: 0x10_0000 }),
+    ).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error:
+        "the partition table offset 0x100000 is outside the dump, which holds flash 0x0-0x20000",
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("ESP flash layout origins", () => {
   it("reads a dump that starts after flash address 0 at the caller's origin", async () => {
-    // An ESP32 dump read from 0x1000: its bootloader is the file's first byte.
-    const partial = dump(0x8000, {
-      bootloader: esp32Bootloader,
-      bootloaderAt: 0x1000,
-    }).subarray(0x1000);
-    const located = await locate(partial, { flashOffset: 0x1000 });
+    const located = await locate(fromSecondSector(0x8000), {
+      flashOffset: 0x1000,
+    });
     expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
       origin: { value: 0x1000, source: "caller" },
       bootloader: {
@@ -106,12 +188,35 @@ describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
       },
       tableAddress: 0x8000,
       tableMethod: "default",
+      limitations: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["omitted", {}],
+    ["given as 0x0", { flashOffset: 0 }],
+  ] as const)(
+    "refuses an origin the bootloader contradicts when it is %s",
+    async (_name, selection) => {
+      // The table sits at flash 0x9000, so the default 0x8000 would find it
+      // at file 0x8000 and misplace every partition by 0x1000.
+      const refused = await locate(fromSecondSector(0x9000), selection);
+      expect(refused).toEqual({
+        ok: false,
+        error:
+          "An esp32 image is at flash 0x0, but its ROM loads the bootloader from 0x1000; the dump may not start at flash 0x0. Pass the flash_offset where the dump starts, or partition_table_offset",
+      });
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("finds the table after the bootloader once the origin is right", async () => {
+    const located = await locate(fromSecondSector(0x9000), {
+      flashOffset: 0x1000,
+    });
+    expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
+      tableAddress: 0x9000,
+      tableMethod: "scan",
     });
-    // Without the origin, the bootloader's chip says the dump is misplaced, so
-    // a scan would misplace every partition by 0x1000; none is attempted.
-    const misplaced = await locate(partial);
-    expect(misplaced.ok).toBe(false);
-    expect(!misplaced.ok && misplaced.error).toContain("Pass flash_offset");
   });
 
   it("does not scan arbitrary files without a bootloader unless the format was selected", async () => {
@@ -127,16 +232,38 @@ describe("ESP flash layout location", () => {
       bootloader: undefined,
       tableAddress: 0xa000,
       tableMethod: "scan",
+      limitations: [UNCONFIRMED],
     });
   });
 
-  it("rejects a table offset outside the dump", async () => {
-    expect(
-      await locate(dump(0x8000), { partitionTableOffset: 0x10_0000 }),
-    ).toEqual({
+  it("reads an unknown chip's dump at its default table without calling it misplaced", async () => {
+    const unknown = espImage({
+      segments: ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+      chipId: 0x7777,
+    });
+    const located = await locate(dump(0x8000, { bootloader: unknown }));
+    expect(located.ok && located.value).toMatchObject({
+      bootloader: undefined,
+      tableMethod: "default",
+      limitations: [
+        "An ESP image at flash 0x0 has chip_id 0x7777, which is not in the chip table; it is not read as the bootloader.",
+        UNCONFIRMED,
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("refuses an ESP8266 dump as the ESP image reader does", async () => {
+    const esp8266 = flashImage(0x2_0000, [
+      { at: 0, bytes: esp8266Image() },
+      { at: 0x8000, bytes: partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS) },
+    ]);
+    expect(await locate(esp8266)).toEqual({
       ok: false,
-      error:
-        "the partition table offset 0x100000 is outside the dump, which holds flash 0x0-0x20000",
+      error: ESP8266_REFUSAL,
+    });
+    expect(await locate(esp8266, {}, true)).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      error: ESP8266_REFUSAL,
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.ts
index 6c362c3601..dd3f4c6bf9 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashLocation.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { err, ok, type Result } from "../result.js";
 import {
   ESP_BOOTLOADER_PROBE_BYTES,
   espBootloaderProbeOffsets,
+  espImageSegmentsEnd,
   locateEspBootloader,
   type EspBootloaderLocation,
 } from "./espFlashBootloader.js";
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
   EspFlashOrigin,
   EspPartitionTableMethod,
 } from "./espFlashLayout.js";
+import { ESP8266_REFUSAL } from "./espImage.js";
 import { offsetText } from "./espImageStructures.js";
 import {
   ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET,
@@ -55,40 +57,40 @@ const tableAt = async (
   );
 
 /**
- * The first sector-aligned table whose MD5 verifies; requiring the MD5
- * keeps arbitrary bytes that begin with the magic from passing.
+ * The first table whose MD5 verifies at a flash sector boundary from the
+ * file offset `start`; requiring the MD5 keeps arbitrary bytes that begin
+ * with the magic from passing. Chunks start at sector boundaries, so each
+ * holds whole sector heads.
  */
 const scanForTable = async (
   read: EspFlashRead,
-  fileSize: number,
-  origin: number,
+  {
+    fileSize,
+    origin,
+    start,
+  }: { fileSize: number; origin: number; start: number },
   signal?: AbortSignal,
 ): Promise<{ address: number; table: EspPartitionTable } | undefined> => {
-  const skew =
-    (ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES -
-      (origin % ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES)) %
-    ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES;
-  for (let chunk = 0; chunk < fileSize; chunk += SCAN_CHUNK_BYTES) {
-    signal?.throwIfAborted();
-    // One extra byte lets a sector head at the chunk's last byte be checked.
-    const bytes = await read(chunk, SCAN_CHUNK_BYTES + 1);
-    const first =
-      chunk +
-      ((skew -
-        (chunk % ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES) +
-        ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES) %
-        ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES);
-    for (
-      let position = first;
-      position < chunk + SCAN_CHUNK_BYTES && position < fileSize;
-      position += ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES
-    ) {
-      const at = position - chunk;
-      if (bytes[at] !== MAGIC_LOW || bytes[at + 1] !== MAGIC_HIGH) continue;
-      const decoded = await tableAt(read, position);
-      if (decoded.ok && decoded.value.md5.status === "valid")
-        return { address: origin + position, table: decoded.value };
+  const sector = ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_SECTOR_BYTES;
+  // The file offset of the first sector boundary at or after `start`.
+  const boundary = (sector - (origin % sector)) % sector;
+  let position =
+    start <= boundary
+      ? boundary
+      : boundary + Math.ceil((start - boundary) / sector) * sector;
+  let chunkStart = position;
+  let bytes: Uint8Array = new Uint8Array(0);
+  for (; position < fileSize; position += sector) {
+    if (position - chunkStart + 2 > bytes.length) {
+      signal?.throwIfAborted();
+      chunkStart = position;
+      bytes = await read(position, SCAN_CHUNK_BYTES);
     }
+    const at = position - chunkStart;
+    if (bytes[at] !== MAGIC_LOW || bytes[at + 1] !== MAGIC_HIGH) continue;
+    const decoded = await tableAt(read, position);
+    if (decoded.ok && decoded.value.md5.status === "valid")
+      return { address: origin + position, table: decoded.value };
   }
   return undefined;
 };
@@ -96,10 +98,12 @@ const scanForTable = async (
 /**
  * Locate the bootloader and partition table: the caller's table offset
  * when given, else the default `0x8000`, else a scan of 0x1000-aligned
- * flash sectors for an MD5-verified table (a derived location). The scan
- * runs only when a bootloader sits at its chip's ROM offset or the caller
- * selected this format, and never when a bootloader at another chip's ROM
- * offset says the dump's origin is wrong.
+ * flash sectors for an MD5-verified table (a derived location). A table
+ * never lies inside the located bootloader image. The scan runs only when a
+ * bootloader sits at its chip's ROM offset or the caller selected this
+ * format. Without a caller table offset, an ESP8266 image at a ROM offset
+ * refuses the dump, and a known chip's image at another chip's ROM offset
+ * refuses it as read from the wrong flash offset, given or default.
  */
 export const locateEspFlashLayout = async (
   fileSize: number,
@@ -125,6 +129,15 @@ export const locateEspFlashLayout = async (
     ),
   );
   const bootloader = locateEspBootloader(probes);
+  // Without a bootloader, nothing in the dump confirms a default origin.
+  const unconfirmed =
+    bootloader.location === undefined &&
+    !bootloader.misplaced &&
+    origin.source === "default"
+      ? [
+          `No bootloader at a ROM offset confirms that the dump starts at flash ${offsetText(origin.value)}; each partition's file offset assumes it. Pass flash_offset if the dump starts elsewhere.`,
+        ]
+      : [];
   const located = (
     tableAddress: number,
     tableMethod: EspPartitionTableMethod,
@@ -136,7 +149,7 @@ export const locateEspFlashLayout = async (
       tableAddress,
       tableMethod,
       table,
-      limitations: bootloader.limitations,
+      limitations: [...bootloader.limitations, ...unconfirmed],
     });
   const fileOffsetOf = (address: number): number => address - origin.value;
   if (selection.partitionTableOffset !== undefined) {
@@ -152,8 +165,24 @@ export const locateEspFlashLayout = async (
           `no partition table at the given offset ${offsetText(address)}: ${decoded.error}`,
         );
   }
+  if (bootloader.location === undefined && bootloader.esp8266)
+    return err(ESP8266_REFUSAL);
+  // A table found at an origin the bootloader contradicts would place every
+  // partition at the wrong file offset.
+  if (bootloader.location === undefined && bootloader.misplaced)
+    return err(
+      `${bootloader.limitations.join(" ")} Pass the flash_offset where the dump starts, or partition_table_offset`,
+    );
+  const imageEnd =
+    bootloader.location === undefined
+      ? 0
+      : await espImageSegmentsEnd(
+          read,
+          bootloader.location.fileOffset,
+          fileSize,
+        );
   const defaultOffset = fileOffsetOf(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET);
-  if (defaultOffset >= 0 && defaultOffset < fileSize) {
+  if (defaultOffset >= imageEnd && defaultOffset < fileSize) {
     const decoded = await tableAt(read, defaultOffset);
     if (decoded.ok)
       return located(
@@ -162,20 +191,21 @@ export const locateEspFlashLayout = async (
         decoded.value,
       );
   }
-  const misplaced =
-    bootloader.location === undefined && bootloader.limitations.length > 0;
-  if (misplaced && selection.flashOffset === undefined)
-    return err(
-      `no partition table at ${offsetText(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET)}, and ${bootloader.limitations.join(" ")} Pass flash_offset to read the dump from another flash address`,
-    );
   if (bootloader.location === undefined && !explicit)
     return err(
-      `no partition table at ${offsetText(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET)} and no bootloader at a ROM offset`,
+      [
+        `no partition table at ${offsetText(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET)} and no bootloader at a ROM offset`,
+        ...bootloader.limitations,
+      ].join("; "),
     );
-  const scanned = await scanForTable(read, fileSize, origin.value, signal);
+  const scanned = await scanForTable(
+    read,
+    { fileSize, origin: origin.value, start: imageEnd },
+    signal,
+  );
   return scanned === undefined
     ? err(
-        `no partition table at ${offsetText(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET)} or in any 0x1000-aligned flash sector with a verified MD5; flash encryption is one cause`,
+        `no partition table at ${offsetText(ESP_PARTITION_TABLE_DEFAULT_OFFSET)} or in any 0x1000-aligned flash sector${bootloader.location === undefined ? "" : " after the bootloader image"} with a verified MD5; flash encryption is one cause`,
       )
     : located(scanned.address, "scan", scanned.table);
 };
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashPlan.test.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashPlan.test.ts
index 34f05ecf52..e42df00c47 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espFlashPlan.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espFlashPlan.test.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ describe("ESP flash layout plans", () => {
       ["partitions/ota_1.bin", 0x3_0000, 0x1_0000, 0x1_0000],
     ]);
     expect(plan.gaps).toEqual([]);
-    expect(plan.otadata?.records).toEqual([0xd000, 0xe000]);
+    expect(plan.otadata?.records).toEqual([
+      { index: 0, fileOffset: 0xd000, available: true },
+      { index: 1, fileOffset: 0xe000, available: true },
+    ]);
     expect(plan.limitations).toEqual([]);
   });
 
@@ -70,6 +73,9 @@ describe("ESP flash layout plans", () => {
       { label: "dup", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xa000, size: 0x1000 },
       { label: "dup", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xb000, size: 0x1000 },
       { label: "7", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xc000, size: 0x1000 },
+      // Case-insensitive file systems would extract these to one file.
+      { label: "Data", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xd000, size: 0x1000 },
+      { label: "data", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xe000, size: 0x1000 },
     ];
     expect(
       planEspFlashLayout(input({ table: table(parts) }))
@@ -80,6 +86,39 @@ describe("ESP flash layout plans", () => {
       "partitions/1.bin",
       "partitions/2.bin",
       "partitions/3.bin",
+      "partitions/4.bin",
+      "partitions/5.bin",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts the primary bootloader and table entries ESP-IDF 5.3 declares", () => {
+    const plan = planEspFlashLayout(
+      input({
+        table: table([
+          {
+            label: "PrimaryBTLDR",
+            type: 2,
+            subtype: 0,
+            offset: 0,
+            size: 0x8000,
+          },
+          {
+            label: "PrimaryPrtTable",
+            type: 3,
+            subtype: 0,
+            offset: 0x8000,
+            size: 0x1000,
+          },
+          ...TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS,
+        ]),
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(plan.limitations).toEqual([]);
+    expect(plan.regions.map(({ path }) => path).slice(0, 4)).toEqual([
+      "bootloader.bin",
+      "partition-table.bin",
+      "partitions/PrimaryBTLDR.bin",
+      "partitions/PrimaryPrtTable.bin",
     ]);
   });
 
@@ -133,27 +172,93 @@ describe("ESP flash layout plans", () => {
       "Partition gone at 0x100000-0x101000 lies outside the dump, which ends at flash 0x39000.",
     ]);
     const facts = finishEspFlashLayout(plan, {
-      otadataRecords: undefined,
+      otadataRecords: [],
       gapFirstUnerased: erasedGaps(plan.gaps.length),
     });
     expect(facts.coverage).toBe("unknown");
   });
 
-  it("reports overlapping regions", () => {
+  it("reports every region inside a longer one", () => {
     const plan = planEspFlashLayout(
       input({
         table: table([
-          { label: "a", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0x9000, size: 0x2000 },
+          { label: "a", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0x9000, size: 0x8000 },
           { label: "b", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xa000, size: 0x1000 },
+          { label: "c", type: 1, subtype: 2, offset: 0xc000, size: 0x1000 },
         ]),
       }),
     );
     expect(plan.limitations).toEqual([
-      "partitions/b.bin at 0xa000 overlaps partitions/a.bin, which ends at 0xb000.",
+      "partitions/b.bin at 0xa000 overlaps partitions/a.bin, which ends at 0x11000.",
+      "partitions/c.bin at 0xc000 overlaps partitions/a.bin, which ends at 0x11000.",
     ]);
   });
 });
 
+describe("ESP flash layout otadata", () => {
+  const [, otadata] = TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS;
+
+  it("reads the otadata partition the bootloader uses: the last declared", () => {
+    const plan = planEspFlashLayout(
+      input({
+        table: table([
+          ...TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS,
+          { ...otadata!, label: "otadata2", offset: 0x3_0000 + 0x1_0000 },
+        ]),
+        fileSize: 0x5_0000,
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(plan.otadata?.partition.label).toBe("otadata2");
+    expect(plan.otadata?.records.map(({ fileOffset }) => fileOffset)).toEqual([
+      0x4_0000, 0x4_1000,
+    ]);
+    expect(plan.limitations).toContain(
+      "The table declares otadata 2 times (partitions #1, #6); ESP-IDF's bootloader uses the last.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("does not read a record past a short otadata partition and selects none", () => {
+    const short = TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS.map((part) =>
+      part.label === "otadata" ? { ...part, size: 0x1000 } : part,
+    );
+    const plan = planEspFlashLayout(input({ table: table(short) }));
+    expect(plan.otadata?.records).toEqual([
+      { index: 0, fileOffset: 0xd000, available: true },
+    ]);
+    expect(plan.limitations).toContain(
+      "The otadata partition otadata is 0x1000 bytes, smaller than the two 4 KiB sectors ESP-IDF's bootloader reads; the bootloader resets without selecting an app.",
+    );
+    const facts = finishEspFlashLayout(plan, {
+      otadataRecords: [otaRecord({ seq: 1 })],
+      gapFirstUnerased: erasedGaps(plan.gaps.length),
+    });
+    expect(facts.otadata).toMatchObject({
+      records: [{ index: 0, ota_seq: 1 }],
+      selected: { basis: "none", partition_index: null },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the record a dump holds when it ends between the two", () => {
+    const plan = planEspFlashLayout(input({ fileSize: 0xe000 }));
+    expect(plan.otadata?.records).toEqual([
+      { index: 0, fileOffset: 0xd000, available: true },
+      { index: 1, fileOffset: 0xe000, available: false },
+    ]);
+    expect(plan.limitations).toContain(
+      "otadata record 1 of partition otadata at flash 0xe000 is outside the dump; the OTA selection is unknown.",
+    );
+    const facts = finishEspFlashLayout(plan, {
+      otadataRecords: [otaRecord({ seq: 3 }), undefined],
+      gapFirstUnerased: erasedGaps(plan.gaps.length),
+    });
+    expect(facts.otadata).toMatchObject({
+      records: [{ index: 0, ota_seq: 3, valid: true }],
+      selected: null,
+      running_partition: "unknown",
+    });
+  });
+});
+
 describe("ESP flash layout facts", () => {
   it("describes erased gaps and reports the rest as undescribed", () => {
     const plan = planEspFlashLayout(
@@ -164,18 +269,18 @@ describe("ESP flash layout facts", () => {
     );
     expect(plan.gaps).toEqual([{ offset: 0x1_0000, length: 0x1_0000 }]);
     const erased = finishEspFlashLayout(plan, {
-      otadataRecords: undefined,
+      otadataRecords: [],
       gapFirstUnerased: [undefined],
     });
     expect(erased).toMatchObject({ coverage: "complete", undescribed: [] });
     const written = finishEspFlashLayout(plan, {
-      otadataRecords: undefined,
+      otadataRecords: [],
       gapFirstUnerased: [0x1_8000],
     });
     expect(written.undescribed).toEqual([{ offset: 0x1_8000, length: 0x8000 }]);
     expect(written.coverage).toBe("unknown");
     expect(written.limitations.at(-1)).toBe(
-      "32768 bytes of the dump, in 1 range(s), lie outside the bootloader region, the partition table and every partition and are not erased flash.",
+      "1 range(s) of the dump, 32768 bytes in all, lie outside the bootloader region, the partition table and every partition and are not described; each runs from a byte that is not erased flash to the end of its gap.",
     );
   });
 
@@ -205,6 +310,7 @@ describe("ESP flash layout facts", () => {
       kind: "esp-flash-partition",
       index: 0,
       label: "nvs",
+      label_hex: null,
       type: 1,
       subtype: 2,
       type_name: "data",
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espImageStructures.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espImageStructures.ts
index 5082dda257..39699c080f 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espImageStructures.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espImageStructures.ts
@@ -56,11 +56,16 @@ const allZero = (bytes: Uint8Array): boolean =>
 
 const UTF8 = new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true, ignoreBOM: true });
 
-/** A NUL-terminated C string in a fixed array, or null when not UTF-8. */
-const cString = (bytes: Uint8Array): string | null => {
+/** The bytes of a NUL-terminated C string in a fixed array. */
+export const cStringBytes = (bytes: Uint8Array): Uint8Array => {
   const end = bytes.indexOf(0);
+  return end < 0 ? bytes : bytes.subarray(0, end);
+};
+
+/** A NUL-terminated C string in a fixed array, or null when not UTF-8. */
+export const cString = (bytes: Uint8Array): string | null => {
   try {
-    return UTF8.decode(end < 0 ? bytes : bytes.subarray(0, end));
+    return UTF8.decode(cStringBytes(bytes));
   } catch {
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espOtaData.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espOtaData.ts
index d969fce5f4..df48ea056c 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espOtaData.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espOtaData.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 import { crc32 } from "node:zlib";
 
 import { hex, u32 } from "./espImageStructures.js";
-import {
-  espOtaAppSlot,
-  isEspFactoryApp,
-  type EspPartition,
-} from "./espPartitionTable.js";
+import type { EspBootPartitions } from "./espPartitionTable.js";
 
 /*
  * OTA data, from ESP-IDF v6.1 `esp_flash_partitions.h`
@@ -15,6 +11,8 @@ import {
  */
 /** The otadata partition holds one record at the start of each of two sectors. */
 export const ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES = 0x1000;
+/** `read_otadata` refuses a smaller otadata partition. */
+export const ESP_OTA_DATA_MIN_BYTES = 2 * ESP_OTA_DATA_SECTOR_BYTES;
 export const ESP_OTA_SELECT_ENTRY_BYTES = 32;
 const UNSET = 0xffff_ffff;
 
@@ -73,7 +71,8 @@ export const decodeEspOtaRecord = (
 export const ESP_OTA_SELECTION_ASSUMPTIONS = [
   "Records are used as written: the bootloader may first mark a pending-verify record aborted when app rollback is enabled.",
   "Anti-rollback, which compares the app's secure_version with eFuse, is not applied.",
-  "The selected app is not checked for a loadable image; the bootloader falls back to other partitions when it fails to load.",
+  "The selected app is not checked for a loadable image; the bootloader falls back to other partitions when it fails to load or is not declared.",
+  "Factory-reset and test-app GPIO holds and a wake from deep sleep, which can override the selection, are not applied.",
 ] as const;
 
 export interface EspOtaSelection {
@@ -81,8 +80,9 @@ export interface EspOtaSelection {
   readonly active_record: 0 | 1 | null;
   /** `(ota_seq - 1) % ota_app_count`, the bootloader's slot arithmetic. */
   readonly slot: number | null;
-  /** The table index of the app partition for that slot or the fallback. */
+  /** The table index of the selected app; null when none is declared. */
   readonly partition_index: number | null;
+  /** The bootloader's branch; `none` is its INVALID_INDEX, which resets. */
   readonly basis: "otadata" | "factory-fallback" | "ota_0-fallback" | "none";
   readonly assumptions: readonly string[];
 }
@@ -92,58 +92,48 @@ const unusable = ({ ota_seq, ota_state }: EspOtaRecord): boolean =>
   ota_seq === UNSET || ota_state === 0x3 || ota_state === 0x4;
 
 /**
- * Derive the app partition the bootloader would select from these records,
- * as `bootloader_utility_get_selected_boot_partition` does without app
+ * Derive the app partition the bootloader would select, as
+ * `bootloader_utility_get_selected_boot_partition` does without app
  * rollback or anti-rollback:
- * - both records unusable, or no OTA app: the factory app, else `ota_0`;
+ * - an otadata partition smaller than two sectors: none, because
+ *   `read_otadata` fails and the bootloader resets;
+ * - both records unusable, or no OTA app: the factory app when one is
+ *   declared, else boot index 0 (`ota_0`);
  * - otherwise the valid record with the higher `ota_seq` (record 0 on a
  *   tie), whose slot is `(ota_seq - 1) % ota_app_count`;
- * - no valid record (a CRC mismatch): the factory app, else none, because
- *   the bootloader then tries every partition.
+ * - no valid record, as after a CRC mismatch: the factory index, whether
+ *   or not a factory app is declared.
+ * Unknown (null) when the dump lacks a record the bootloader would read.
  */
 export const selectEspOtaSlot = (
   records: readonly EspOtaRecord[],
-  partitions: readonly EspPartition[],
-): EspOtaSelection => {
-  // The bootloader counts every OTA app but indexes them by subtype, and a
-  // later entry with the same subtype replaces an earlier one.
-  let appCount = 0;
-  const bySlot = new Map<number, EspPartition>();
-  for (const part of partitions) {
-    const slot = espOtaAppSlot(part);
-    if (slot === null) continue;
-    appCount += 1;
-    bySlot.set(slot, part);
-  }
-  const factory = partitions.find(isEspFactoryApp);
+  boot: EspBootPartitions,
+  otadataSize: number,
+): EspOtaSelection | null => {
   const assumptions = [...ESP_OTA_SELECTION_ASSUMPTIONS];
-  const none = {
+  const selection = (
+    basis: EspOtaSelection["basis"],
+    fields: Partial<Omit<EspOtaSelection, "basis" | "assumptions">> = {},
+  ): EspOtaSelection => ({
     active_record: null,
     slot: null,
     partition_index: null,
-    basis: "none",
+    ...fields,
+    basis,
     assumptions,
-  } as const;
-  const factoryFallback =
-    factory === undefined
-      ? undefined
-      : ({
-          ...none,
-          partition_index: factory.index,
-          basis: "factory-fallback",
-        } as const);
-  if (records.every(unusable) || appCount === 0) {
-    if (factoryFallback !== undefined) return factoryFallback;
-    const first = bySlot.get(0);
-    return first === undefined
-      ? none
-      : {
-          ...none,
+  });
+  const factory = selection("factory-fallback", {
+    partition_index: boot.factory?.index ?? null,
+  });
+  if (otadataSize < ESP_OTA_DATA_MIN_BYTES) return selection("none");
+  if (records.length < 2) return null;
+  if (records.every(unusable) || boot.otaAppCount === 0)
+    return boot.factory !== undefined
+      ? factory
+      : selection("ota_0-fallback", {
           slot: 0,
-          partition_index: first.index,
-          basis: "ota_0-fallback",
-        };
-  }
+          partition_index: boot.otaSlots.get(0)?.index ?? null,
+        });
   const valid = records.filter(({ valid }) => valid);
   const [first, second] = valid;
   const active =
@@ -152,14 +142,12 @@ export const selectEspOtaSlot = (
     second.ota_seq > first.ota_seq
       ? second
       : first;
-  if (active === undefined) return factoryFallback ?? none;
-  const slot = ((active.ota_seq - 1) >>> 0) % appCount;
-  return {
+  if (active === undefined) return factory;
+  const slot = ((active.ota_seq - 1) >>> 0) % boot.otaAppCount;
+  return selection("otadata", {
     active_record: active.index,
     slot,
     // A gap in the OTA subtypes selects a slot with no partition.
-    partition_index: bySlot.get(slot)?.index ?? null,
-    basis: "otadata",
-    assumptions,
-  };
+    partition_index: boot.otaSlots.get(slot)?.index ?? null,
+  });
 };
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/espPartitionTable.ts b/src/domain/firmware/espPartitionTable.ts
index 7b329368c5..0ddce58d77 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/espPartitionTable.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/espPartitionTable.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 
 import { err, ok, type Result } from "../result.js";
-import { hex, offsetText, u16, u32 } from "./espImageStructures.js";
+import {
+  cString,
+  cStringBytes,
+  hex,
+  offsetText,
+  u16,
+  u32,
+} from "./espImageStructures.js";
 
 /*
  * The partition table, from ESP-IDF v6.1 `esp_flash_partitions.h`,
@@ -36,6 +43,8 @@ export interface EspPartition {
   readonly size: number;
   /** The label up to its first NUL, or null when it is not UTF-8. */
   readonly label: string | null;
+  /** The label's bytes up to its first NUL, in hex, when it is not UTF-8. */
+  readonly labelHex: string | null;
   readonly encrypted: boolean;
   readonly readonly: boolean;
   /** Flag bits other than `encrypted` and `readonly`, which ESP-IDF ignores. */
@@ -57,23 +66,14 @@ export interface EspPartitionTable {
   readonly limitations: readonly string[];
 }
 
-const UTF8 = new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true, ignoreBOM: true });
-
-const label = (bytes: Uint8Array): string | null => {
-  const end = bytes.indexOf(0);
-  try {
-    return UTF8.decode(end < 0 ? bytes : bytes.subarray(0, end));
-  } catch {
-    return null;
-  }
-};
-
 const partition = (
   entry: Uint8Array,
   index: number,
   entryOffset: number,
 ): EspPartition => {
   const flags = u32(entry, 28);
+  const labelBytes = entry.subarray(12, 28);
+  const label = cString(labelBytes);
   return {
     index,
     entryOffset,
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ const partition = (
     subtype: entry[3] ?? 0,
     offset: u32(entry, 4),
     size: u32(entry, 8),
-    label: label(entry.subarray(12, 28)),
+    label,
+    labelHex: label === null ? hex(cStringBytes(labelBytes)) : null,
     encrypted: (flags & 1) !== 0,
     readonly: (flags & 2) !== 0,
     unknownFlags: (flags & ~KNOWN_FLAGS) >>> 0,
@@ -89,12 +90,14 @@ const partition = (
 };
 
 /**
- * Decode a table as ESP-IDF's bootloader verifies it: 32-byte entries with
- * the `0x50AA` magic, at most one `0xEBEB` MD5 entry over the entries before
- * it, and a terminator whose magic, type and subtype are all `0xFF`, which
- * cannot be the first entry. A structural fault means the bytes are not a
- * table; an MD5 mismatch, which the bootloader also rejects, is reported as
- * an integrity fact so that the declared entries stay visible.
+ * Decode a table in the entry structure ESP-IDF's bootloader verifies:
+ * 32-byte entries with the `0x50AA` magic, at most one `0xEBEB` MD5 entry
+ * over the entries before it, and a terminator whose magic, type and subtype
+ * are all `0xFF`. A structural fault means the bytes are not a table. An MD5
+ * mismatch or a second MD5 entry, which the bootloader rejects, is reported
+ * as an integrity fact so that the declared entries stay visible. ESP-IDF
+ * accepts an empty table, but REA requires one entry before the terminator
+ * so that erased flash is not read as a table.
  */
 export const decodeEspPartitionTable = (
   bytes: Uint8Array,
@@ -214,6 +217,9 @@ export const espPartitionSubtypeName = (
 const APP_TYPE = 0x00;
 const OTA_DATA_SUBTYPE = 0x00;
 const DATA_TYPE = 0x01;
+const BOOTLOADER_TYPE = 0x02;
+const PARTITION_TABLE_TYPE = 0x03;
+const PRIMARY_SUBTYPE = 0x00;
 const OTA_APP_SUBTYPE_FLAG = 0x10;
 const OTA_APP_SUBTYPE_MASK = 0x0f;
 
@@ -224,11 +230,77 @@ export const espOtaAppSlot = (part: EspPartition): number | null =>
     ? part.subtype & OTA_APP_SUBTYPE_MASK
     : null;
 
-export const isEspFactoryApp = (part: EspPartition): boolean =>
+const isEspFactoryApp = (part: EspPartition): boolean =>
   part.type === APP_TYPE && part.subtype === 0x00;
 
-export const isEspOtaData = (part: EspPartition): boolean =>
+const isEspOtaData = (part: EspPartition): boolean =>
   part.type === DATA_TYPE && part.subtype === OTA_DATA_SUBTYPE;
 
 export const isEspAppPartition = (part: EspPartition): boolean =>
   part.type === APP_TYPE;
+
+/**
+ * The region a primary `bootloader` or `partition_table` entry declares.
+ * ESP-IDF 5.3 and later may declare them over the bootloader region and the
+ * table sector, and `gen_esp32part.py` exempts them from its rule that
+ * partitions follow the table.
+ */
+export const espPrimaryLayoutRole = (
+  part: EspPartition,
+): "bootloader" | "partition-table" | undefined => {
+  if (part.subtype !== PRIMARY_SUBTYPE) return undefined;
+  if (part.type === BOOTLOADER_TYPE) return "bootloader";
+  return part.type === PARTITION_TABLE_TYPE ? "partition-table" : undefined;
+};
+
+/** The partitions the bootloader keeps from a table, and the OTA app count. */
+export interface EspBootPartitions {
+  readonly factory: EspPartition | undefined;
+  readonly otadata: EspPartition | undefined;
+  /** Each OTA slot's partition, indexed by subtype. */
+  readonly otaSlots: ReadonlyMap<number, EspPartition>;
+  /** Every OTA app entry, duplicates included, as `bs->app_count` counts. */
+  readonly otaAppCount: number;
+  readonly limitations: readonly string[];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Read the table as `bootloader_utility_load_partition_table` does: a later
+ * factory, otadata or same-subtype OTA entry replaces an earlier one, and
+ * every OTA app entry adds to the app count.
+ */
+export const espBootPartitions = (
+  partitions: readonly EspPartition[],
+): EspBootPartitions => {
+  let factory: EspPartition | undefined;
+  let otadata: EspPartition | undefined;
+  let otaAppCount = 0;
+  const otaSlots = new Map<number, EspPartition>();
+  const roles = new Map<string, EspPartition[]>();
+  for (const part of partitions) {
+    const slot = espOtaAppSlot(part);
+    const role = isEspFactoryApp(part)
+      ? "factory"
+      : isEspOtaData(part)
+        ? "otadata"
+        : slot === null
+          ? undefined
+          : `ota_${String(slot)}`;
+    if (role === undefined) continue;
+    roles.set(role, [...(roles.get(role) ?? []), part]);
+    if (role === "factory") factory = part;
+    else if (role === "otadata") otadata = part;
+    else if (slot !== null) {
+      otaSlots.set(slot, part);
+      otaAppCount += 1;
+    }
+  }
+  const limitations = [...roles].flatMap(([role, parts]) =>
+    parts.length < 2
+      ? []
+      : [
+          `The table declares ${role} ${String(parts.length)} times (partitions ${parts.map(({ index }) => `#${String(index)}`).join(", ")}); ESP-IDF's bootloader uses the last.`,
+        ],
+  );
+  return { factory, otadata, otaSlots, otaAppCount, limitations };
+};
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/artifactComparisonEspFlash.test.ts b/tests/acceptance/artifactComparisonEspFlash.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..576aad94a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/acceptance/artifactComparisonEspFlash.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import {
+  ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS,
+  espImage,
+} from "../../src/domain/firmware/espImage.fixture.js";
+import {
+  TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS,
+  espFlashDump,
+  partitionTable,
+} from "../../src/domain/firmware/espFlash.fixture.js";
+import { artifactComparisonResultSchema } from "../../src/domain/artifactComparison.js";
+import { artifactInspectionResultSchema } from "../../src/domain/artifactInspection.js";
+import { artifactInventoryResultSchema } from "../../src/domain/artifactGraph.js";
+import { parseEvidence, type Evidence } from "../../src/domain/evidence.js";
+import { connectLocalToolsMcp } from "../fixtures/localToolsMcp.js";
+import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
+
+const BOOTLOADER = {
+  at: 0,
+  bytes: espImage({ segments: ESP32C3_BOOTLOADER_SEGMENTS }),
+};
+
+/** A table without an MD5 whose first entry has these label bytes. */
+const labelBytes = (bytes: readonly number[]): Buffer => {
+  const table = Buffer.from(
+    partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS, { md5: "absent" }),
+  );
+  table.fill(0, 12, 28);
+  Buffer.from(bytes).copy(table, 12);
+  return table;
+};
+
+it("reports an ESP partition whose declaration alone changed", async () => {
+  const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-esp-flash-comparison-");
+  const { call } = await connectLocalToolsMcp();
+  const inspect = async (name: string, table: Buffer): Promise<Evidence> => {
+    const path = join(root, name);
+    await writeFile(path, espFlashDump({ bootloader: BOOTLOADER, table }));
+    const opened = await call("open_binary", { path });
+    expect(opened.isError, JSON.stringify(opened)).not.toBe(true);
+    const response = await call("inspect_artifact", {});
+    expect(response.isError, JSON.stringify(response)).not.toBe(true);
+    const inventory = artifactInspectionResultSchema
+      .parse(parseEvidence(response.structuredContent).normalized_result)
+      .substeps.find(
+        ({ operation }) => operation === "inventory_artifact",
+      )?.evidence;
+    if (inventory === undefined) throw new Error("Missing inventory Evidence");
+    return parseEvidence(inventory);
+  };
+  const compare = async (left: Evidence, right: Evidence) => {
+    const response = await call("compare_artifacts", { left, right });
+    expect(response.isError, JSON.stringify(response)).not.toBe(true);
+    return artifactComparisonResultSchema.parse(
+      parseEvidence(response.structuredContent).normalized_result,
+    );
+  };
+  const occurrence = (evidence: Evidence, path: string) => {
+    const found = artifactInventoryResultSchema
+      .parse(evidence.normalized_result)
+      .occurrences.find(({ logical_path }) => logical_path === path);
+    if (found === undefined) throw new Error(`Missing ${path}`);
+    return found;
+  };
+  const changedPaths = (result: { changes: { logical_path: string }[] }) =>
+    result.changes
+      .map(({ logical_path }) => logical_path)
+      .filter((path) => path !== ".")
+      .sort();
+
+  // The same partition bytes, with nvs declared read-only.
+  const readonly = TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS.map((part) =>
+    part.label === "nvs" ? { ...part, flags: 0x2 } : part,
+  );
+  const left = await inspect("flash.bin", partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS));
+  const right = await inspect("readonly.bin", partitionTable(readonly));
+  const leftNvs = occurrence(left, "partitions/nvs.bin");
+  const rightNvs = occurrence(right, "partitions/nvs.bin");
+  expect(rightNvs.artifact_id).toBe(leftNvs.artifact_id);
+  expect(leftNvs.format_metadata).toMatchObject({ readonly: false });
+  expect(rightNvs.format_metadata).toMatchObject({ readonly: true });
+  const changed = await compare(left, right);
+  expect(
+    changed.changes.find(
+      ({ logical_path }) => logical_path === "partitions/nvs.bin",
+    ),
+  ).toEqual({
+    classification: "changed",
+    logical_path: "partitions/nvs.bin",
+    dimensions: ["metadata"],
+    left_occurrence_id: leftNvs.occurrence_id,
+    right_occurrence_id: rightNvs.occurrence_id,
+    left_artifact_id: leftNvs.artifact_id,
+    right_artifact_id: rightNvs.artifact_id,
+    evidence_links: [left.evidence_id, right.evidence_id],
+  });
+  // Only the table's bytes and the declaration it gives nvs changed.
+  expect(changedPaths(changed)).toEqual([
+    "partition-table.bin",
+    "partitions/nvs.bin",
+  ]);
+
+  // Labels that are not UTF-8 compare by their bytes.
+  const first = await inspect("label-a.bin", labelBytes([0xff, 0x01]));
+  const second = await inspect("label-b.bin", labelBytes([0xfe, 0x01]));
+  expect(occurrence(first, "partitions/0.bin").format_metadata).toMatchObject({
+    label: null,
+    label_hex: "ff01",
+  });
+  expect(changedPaths(await compare(first, second))).toEqual([
+    "partition-table.bin",
+    "partitions/0.bin",
+  ]);
+
+  // Equal declarations leave every partition unchanged.
+  const same = await compare(
+    left,
+    await inspect("copy.bin", partitionTable(TWO_OTA_PARTITIONS)),
+  );
+  expect(same.changes).toEqual([]);
+});
diff --git a/tests/boundary/filesystem/binaryTarget.test.ts b/tests/boundary/filesystem/binaryTarget.test.ts
index e8b7560295..fd12242605 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/filesystem/binaryTarget.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/filesystem/binaryTarget.test.ts
@@ -594,6 +594,22 @@ describe("binary target I/O: ESP flash layouts", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("keeps refusing an ESP8266 dump that has an ESP-IDF-style table", async () => {
+    const directory = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-esp8266-flash-");
+    const dump = join(directory, "esp8266-flash.bin");
+    await writeFile(
+      dump,
+      espFlashDump({ bootloader: { at: 0, bytes: esp8266Image() } }),
+    );
+    expect(await parseBinaryTarget(dump)).toMatchObject({
+      ok: false,
+      error: {
+        constraint: "file_format_rejected",
+        reason: ESP8266_REFUSAL,
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("reads a selected flash dump with caller inputs and refuses bad pairings", async () => {
     const directory = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-esp-flash-select-");
     const esp32 = espImage({