diff --git a/lib/hal/HalGPIO.cpp b/lib/hal/HalGPIO.cpp
index b150dc8c..67367cd1 100644
--- a/lib/hal/HalGPIO.cpp
+++ b/lib/hal/HalGPIO.cpp
@@ -225,29 +225,17 @@ unsigned long HalGPIO::getHeldTime() const { return inputMgr.getHeldTime(); }
 
 unsigned long HalGPIO::getPowerButtonHeldTime() const { return inputMgr.getPowerButtonHeldTime(); }
 
-void HalGPIO::startDeepSleep() {
-  // Ensure that the power button has been released to avoid immediately turning back on if you're holding it
-  while (inputMgr.isPressed(BTN_POWER)) {
-    delay(50);
-    inputMgr.update();
-  }
-  // Arm the wakeup trigger *after* the button is released
-  esp_deep_sleep_enable_gpio_wakeup(1ULL << InputManager::POWER_BUTTON_PIN, ESP_GPIO_WAKEUP_GPIO_LOW);
-  // Enter Deep Sleep
-  esp_deep_sleep_start();
-}
-
-void HalGPIO::verifyPowerButtonWakeup(uint16_t requiredDurationMs, bool shortPressAllowed) {
+bool HalGPIO::verifyPowerButtonWakeup(uint16_t requiredDurationMs, bool shortPressAllowed) {
   if (shortPressAllowed) {
     // Fast path - no duration check needed
-    return;
+    return true;
   }
   // TODO: Intermittent edge case remains: a single tap followed by another single tap
   // can still power on the device. Tighten wake debounce/state handling here.
 
-  // Calibrate: subtract boot time already elapsed, assuming button held since boot
-  const uint16_t calibration = millis();
-  const uint16_t calibratedDuration = (calibration < requiredDurationMs) ? (requiredDurationMs - calibration) : 1;
+  // Calibrate: subtract boot time already elapsed, assuming button held since boot.
+  const unsigned long calibration = millis();
+  const unsigned long calibratedDuration = (calibration < requiredDurationMs) ? (requiredDurationMs - calibration) : 1;
 
   const auto start = millis();
   inputMgr.update();
@@ -262,11 +250,12 @@ void HalGPIO::verifyPowerButtonWakeup(uint16_t requiredDurationMs, bool shortPre
       inputMgr.update();
     } while (inputMgr.isPressed(BTN_POWER) && inputMgr.getPowerButtonHeldTime() < calibratedDuration);
     if (inputMgr.getPowerButtonHeldTime() < calibratedDuration) {
-      startDeepSleep();
+      return false;
     }
   } else {
-    startDeepSleep();
+    return false;
   }
+  return true;
 }
 
 bool HalGPIO::isUsbConnected() const {
diff --git a/lib/hal/HalGPIO.h b/lib/hal/HalGPIO.h
index 94e9bcd7..9456dcb8 100644
--- a/lib/hal/HalGPIO.h
+++ b/lib/hal/HalGPIO.h
@@ -72,13 +72,10 @@ class HalGPIO {
   unsigned long getHeldTime() const;
   unsigned long getPowerButtonHeldTime() const;
 
-  // Setup wake up GPIO and enter deep sleep
-  void startDeepSleep();
-
   // Verify power button was held long enough after wakeup.
-  // If verification fails, enters deep sleep and does not return.
+  // Returns true if verification succeeded, false if device should return to sleep.
   // Should only be called when wakeup reason is PowerButton.
-  void verifyPowerButtonWakeup(uint16_t requiredDurationMs, bool shortPressAllowed);
+  bool verifyPowerButtonWakeup(uint16_t requiredDurationMs, bool shortPressAllowed);
 
   // Check if USB is connected
   bool isUsbConnected() const;
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 13ba129b..36a960e1 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -159,49 +159,6 @@ void silentRestartToReader() {
   ESP.restart();
 }
 
-// Verify power button press duration on wake-up from deep sleep
-// Pre-condition: isWakeupByPowerButton() == true
-void verifyPowerButtonDuration() {
-  if (SETTINGS.shortPwrBtn == CrossPointSettings::SHORT_PWRBTN::SLEEP) {
-    // Fast path for short press
-    // Needed because inputManager.isPressed() may take up to ~500ms to return the correct state
-    return;
-  }
-
-  // Give the user up to 1000ms to start holding the power button, and must hold for SETTINGS.getPowerButtonDuration()
-  const auto start = millis();
-  bool abort = false;
-  // Subtract the current time, because inputManager only starts counting the HeldTime from the first update()
-  // This way, we remove the time we already took to reach here from the duration,
-  // assuming the button was held until now from millis()==0 (i.e. device start time).
-  const uint16_t calibration = start;
-  const uint16_t calibratedPressDuration =
-      (calibration < SETTINGS.getPowerButtonDuration()) ? SETTINGS.getPowerButtonDuration() - calibration : 1;
-
-  gpio.update();
-  // Needed because inputManager.isPressed() may take up to ~500ms to return the correct state
-  while (!gpio.isPressed(HalGPIO::BTN_POWER) && millis() - start < 1000) {
-    delay(10);  // only wait 10ms each iteration to not delay too much in case of short configured duration.
-    gpio.update();
-  }
-
-  t2 = millis();
-  if (gpio.isPressed(HalGPIO::BTN_POWER)) {
-    do {
-      delay(10);
-      gpio.update();
-    } while (gpio.isPressed(HalGPIO::BTN_POWER) && gpio.getPowerButtonHeldTime() < calibratedPressDuration);
-    abort = gpio.getPowerButtonHeldTime() < calibratedPressDuration;
-  } else {
-    abort = true;
-  }
-
-  if (abort) {
-    // Button released too early. Returning to sleep.
-    // IMPORTANT: Re-arm the wakeup trigger before sleeping again
-    powerManager.startDeepSleep(gpio);
-  }
-}
 void waitForPowerRelease() {
   gpio.update();
   while (gpio.isPressed(HalGPIO::BTN_POWER)) {
@@ -357,8 +314,10 @@ void setup() {
   switch (wakeupReason) {
     case HalGPIO::WakeupReason::PowerButton:
       LOG_DBG("MAIN", "Verifying power button press duration");
-      gpio.verifyPowerButtonWakeup(SETTINGS.getPowerButtonDuration(),
-                                   SETTINGS.shortPwrBtn == CrossPointSettings::SHORT_PWRBTN::SLEEP);
+      if (!gpio.verifyPowerButtonWakeup(SETTINGS.getPowerButtonDuration(),
+                                        SETTINGS.shortPwrBtn == CrossPointSettings::SHORT_PWRBTN::SLEEP)) {
+        powerManager.startDeepSleep(gpio);
+      }
       break;
     case HalGPIO::WakeupReason::AfterUSBPower:
       // If USB power caused a cold boot, go back to sleep