diff --git a/firmware/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9/wifi_manager.cpp b/firmware/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9/wifi_manager.cpp
index 114a954..17fbc4e 100644
--- a/firmware/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9/wifi_manager.cpp
+++ b/firmware/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9/wifi_manager.cpp
@@ -67,37 +67,42 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR setupWiFi() {
   WiFi.hostname(config.hostname);
   WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
 
-  // Try 1: Use WiFi.begin() without params - uses SDK stored credentials
-  Serial.println("Trying SDK-stored credentials...");
-  WiFi.begin();
+  // Try 1: Use WiFi.begin() without params - only when no SSID is configured.
+  // Skipped if user has a saved SSID: SDK-cached credentials may include open
+  // networks (e.g. public hotspots) that would be preferred over the user's
+  // network, and a successful connect would overwrite config.ssid (issue #3).
+  if (strlen(config.ssid) == 0) {
+    Serial.println("No SSID configured, trying SDK-stored credentials...");
+    WiFi.begin();
 
-  // SYNCHRONOUS wait for connection (max 10 seconds)
-  Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi");
-  int attempts = 0;
-  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
-    showWiFiConnecting(attempts);
-    delay(500);
-    Serial.print(".");
-    attempts++;
-  }
+    // SYNCHRONOUS wait for connection (max 10 seconds)
+    Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi");
+    int attempts = 0;
+    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
+      showWiFiConnecting(attempts);
+      delay(500);
+      Serial.print(".");
+      attempts++;
+    }
 
-  if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) {
-    Serial.println("\nWiFi connected!");
-    Serial.print("SSID: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());
-    Serial.print("IP: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
-    Serial.print("Gateway: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.gatewayIP());
-    Serial.print("DNS: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.dnsIP());
+    if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) {
+      Serial.println("\nWiFi connected!");
+      Serial.print("SSID: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());
+      Serial.print("IP: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
+      Serial.print("Gateway: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.gatewayIP());
+      Serial.print("DNS: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.dnsIP());
 
-    safeStringCopy(WiFi.SSID(), config.ssid, sizeof(config.ssid));
-    saveConfig();
+      safeStringCopy(WiFi.SSID(), config.ssid, sizeof(config.ssid));
+      saveConfig();
 
-    showIP();
-    wifiConnState = WIFI_CONN_CONNECTED;
-    return;
+      showIP();
+      wifiConnState = WIFI_CONN_CONNECTED;
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   // Try 2: If we have EEPROM credentials, try those
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR setupWiFi() {
     Serial.println("\nTrying EEPROM credentials...");
     WiFi.begin(config.ssid, config.password);
 
-    attempts = 0;
+    int attempts = 0;
     while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
       showWiFiConnecting(attempts);
       delay(500);
diff --git a/src/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9.ino b/src/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9.ino
index 9bb2180..5dece97 100644
--- a/src/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9.ino
+++ b/src/clock_ntp_ota_v1.9.ino
@@ -761,41 +761,42 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR setupWiFi() {
   // STRATEGY: First try SDK-stored credentials (from WiFiManager), then EEPROM config
   // WiFiManager stores credentials in ESP flash separately from our EEPROM
 
-  // Try 1: Use WiFi.begin() without params - uses SDK stored credentials
-  Serial.println("Trying SDK-stored credentials...");
-  WiFi.begin();  // Uses credentials stored by WiFiManager/SDK
+  // Try 1: Use WiFi.begin() without params - only when no SSID is configured.
+  // Skipped if user has a saved SSID: SDK-cached credentials may include open
+  // networks (e.g. public hotspots) that would be preferred over the user's
+  // network, and a successful connect would overwrite config.ssid (issue #3).
+  if (strlen(config.ssid) == 0) {
+    Serial.println("No SSID configured, trying SDK-stored credentials...");
+    WiFi.begin();
 
-  // SYNCHRONOUS wait for connection (max 10 seconds)
-  Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi");
-  int attempts = 0;
-  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
-    delay(500);
-    Serial.print(".");
-    showNumber(attempts, false);
-    attempts++;
-  }
+    // SYNCHRONOUS wait for connection (max 10 seconds)
+    Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi");
+    int attempts = 0;
+    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
+      delay(500);
+      Serial.print(".");
+      showNumber(attempts, false);
+      attempts++;
+    }
 
-  if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) {
-    Serial.println("\n✅ WiFi connected!");
-    Serial.print("SSID: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());
-    Serial.print("IP: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
-    Serial.print("Gateway: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.gatewayIP());
-    Serial.print("DNS: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.dnsIP());
+    if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) {
+      Serial.println("\n✅ WiFi connected!");
+      Serial.print("SSID: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());
+      Serial.print("IP: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
+      Serial.print("Gateway: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.gatewayIP());
+      Serial.print("DNS: ");
+      Serial.println(WiFi.dnsIP());
 
-    // Sync connected SSID to our config
-    safeStringCopy(WiFi.SSID(), config.ssid, sizeof(config.ssid));
-    // Note: password stays in SDK storage, we don't have access to it
-    saveConfig();
+      safeStringCopy(WiFi.SSID(), config.ssid, sizeof(config.ssid));
+      saveConfig();
 
-    // Show IP on display
-    showIP();
-
-    wifiConnState = WIFI_CONN_CONNECTED;
-    return;  // Success!
+      showIP();
+      wifiConnState = WIFI_CONN_CONNECTED;
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   // Try 2: If we have EEPROM credentials, try those
@@ -803,7 +804,7 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR setupWiFi() {
     Serial.println("\nTrying EEPROM credentials...");
     WiFi.begin(config.ssid, config.password);
 
-    attempts = 0;
+    int attempts = 0;
     while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && attempts < 20) {
       delay(500);
       Serial.print(".");