diff --git a/esp32s3/balance/main/vesc_can.c b/esp32s3/balance/main/vesc_can.c
index 2de13df..e77b1e5 100644
--- a/esp32s3/balance/main/vesc_can.c
+++ b/esp32s3/balance/main/vesc_can.c
@@ -35,19 +35,25 @@ void vesc_can_init(void)
         (gpio_num_t)VESC_CAN_RX_GPIO,
         TWAI_MODE_NORMAL);
     gcfg.rx_queue_len = VESC_CAN_RX_QUEUE;
+    gcfg.tx_queue_len = 5;
 
     twai_timing_config_t  tcfg = TWAI_TIMING_CONFIG_500KBITS();
     twai_filter_config_t  fcfg = TWAI_FILTER_CONFIG_ACCEPT_ALL();
 
-    gcfg.tx_queue_len = 5;
-
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "TWAI: installing driver tx=%d rx=%d 500kbps", VESC_CAN_TX_GPIO, VESC_CAN_RX_GPIO);
-    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(twai_driver_install(&gcfg, &tcfg, &fcfg));
-    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "TWAI: driver installed OK");
+    esp_err_t err = twai_driver_install(&gcfg, &tcfg, &fcfg);
+    if (err != ESP_OK) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "TWAI install failed (0x%x) — CAN disabled", err);
+        g_twai_bus_off = true;
+        return;
+    }
 
-    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(twai_start());
-    /* Wait for VESC to join the bus before drive_task begins TX — prevents
-     * immediate TEC runup and BUS_OFF if VESC CAN isn't ready at ESP32 boot. */
+    err = twai_start();
+    if (err != ESP_OK) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "TWAI start failed (0x%x) — CAN disabled", err);
+        g_twai_bus_off = true;
+        return;
+    }
     vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(200));
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "TWAI: started OK — bus active");
 }
@@ -94,17 +100,15 @@ void vesc_can_rx_task(void *arg)
                     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "TWAI BUS OFF tx_err=%lu rx_err=%lu — recovering",
                              (unsigned long)si.tx_error_counter, (unsigned long)si.rx_error_counter);
                     twai_initiate_recovery();
-                    /* Driver auto-transitions RECOVERING→STOPPED after 128 recessive
-                     * bit occurrences (~3 ms min at 500kbps); 100 ms is safe headroom. */
-                    vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(100));
+                    vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
                 } else if (si.state == TWAI_STATE_STOPPED) {
-                    /* Recovery completed — restart the driver. */
                     esp_err_t serr = twai_start();
                     if (serr == ESP_OK) {
                         g_twai_bus_off = false;
                         ESP_LOGI(TAG, "TWAI recovered — bus active");
                     } else {
-                        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "TWAI restart failed 0x%x", serr);
+                        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "TWAI restart failed 0x%x — backing off", serr);
+                        vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(2000));
                     }
                 }
                 /* TWAI_STATE_RECOVERING: initiation already called, just wait. */