diff --git a/test/boot_button_rescue_test.py b/test/boot_button_rescue_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..62de7fce5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/boot_button_rescue_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Source contracts for boot rescue admission and button diagnostics."""
+from pathlib import Path
+
+source = (Path(__file__).parents[1] / "wled00" / "wled.cpp").read_text()
+assert "checkRescuePin" not in source
+assert "checkRescueSerial" in source
+assert "WLED_DISABLE_STUCK_BUTTON_DIAGNOSTICS" in source
+assert source.count("diagnoseBootButtons();") >= 2
+assert "stuckButtonInterval = 10000UL" in source
+assert "activeSince[b] = 0" in source
+assert "activeInitialized[b] = false" in source
+assert "if (!activeInitialized[b])" in source
+assert "diagnosticPin[b] != pin" in source
+assert "diagnosticType[b] != type" in source
+assert "BTN_TYPE_PUSH && button.type != BTN_TYPE_PUSH_ACT_HIGH" in source
+assert "active at boot" not in source
+assert "sustained active" in source
+assert "WLED button diagnostics: STUCK_BUTTON" in source
+assert "WLED button diagnostics: AVAILABLE/INACTIVE" in source
+assert "HEALTHY/AVAILABLE" not in source
+assert "WLED button diagnostics: disabled" in source
+assert 'DEBUG_PRINTF_P(PSTR("heap %u\\n")' in source
+assert 'PSTR("heap %u\\\\n")' not in source
+print("boot rescue admission and sustained stuck-button diagnostics: PASS")
diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 00b8f9ab86..1b075093de 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -37,21 +37,6 @@ WLED::WLED()
 {
 }
 
-static bool checkRescuePin()
-{
-#if WLED_RESCUE_WINDOW_MS > 0
-  constexpr int8_t rescuePins[] = {BTNPIN};
-  constexpr size_t rescuePinCount = sizeof(rescuePins) / sizeof(rescuePins[0]);
-  if (rescuePinCount == 0 || rescuePins[0] < 0) return false;
-
-  pinMode(rescuePins[0], INPUT_PULLUP);
-  delay(2);
-  return digitalRead(rescuePins[0]) == LOW;
-#else
-  return false;
-#endif
-}
-
 static bool checkRescueSerial()
 {
 #if WLED_RESCUE_WINDOW_MS > 0
@@ -80,12 +65,6 @@ static bool checkRescueSerial()
 static void detectRescueMode()
 {
 #if WLED_RESCUE_WINDOW_MS > 0
-  if (checkRescuePin()) {
-    wledRescueMode = true;
-    Serial.println(F("WLED rescue mode: startup button held"));
-    return;
-  }
-
   Serial.print(F("WLED rescue window: send '"));
   Serial.print(F(WLED_RESCUE_SERIAL_TOKEN));
   Serial.println(F("' to skip config, usermods, WiFi, and ESP-NOW"));
@@ -96,6 +75,94 @@ static void detectRescueMode()
 #endif
 }
 
+// AI: below section was generated by an AI
+// Report configured digital momentary inputs only after sustained activity.
+static void diagnoseBootButtons()
+{
+#ifdef WLED_DISABLE_STUCK_BUTTON_DIAGNOSTICS
+  static bool reported = false;
+  if (!reported) {
+    Serial.println(F("WLED button diagnostics: disabled (WLED_DISABLE_STUCK_BUTTON_DIAGNOSTICS)"));
+    reported = true;
+  }
+  return;
+#else
+  constexpr unsigned long stuckButtonInterval = 10000UL;
+  static unsigned long activeSince[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {0};
+  static bool activeInitialized[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {false};
+  static bool reportedStuck[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {false};
+  static int diagnosticPin[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {0};
+  static uint8_t diagnosticType[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {0};
+  static bool diagnosticIdentityInitialized[WLED_MAX_BUTTONS] = {false};
+  bool available = false;
+  bool stuck = false;
+  const unsigned long now = millis();
+  for (size_t b = 0; b < WLED_MAX_BUTTONS; b++) {
+    if (b >= buttons.size()) {
+      activeSince[b] = 0;
+      activeInitialized[b] = false;
+      reportedStuck[b] = false;
+      diagnosticIdentityInitialized[b] = false;
+      continue;
+    }
+    const auto &button = buttons[b];
+    const int pin = button.pin;
+    const uint8_t type = (uint8_t)button.type;
+    if (!diagnosticIdentityInitialized[b] || diagnosticPin[b] != pin || diagnosticType[b] != type) {
+      diagnosticPin[b] = pin;
+      diagnosticType[b] = type;
+      diagnosticIdentityInitialized[b] = true;
+      activeSince[b] = 0;
+      activeInitialized[b] = false;
+      reportedStuck[b] = false;
+    }
+    if (pin < 0 || (button.type != BTN_TYPE_PUSH && button.type != BTN_TYPE_PUSH_ACT_HIGH)) continue;
+    available = true;
+    const bool active = (button.type == BTN_TYPE_PUSH_ACT_HIGH) ?
+                        (digitalRead(button.pin) == HIGH) : (digitalRead(button.pin) == LOW);
+    if (!active) {
+      activeSince[b] = 0;
+      activeInitialized[b] = false;
+      reportedStuck[b] = false;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (!activeInitialized[b]) {
+      activeSince[b] = now;
+      activeInitialized[b] = true;
+    }
+    if (now - activeSince[b] >= stuckButtonInterval) {
+      stuck = true;
+      if (!reportedStuck[b]) {
+        Serial.printf("WLED button diagnostic: sustained active index=%u gpio=%d type=%u\n",
+                      (unsigned)b, button.pin, (unsigned)button.type);
+        reportedStuck[b] = true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  static bool reportedHealthy = false;
+  static bool reportedUnavailable = false;
+  static bool reportedStatus = false;
+  if (stuck) {
+    if (!reportedStatus) {
+      Serial.println(F("WLED button diagnostics: STUCK_BUTTON"));
+      reportedStatus = true;
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+  reportedStatus = false;
+  if (available && !reportedHealthy) {
+    Serial.println(F("WLED button diagnostics: AVAILABLE/INACTIVE"));
+    reportedHealthy = true;
+    reportedUnavailable = false;
+  } else if (!available && !reportedUnavailable) {
+    Serial.println(F("WLED button diagnostics: disabled (no configured digital momentary buttons)"));
+    reportedUnavailable = true;
+    reportedHealthy = false;
+  }
+#endif
+}
+// AI: end
+
 static void handleRescueMode()
 {
   static bool announced = false;
@@ -178,6 +245,7 @@ void WLED::loop()
     return;
   }
 
+  diagnoseBootButtons();
   handleTime();
   #ifndef WLED_DISABLE_INFRARED
   handleIR();        // 2nd call to function needed for ESP32 to return valid results -- should be good for ESP8266, too
@@ -615,6 +683,7 @@ void WLED::setup()
     briLast = 0;
     transitionDelay = 0;
   }
+  diagnoseBootButtons();
   DEBUG_PRINTF_P(PSTR("heap %u\n"), getFreeHeapSize());
 
 #if defined(STATUSLED) && STATUSLED>=0