diff --git a/main/rfid_manager.c b/main/rfid_manager.c
index 955cdda..d6e7a00 100644
--- a/main/rfid_manager.c
+++ b/main/rfid_manager.c
@@ -76,12 +76,17 @@ esp_err_t rfid_manager_init(void)
 {
     /* Dedicated SPI3_HOST (HSPI) bus for the reader - independent controller
      * so the display (SPI2_HOST) and the RFID never share bus timing. The
-     * rc522 driver will call spi_bus_initialize() itself on this host. */
+     * rc522 driver will call spi_bus_initialize() itself on this host with
+     * this bus config (MISO=13 is a real pin and is used for reads). */
     static spi_bus_config_t rfid_bus_cfg = {
         .sclk_io_num = HW_RFID_SCK_GPIO,
         .mosi_io_num = HW_RFID_MOSI_GPIO,
         .miso_io_num = HW_RFID_MISO_GPIO,
+        .quadwp_io_num = -1,
+        .quadhd_io_num = -1,
     };
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "initializing MFRC522 on SPI3_HOST (SCK=%d MOSI=%d MISO=%d CS=%d)",
+             HW_RFID_SCK_GPIO, HW_RFID_MOSI_GPIO, HW_RFID_MISO_GPIO, HW_RC522_CS_GPIO);
 
     rc522_spi_config_t driver_config = {
         .host_id = HW_RFID_SPI_HOST,
@@ -102,7 +107,12 @@ esp_err_t rfid_manager_init(void)
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "rc522_spi_create failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(ret));
         return ret;
     }
-    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(rc522_driver_install(s_driver));
+    ret = rc522_driver_install(s_driver);
+    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
+        /* Includes the SPI3 bus initialization; never abort boot here. */
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "rc522 driver install (incl. SPI3 bus init) failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(ret));
+        return ret;
+    }
 
     rc522_config_t scanner_config = {
         .driver = s_driver,