diff --git a/operator_setup.sh b/operator_setup.sh
index 550e8be..8eb1366 100755
--- a/operator_setup.sh
+++ b/operator_setup.sh
@@ -534,6 +534,16 @@ EOF
             "${WPA_WANTS}/wpa_supplicant@wlan0.service"
     fi
 
+    # Disable the generic wpa_supplicant.service — it conflicts with @wlan0 instance
+    # Both would fight over wlan0, causing WiFi instability and SSH drops
+    rm -f "${MOUNT_POINT}/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/wpa_supplicant.service"
+
+    # Disable WiFi power saving — aw859a driver drops under load with power save on
+    mkdir -p "${MOUNT_POINT}/etc/udev/rules.d"
+    cat > "${MOUNT_POINT}/etc/udev/rules.d/70-wifi-pm.rules" << 'EOF'
+ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="net", KERNEL=="wlan*", RUN+="/usr/sbin/iw dev %k set power_save off"
+EOF
+
     info "WiFi profile written (SSID: ${WIFI_SSID})"
 fi
 
@@ -665,9 +675,9 @@ step "Installing first-boot service..."
 cat > "${MOUNT_POINT}/root/bb-firstboot-run.sh" << 'RUNEOF'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Runs once on first boot, then disables itself
-set -euo pipefail
 LOG=/root/bb-firstboot.log
 exec >> "$LOG" 2>&1
+set -uo pipefail
 
 echo "=== BigBrother first-boot setup: $(date) ==="
 
@@ -687,9 +697,13 @@ done
 
 source /root/bb-config.env
 
-# Install BigBrother
-cd /root/bb-src
-bash setup.sh --enable-service
+# Install BigBrother (skip if setup.sh not present — dev/test mode)
+if [[ -f /root/bb-src/setup.sh ]]; then
+    cd /root/bb-src
+    bash setup.sh --enable-service || echo "[-] BigBrother setup.sh failed (non-fatal)"
+else
+    echo "[-] bb-src/setup.sh not found — skipping BigBrother install"
+fi
 
 # VPN setup
 if [[ "${BB_VPN:-}" == "tailscale" && -n "${BB_TAILSCALE_KEY:-}" ]]; then