diff --git a/lua/api/core/ble.lua b/lua/api/core/ble.lua
index d7771b7..dc3a424 100644
--- a/lua/api/core/ble.lua
+++ b/lua/api/core/ble.lua
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ function ble.init(name) end
 ---Stops the BLE stack and releases its memory.
 function ble.deinit() end
 
+---Whether the BLE stack is running.
+---@return boolean
+function ble.isInitialized() end
+
 ---Scans for advertising devices.
 ---@param durationMs? integer Defaults to 3000.
 ---@return BleDevice[]? devices
diff --git a/native/include/lua/layout.h b/native/include/lua/layout.h
index 9a6c5c2..ceb4eea 100644
--- a/native/include/lua/layout.h
+++ b/native/include/lua/layout.h
@@ -131,10 +131,17 @@ public:
   const char* error = nullptr;
   uint16_t focus = NONE;
 
+  // Growth doubling needs the old and new buffers live at once, which is the
+  // allocation that fails first on a tight heap. One reservation covers a
+  // typical screen so a build reallocates only if it genuinely gets large.
+  static constexpr size_t RESERVE = 64;
+
   void reset() {
     focus = NONE;
     nodes.clear();
     specs.clear();
+    nodes.reserve(RESERVE);
+    specs.reserve(RESERVE);
     labelAt.clear();
     labels.clear();
     styles.clear();
diff --git a/native/include/lua/providers.h b/native/include/lua/providers.h
index a11344b..72cbadc 100644
--- a/native/include/lua/providers.h
+++ b/native/include/lua/providers.h
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ public:
   virtual ~BleProvider() = default;
   virtual Status init(const std::string* name) = 0;
   virtual void deinit() = 0;
+  virtual bool isInitialized() const = 0;
   virtual Status scan(int32_t durationMs, std::vector<BleDevice>& devices) = 0;
   virtual Status connect(const std::string& address) = 0;
   virtual void disconnect() = 0;
diff --git a/native/src/bindings/core/ble.cpp b/native/src/bindings/core/ble.cpp
index ad85055..ed53af5 100644
--- a/native/src/bindings/core/ble.cpp
+++ b/native/src/bindings/core/ble.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ namespace {
 int init(lua_State* state) {
   std::string name;
   const bool hasName = optionalString(state, 1, name);
+  // The controller needs a large aggregate allocation; reclaim app garbage
+  // first so a live screen's churn does not fail the init.
+  lua_gc(state, LUA_GCCOLLECT, 0);
   return pushStatus(
       state, Runtime::from(state)->ble().init(hasName ? &name : nullptr));
 }
@@ -22,6 +25,11 @@ int deinit(lua_State* state) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+int isInitialized(lua_State* state) {
+  lua_pushboolean(state, Runtime::from(state)->ble().isInitialized());
+  return 1;
+}
+
 int scan(lua_State* state) {
   const int32_t durationMs = optionalInt(state, 1, 3000);
   luaL_argcheck(state, durationMs > 0, 1, "must be positive");
@@ -97,6 +105,9 @@ const luaL_Reg FUNCTIONS[] = {
     {"init", init},
     // --- Stops the BLE stack and releases its memory.
     {"deinit", deinit},
+    // --- Whether the BLE stack is running.
+    // @return boolean
+    {"isInitialized", isInitialized},
     // --- Scans for advertising devices.
     // @param durationMs integer|nil Defaults to 3000.
     // @return BleDevice[]|nil devices
diff --git a/native/src/bindings/core/wifi.cpp b/native/src/bindings/core/wifi.cpp
index e26ebc9..9c911ae 100644
--- a/native/src/bindings/core/wifi.cpp
+++ b/native/src/bindings/core/wifi.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ int connect(lua_State* state) {
   std::string password;
   const bool hasSsid = optionalString(state, 1, ssid);
   const bool hasPassword = optionalString(state, 2, password);
+  // The driver needs ~28KB in aggregate and a live app can be sitting on that
+  // much garbage, which is why a failed connect often succeeds on retry.
+  lua_gc(state, LUA_GCCOLLECT, 0);
   const Status status = Runtime::from(state)->wifi().connect(
       hasSsid ? &ssid : nullptr, hasPassword ? &password : nullptr);
   return pushStatus(state, status);
diff --git a/native/test/fake_providers.h b/native/test/fake_providers.h
index 08f2811..aaee6be 100644
--- a/native/test/fake_providers.h
+++ b/native/test/fake_providers.h
@@ -275,9 +275,14 @@ struct Wifi : WifiProvider {
 struct Ble : BleProvider {
   int32_t duration = 0;
   std::string value;
+  bool initialized = false;
 
-  Status init(const std::string*) override { return Status::success(); }
-  void deinit() override {}
+  Status init(const std::string*) override {
+    initialized = true;
+    return Status::success();
+  }
+  void deinit() override { initialized = false; }
+  bool isInitialized() const override { return initialized; }
   Status scan(int32_t durationMs, std::vector<BleDevice>& devices) override {
     duration = durationMs;
     const BleDevice device = {"tag", "aa:bb", -60};
diff --git a/native/test/runtime_test.cpp b/native/test/runtime_test.cpp
index 21594cd..1a329ff 100644
--- a/native/test/runtime_test.cpp
+++ b/native/test/runtime_test.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ int main() {
              "assert(wifi.connect())");
   assert(bench.wifi.savedReconnect);
 
-  run(state, "assert(ble.scan()[1].address == 'aa:bb')\n"
+  run(state, "assert(not ble.isInitialized())\n"
+             "assert(ble.init())\n"
+             "assert(ble.isInitialized())\n"
+             "assert(ble.scan()[1].address == 'aa:bb')\n"
              "assert(#ble.read('svc', 'chr') == 3)\n"
              "assert(ble.write('svc', 'chr', 'x\\0y'))");
   assert(bench.ble.duration == 3000);