diff --git a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/files/usr/lib/lua/lime-mesh-upgrade.lua b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/files/usr/lib/lua/lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
index 68fed6456..5aac67bab 100644
--- a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/files/usr/lib/lua/lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
+++ b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/files/usr/lib/lua/lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ local mesh_upgrade = {
         CONFIRMATION_TIME_OUT = "confirmation_timeout",
         --        ABORTED = "aborted",
         FW_FILE_NOT_FOUND = "firmware_file_not_found",
-        INVALID_FW_FILE = "invalid_firmware_file"
-
+        INVALID_FW_FILE = "invalid_firmware_file",
+        SAFE_UPGRADE_NOT_BOOTSTRAPED= "safe upgrade not working"
     },
     fw_path = "",
     su_confirm_timeout = 600,
@@ -179,6 +179,18 @@ function mesh_upgrade.check_eupgrade_download_failed()
     return download_status
 end
 
+
+function mesh_upgrade.check_safeupgrade_is_working()
+    local result = os.execute("safe-upgrade bootstrap")
+    local exit_code = result and (result / 256) or result
+    if exit_code == 121 then 
+        -- this means that safeupgrade has been bootrsaped and is ready to work
+        return true
+    end
+    mesh_upgrade.report_error(mesh_upgrade.errors.SAFE_UPGRADE_NOT_BOOTSTRAPED)
+    return false
+end
+
 function mesh_upgrade.start_firmware_upgrade_transaction()
     -- todo(kon): do all needed checks also with the main node state etc..
     -- Expose eupgrade folder to uhttp (this is the best place to do it since
@@ -478,14 +490,16 @@ end
 
 -- ! Read status from UCI
 function mesh_upgrade.get_node_status()
+    mesh_upgrade.check_safeupgrade_is_working()
     local uci = config.get_uci_cursor()
     local upgrade_data = {}
     upgrade_data.candidate_fw = uci:get('mesh-upgrade', 'main', 'candidate_fw')
     upgrade_data.repo_url = uci:get('mesh-upgrade', 'main', 'repo_url')
     upgrade_data.eupgradestate = mesh_upgrade.check_eupgrade_download_failed()
     upgrade_data.upgrade_state = mesh_upgrade.state()
+    local safe_upgrade_confirm_remaining = tonumber(utils.unsafe_shell("safe-upgrade confirm-remaining"))
     if (upgrade_data.upgrade_state == mesh_upgrade.upgrade_states.UPGRADE_SCHEDULED) then
-        if (tonumber(utils.unsafe_shell("safe-upgrade confirm-remaining")) > 1) then
+        if (safe_upgrade_confirm_remaining and safe_upgrade_confirm_remaining > 1) then
             mesh_upgrade.change_state(mesh_upgrade.upgrade_states.CONFIRMATION_PENDING)
         elseif utils.file_exists(mesh_upgrade.get_fw_path()) == false then
             mesh_upgrade.report_error(mesh_upgrade.errors.FW_FILE_NOT_FOUND)
@@ -510,7 +524,7 @@ function mesh_upgrade.get_node_status()
                                                   (utils.uptime_s() - mesh_upgrade.safeupgrade_start_mark) > 0 and
                                                   mesh_upgrade.su_start_time_out -
                                                   (utils.uptime_s() - mesh_upgrade.safeupgrade_start_mark) or -1)
-    upgrade_data.confirm_remining = tonumber(utils.unsafe_shell("safe-upgrade confirm-remaining"))
+    upgrade_data.confirm_remining = safe_upgrade_confirm_remaining
     return upgrade_data
 end
 
@@ -518,7 +532,8 @@ function mesh_upgrade.start_safe_upgrade(su_start_delay, su_confirm_timeout)
     mesh_upgrade.su_start_time_out = su_start_delay or mesh_upgrade.su_start_time_out
     mesh_upgrade.su_confirm_timeout = su_confirm_timeout or mesh_upgrade.su_confirm_timeout
 
-    if mesh_upgrade.state() == mesh_upgrade.upgrade_states.READY_FOR_UPGRADE then
+    if mesh_upgrade.state() == mesh_upgrade.upgrade_states.READY_FOR_UPGRADE and
+    mesh_upgrade.check_safeupgrade_is_working() then
         if utils.file_exists(mesh_upgrade.get_fw_path()) then
 
             -- veryfy the image before starting
diff --git a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_lime-mesh-upgrade.lua b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
index de42b21cc..99ee4409f 100644
--- a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
+++ b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_lime-mesh-upgrade.lua
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ stub(utils, 'unsafe_shell', function(command)
 
 end)
 
+
+
 local utils = require "lime.utils"
 local lime_mesh_upgrade = {}
 local test_utils = require "tests.utils"
@@ -470,6 +472,10 @@ describe('LiMe mesh upgrade', function()
         end)
         lime_mesh_upgrade = require 'lime-mesh-upgrade'
 
+        stub(lime_mesh_upgrade, 'check_safeupgrade_is_working', function(command)
+            return true
+            end)
+
         uci = test_utils.setup_test_uci()
         uci:set('mesh-upgrade', 'main', "mesh-upgrade")
         uci:set('mesh-upgrade', 'main', "upgrade_state", "DEFAULT")
diff --git a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_rpcd_lime_mesh_upgrade.lua b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_rpcd_lime_mesh_upgrade.lua
index 97c8f7a10..45ba3abdc 100644
--- a/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_rpcd_lime_mesh_upgrade.lua
+++ b/packages/lime-mesh-upgrade/tests/test_rpcd_lime_mesh_upgrade.lua
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ describe('general rpc testing', function()
             return boardname
         end)
         lime_mesh_upgrade = require 'lime-mesh-upgrade'
+        stub(lime_mesh_upgrade, 'check_safeupgrade_is_working', function(command)
+            return true
+            end)
+
 
         snapshot = assert:snapshot()
         uci:set('mesh-upgrade', 'main', "mesh-upgrade")