diff --git a/docs/content/docs/analysis/TELNET-MIGRATION-METHOD.md b/docs/content/docs/analysis/TELNET-MIGRATION-METHOD.md
index a856e34..7a13bfb 100644
--- a/docs/content/docs/analysis/TELNET-MIGRATION-METHOD.md
+++ b/docs/content/docs/analysis/TELNET-MIGRATION-METHOD.md
@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ in-band equivalent to the HTTP `/setMargeAccount` call, useful when the
   about.
 - Useful read-only verification command: `getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration` —
   prints the URLs after the changes have been applied so we can verify before
-  rebooting.
+  rebooting. **It only reflects the runtime (`sys configuration`) layer, not
+  the `envswitch`-persisted layer, so a matching `getpdo` here confirms the
+  writes were accepted, not that they will survive the reboot** — see the
+  layer-visibility caveat in
+  [TELNET-COMMAND-REFERENCE.md](TELNET-COMMAND-REFERENCE.md).
 - `sys reboot` is the trigger that re-reads both layers.
 
 ### 2.4 What Telnet:17000 cannot do
diff --git a/pkg/service/setup/enable_ssh.go b/pkg/service/setup/enable_ssh.go
index 631e908..1c79d6a 100644
--- a/pkg/service/setup/enable_ssh.go
+++ b/pkg/service/setup/enable_ssh.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func (m *Manager) runTelnetInjection(deviceIP string, forbidQuote, cmds []string
 	}
 
 	if verify, err := t.SendCommand("getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration"); err == nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(&logs, "→ getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration\n%s\n", strings.TrimRight(verify, "\r\n"))
+		fmt.Fprintf(&logs, "→ getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration (runtime layer only — confirms the writes were accepted, not that they'll survive a reboot)\n%s\n", strings.TrimRight(verify, "\r\n"))
 	}
 
 	return logs.String(), nil
diff --git a/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration.go b/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration.go
index 9ef4c4d..8e00c3f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration.go
+++ b/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration.go
@@ -130,13 +130,13 @@ func (m *Manager) migrateViaTelnet(deviceIP, targetURL string, urls telnetURLs)
 		return logs.String(), fmt.Errorf("verification command failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(&logs, "→ getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration\n%s\n", strings.TrimRight(verify, "\r\n"))
+	fmt.Fprintf(&logs, "→ getpdo CurrentSystemConfiguration (runtime layer only — confirms the writes were accepted, not that they'll survive a reboot)\n%s\n", strings.TrimRight(verify, "\r\n"))
 
 	if !strings.Contains(verify, targetURL) {
 		return logs.String(), fmt.Errorf("verification failed: getpdo response does not contain %q (device may have rejected the new URLs)", targetURL)
 	}
 
-	logs.WriteString("Telnet migration succeeded. Reboot the device to apply.\n")
+	logs.WriteString("Telnet writes accepted (runtime layer). Reboot the device so the envswitch-persisted layer takes over.\n")
 
 	return logs.String(), nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration_test.go b/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration_test.go
index 12920d4..df8c916 100644
--- a/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration_test.go
+++ b/pkg/service/setup/telnet_migration_test.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestMigrateViaTelnet_HappyPath(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if !strings.Contains(logs, "succeeded") {
+	if !strings.Contains(logs, "accepted") {
 		t.Errorf("logs missing success marker:\n%s", logs)
 	}