diff --git a/boards/gearup/airbrainh743/src/init.c b/boards/gearup/airbrainh743/src/init.c
index 0f2a75d6d2..2577ce282e 100644
--- a/boards/gearup/airbrainh743/src/init.c
+++ b/boards/gearup/airbrainh743/src/init.c
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
 #include <debug.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <syslog.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <nuttx/config.h>
 #include <nuttx/board.h>
@@ -188,7 +190,26 @@ __EXPORT int board_app_initialize(uintptr_t arg)
 				syslog(LOG_INFO, "[boot] W25N MTD registered at /dev/mtd0\n");
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_FS_LITTLEFS
-				ret = nx_mount("/dev/mtd0", "/fs/microsd", "littlefs", 0, "autoformat");
+				ret = nx_mount("/dev/mtd0", "/fs/microsd", "littlefs", 0, NULL);
+
+				if (ret == 0) {
+					/* Verify the filesystem is usable by creating a test file */
+					int fd = open("/fs/microsd/.mount_test", O_CREAT | O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC);
+
+					if (fd >= 0) {
+						close(fd);
+						unlink("/fs/microsd/.mount_test");
+
+					} else {
+						syslog(LOG_WARNING, "[boot] littlefs mounted but not usable, reformatting\n");
+						nx_umount2("/fs/microsd", 0);
+						ret = -1;
+					}
+				}
+
+				if (ret < 0) {
+					ret = nx_mount("/dev/mtd0", "/fs/microsd", "littlefs", 0, "forceformat");
+				}
 
 				if (ret < 0) {
 					syslog(LOG_ERR, "[boot] FAILED to mount littlefs: %d\n", ret);