diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 62bbbee..02f6218 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -488,12 +488,37 @@ async def withhold(request: p.Request, request_id: int) -> None:
     assert api.disconnects == [None]
 
 
+async def test_startup_hello_ignored(
+    api: RecordingApi, transport: SyntheticBinaryTransport
+) -> None:
+    async def start_then_reply(request: p.Request, request_id: int) -> None:
+        transport.notify(
+            p.NotificationCommand.HELLO,
+            0,
+            p.Hello(
+                protocol_version=t.uint8_t(p.PROTOCOL_VERSION),
+                configured=t.Bool(False),
+            ),
+        )
+        transport.ok(request.command, request_id)
+
+    # Embedded firmware starts its stack on the first host frame and announces it
+    # with a `hello` before the reply: that opens the session, it is not a reboot
+    transport.handlers[p.RequestCommand.RESET] = start_then_reply
+    assert await api.request(p.Reset(hard=t.Bool(False))) is None
+
+    assert api.disconnects == []
+    assert api.notifications == []
+
+
 async def test_hello_reported_as_disconnect(
     api: RecordingApi, transport: SyntheticBinaryTransport
 ) -> None:
     async def withhold(request: p.Request, request_id: int) -> None:
         return None
 
+    assert await api.request(p.Shutdown()) is None
+
     transport.handlers[p.RequestCommand.SHUTDOWN] = withhold
     request = asyncio.ensure_future(api.request(p.Shutdown()))
     await asyncio.sleep(0)
diff --git a/zigpy_ziggurat/zigbee/api.py b/zigpy_ziggurat/zigbee/api.py
index 5d80fc1..d2c4102 100644
--- a/zigpy_ziggurat/zigbee/api.py
+++ b/zigpy_ziggurat/zigbee/api.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ def __init__(
         ] = {}
         self._awaiting_aps_ack: set[int] = set()
         self._transport: Transport | None = None
+        self._received_frame = False
 
     async def connect(self) -> None:
         self._transport = await connect_transport(
@@ -201,6 +202,8 @@ def _handle_frame(self, frame: bytes) -> None:
             _LOGGER.debug("Received notification (id=%d): %r", request_id, notification)
             self._handle_notification(request_id, notification)
 
+        self._received_frame = True
+
     def _handle_response(self, request_id: int, body: bytes) -> None:
         pending = self._pending.get(request_id)
         if pending is None or pending.response.done():
@@ -261,7 +264,11 @@ def _handle_notification(
             if confirm is not None and not confirm.done():
                 confirm.set_result(notification)
         elif isinstance(notification, p.Hello):
-            # The firmware only sends `hello` when it reboots
+            # Embedded firmware starts its stack on the first frame the host sends, and
+            # the stack announces itself before it answers. So a `hello` that opens the
+            # session is that start. Any later `hello` means the firmware rebooted.
+            if not self._received_frame:
+                return
             self._connection_lost(ConnectionError("Ziggurat firmware reset"))
         elif isinstance(notification, p.LastReset):
             logging.getLogger("ziggurat.fw").warning(