diff --git a/components/fatfs/vfs/esp_vfs_fat.h b/components/fatfs/vfs/esp_vfs_fat.h
index 7b87818fa87..dbe4abf4532 100644
--- a/components/fatfs/vfs/esp_vfs_fat.h
+++ b/components/fatfs/vfs/esp_vfs_fat.h
@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@ typedef struct {
      * may be different.
      */
     bool use_one_fat;
+    /**
+     * Number of reserved root directory items.
+     * Effective only on FAT12/16, ignored on other file systems (by FatFS lib).
+     * 0 == default (maximum number of 32B entries given by the sector size).
+     */
+    size_t rootdir_entries;
 } esp_vfs_fat_mount_config_t;
 
 #define VFS_FAT_MOUNT_DEFAULT_CONFIG() \
@@ -120,6 +126,7 @@ typedef struct {
         .allocation_unit_size = 0, \
         .disk_status_check_enable = false, \
         .use_one_fat = false, \
+        .rootdir_entries = 0, \
     }
 
 // Compatibility definition
diff --git a/components/fatfs/vfs/vfs_fat_spiflash.c b/components/fatfs/vfs/vfs_fat_spiflash.c
index 7144f165f6a..eed4464269e 100644
--- a/components/fatfs/vfs/vfs_fat_spiflash.c
+++ b/components/fatfs/vfs/vfs_fat_spiflash.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ vfs_fat_spiflash_ctx_t* get_vfs_fat_spiflash_ctx(wl_handle_t wlhandle)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static esp_err_t s_f_mount_rw(FATFS *fs, const char *drv, const esp_vfs_fat_mount_config_t *mount_config, vfs_fat_x_ctx_flags_t *out_flags, size_t sec_num)
+static esp_err_t s_f_mount_rw(FATFS *fs, const char *drv, const esp_vfs_fat_mount_config_t *mount_config, vfs_fat_x_ctx_flags_t *out_flags)
 {
     FRESULT fresult = f_mount(fs, drv, 1);
     if (fresult != FR_OK) {
@@ -97,13 +97,12 @@ static esp_err_t s_f_mount_rw(FATFS *fs, const char *drv, const esp_vfs_fat_moun
 
         size_t alloc_unit_size = esp_vfs_fat_get_allocation_unit_size(CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE, mount_config->allocation_unit_size);
         ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Formatting FATFS partition, allocation unit size=%d", alloc_unit_size);
-        UINT root_dir_entries;
-        if (CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE == 512) {
-            root_dir_entries = 16;
-        } else {
-            root_dir_entries = 128;
+        UINT root_dir_entries = mount_config->rootdir_entries;
+        if (root_dir_entries == 0) {
+            root_dir_entries = CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE / 32;
         }
-        const MKFS_PARM opt = {(BYTE)(FM_ANY | FM_SFD), (mount_config->use_one_fat ? 1 : 2), 0, (sec_num <= MIN_REQ_SEC ? root_dir_entries : 0), alloc_unit_size};
+
+        const MKFS_PARM opt = {(BYTE)(FM_ANY | FM_SFD), (mount_config->use_one_fat ? 1 : 2), 0, root_dir_entries, alloc_unit_size};
         fresult = f_mkfs(drv, &opt, workbuf, workbuf_size);
         free(workbuf);
         workbuf = NULL;
@@ -121,6 +120,63 @@ static esp_err_t s_f_mount_rw(FATFS *fs, const char *drv, const esp_vfs_fat_moun
             *out_flags  &= ~FORMATTED_DURING_LAST_MOUNT; // reset flag
         }
     }
+
+    const char *msg = "Unknown";
+    const char *note = "";
+    bool recoverable = false;
+
+    switch (fresult) {
+        case FR_NO_FILESYSTEM:
+            msg = "No filesystem detected";
+            note = "(This may indicate corrupt FS, or attempt to mount read-only fatfsgen image for write)";
+            recoverable = true;
+            break;
+        case FR_INT_ERR:
+            msg = "Assertion failed";
+            recoverable = true;
+            break;
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+
+    if (!recoverable || !mount_config->format_if_mount_failed) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "f_mount failed with error: \"%s\" [%d]. %s", msg, fresult, note);
+        return ESP_FAIL;
+    }
+
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "FatFS mount (f_mount) failed with error: \"%s\" [%d]. Retrying after format...", msg, fresult);
+
+    const size_t workbuf_size = 4096;
+    void *workbuf = ff_memalloc(workbuf_size);
+    if (workbuf == NULL) {
+        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+    }
+
+    size_t alloc_unit_size = esp_vfs_fat_get_allocation_unit_size(CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE, mount_config->allocation_unit_size);
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Formatting FATFS partition, allocation unit size=%d", alloc_unit_size);
+
+    //if root directory entries set as default, allocate whole 1 sector for this purpose (one rootdir entry == 32B)
+    UINT root_dir_entries = mount_config->rootdir_entries;
+    if (root_dir_entries == 0) {
+        root_dir_entries = CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE / 32;
+    }
+    const MKFS_PARM opt = {(BYTE)(FM_ANY | FM_SFD), (mount_config->use_one_fat ? 1 : 2), 0, root_dir_entries, alloc_unit_size};
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "f_mkfs() params:  root_dir_entries: %ul, alloc_unit_size=%ul", root_dir_entries, alloc_unit_size);
+
+    fresult = f_mkfs(drv, &opt, workbuf, workbuf_size);
+
+    free(workbuf);
+    workbuf = NULL;
+    ESP_RETURN_ON_FALSE(fresult == FR_OK, ESP_FAIL, TAG, "f_mkfs failed (%d)", fresult);
+
+    if (out_flags) {
+        *out_flags |= FORMATTED_DURING_LAST_MOUNT; // set flag
+    }
+
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Mounting again");
+    fresult = f_mount(fs, drv, 1);
+    ESP_RETURN_ON_FALSE(fresult == FR_OK, ESP_FAIL, TAG, "f_mount failed after formatting (%d)", fresult);
+
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
@@ -132,11 +188,9 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_mount_rw_wl(const char* base_path,
     esp_err_t ret = ESP_OK;
     vfs_fat_spiflash_ctx_t *ctx = NULL;
     uint32_t ctx_id = FF_VOLUMES;
+    esp_partition_subtype_t subtype = partition_label ? ESP_PARTITION_SUBTYPE_ANY : ESP_PARTITION_SUBTYPE_DATA_FAT;
 
-    esp_partition_subtype_t subtype = partition_label ?
-            ESP_PARTITION_SUBTYPE_ANY : ESP_PARTITION_SUBTYPE_DATA_FAT;
-    const esp_partition_t *data_partition = esp_partition_find_first(ESP_PARTITION_TYPE_DATA,
-                                                subtype, partition_label);
+    const esp_partition_t *data_partition = esp_partition_find_first(ESP_PARTITION_TYPE_DATA, subtype, partition_label);
     ESP_RETURN_ON_FALSE(data_partition, ESP_ERR_NOT_FOUND, TAG, "Failed to find FATFS partition (type='data', subtype='fat', partition_label='%s'). Check the partition table.", partition_label);
 
     ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(wl_mount(data_partition, wl_handle), TAG, "failed to mount wear levelling layer. ret = %i", ret);
@@ -167,9 +221,8 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_mount_rw_wl(const char* base_path,
 
     vfs_fat_x_ctx_flags_t flags = 0;
 
-    size_t sec_num = wl_size(*wl_handle) / wl_sector_size(*wl_handle);
     // Try to mount partition
-    ret = s_f_mount_rw(fs, drv, mount_config, &flags, sec_num);
+    ret = s_f_mount_rw(fs, drv, mount_config, &flags);
     if (ret != ESP_OK) {
         goto fail;
     }
@@ -235,7 +288,6 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_format_cfg_rw_wl(const char* base_path, const cha
 
     wl_handle_t temp_handle = WL_INVALID_HANDLE;
     uint32_t id = FF_VOLUMES;
-    size_t sec_num = 0;
 
     bool found = s_get_context_id_by_label(partition_label, &id);
     if (!found) {
@@ -251,7 +303,6 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_format_cfg_rw_wl(const char* base_path, const cha
         }
         ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_mount_rw_wl(base_path, partition_label, mount_cfg, &temp_handle), TAG, "Failed to mount");
         found = s_get_context_id_by_label(partition_label, &id);
-        sec_num = wl_size(temp_handle) / wl_sector_size(temp_handle);
         assert(found);
         if (s_ctx[id]->flags & FORMATTED_DURING_LAST_MOUNT) {
             ESP_LOGD(TAG, "partition was formatted during mounting, skipping another format");
@@ -264,7 +315,6 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_format_cfg_rw_wl(const char* base_path, const cha
             s_ctx[id]->mount_config = *cfg;
         }
         temp_handle = s_ctx[id]->wlhandle;
-        sec_num = wl_size(temp_handle) / wl_sector_size(temp_handle);
     }
 
     //unmount
@@ -281,13 +331,14 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_format_cfg_rw_wl(const char* base_path, const cha
     }
     size_t alloc_unit_size = esp_vfs_fat_get_allocation_unit_size(CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE, s_ctx[id]->mount_config.allocation_unit_size);
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Formatting FATFS partition, allocation unit size=%d", alloc_unit_size);
-    UINT root_dir_entries;
-    if (CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE == 512) {
-        root_dir_entries = 16;
-    } else {
-        root_dir_entries = 128;
+
+    //if root directory entries set as default, allocate whole 1 sector for this purpose (one rootdir entry == 32B)
+    UINT root_dir_entries = s_ctx[id]->mount_config.rootdir_entries;
+    if (root_dir_entries == 0) {
+        root_dir_entries = CONFIG_WL_SECTOR_SIZE / 32;
     }
-    const MKFS_PARM opt = {(BYTE)(FM_ANY | FM_SFD), (s_ctx[id]->mount_config.use_one_fat ? 1 : 2), 0, (sec_num <= MIN_REQ_SEC ? root_dir_entries : 0), alloc_unit_size};
+    const MKFS_PARM opt = {(BYTE)(FM_ANY | FM_SFD), (s_ctx[id]->mount_config.use_one_fat ? 1 : 2), 0, root_dir_entries, alloc_unit_size};
+
     fresult = f_mkfs(drv, &opt, workbuf, workbuf_size);
     free(workbuf);
     workbuf = NULL;
@@ -295,7 +346,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_vfs_fat_spiflash_format_cfg_rw_wl(const char* base_path, const cha
 
 mount_back:
     if (partition_was_mounted) {
-        esp_err_t err = s_f_mount_rw(s_ctx[id]->fs, drv, &s_ctx[id]->mount_config, NULL, sec_num);
+        esp_err_t err = s_f_mount_rw(s_ctx[id]->fs, drv, &s_ctx[id]->mount_config, NULL);
         if (err != ESP_OK) {
             ESP_LOGE(TAG, "failed to mount back, go to recycle");
             goto recycle;