diff --git a/internal/daemon/vm_lifecycle_steps.go b/internal/daemon/vm_lifecycle_steps.go
index f932a15..6fcf27f 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/vm_lifecycle_steps.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/vm_lifecycle_steps.go
@@ -237,12 +237,18 @@ func (s *VMService) buildStartSteps(op *operationLog, sc *startContext) []startS
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			// See the comment in the prior inline version: stale
-			// bitmaps from a reused COW make e2cp/e2rm refuse to
-			// touch the snapshot. e2fsck -fy is a no-op on a fresh
-			// snapshot. Exit codes 0 + 1 are both "ok" here.
+			// e2fsck protects against stale bitmaps in a COW reused
+			// from a prior aborted start — without it, e2cp/e2rm in
+			// patch_root_overlay refuse to touch the snapshot. On a
+			// freshly-created COW (system_overlay just truncated +
+			// created the file this run) there are no stale bitmaps
+			// to repair and e2fsck is pure overhead. Skip it in that
+			// case. Exit codes 0 + 1 are both "ok" when we do run it.
 			name: "fsck_snapshot",
 			run: func(ctx context.Context, sc *startContext) error {
+				if sc.systemOverlayCreated {
+					return nil
+				}
 				return s.privOps().FsckSnapshot(ctx, sc.live.DMDev)
 			},
 		},