diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
index 1b2af082d..297404747 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
@@ -276,6 +276,10 @@ bool MeshService::trySendPosition(NodeNum dest, bool wantReplies)
     if (nodeDB->hasValidPosition(node)) {
 #if HAS_GPS && !MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_GPS
         if (positionModule) {
+            if (!config.position.fixed_position && !nodeDB->hasLocalPositionSinceBoot()) {
+                LOG_DEBUG("Skip position ping; no fresh position since boot");
+                return false;
+            }
             LOG_INFO("Send position ping to 0x%x, wantReplies=%d, channel=%d", dest, wantReplies, node->channel);
             positionModule->sendOurPosition(dest, wantReplies, node->channel);
             return true;
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
index 10303437d..2d4bad854 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
@@ -1043,6 +1043,7 @@ void NodeDB::clearLocalPosition()
     node->position.altitude = 0;
     node->position.time = 0;
     setLocalPosition(meshtastic_Position_init_default);
+    localPositionUpdatedSinceBoot = false;
 }
 
 void NodeDB::cleanupMeshDB()
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
index 306acc0a5..6fd8deb87 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
@@ -279,9 +279,13 @@ class NodeDB
         LOG_DEBUG("Set local position: lat=%i lon=%i time=%u timestamp=%u", position.latitude_i, position.longitude_i,
                   position.time, position.timestamp);
         localPosition = position;
+        if (position.latitude_i != 0 || position.longitude_i != 0) {
+            localPositionUpdatedSinceBoot = true;
+        }
     }
 
     bool hasValidPosition(const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *n);
+    bool hasLocalPositionSinceBoot() const { return localPositionUpdatedSinceBoot; }
 
 #if !defined(MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_PKI)
     bool checkLowEntropyPublicKey(const meshtastic_Config_SecurityConfig_public_key_t &keyToTest);
@@ -301,6 +305,7 @@ class NodeDB
 
   private:
     bool duplicateWarned = false;
+    bool localPositionUpdatedSinceBoot = false;
     uint32_t lastNodeDbSave = 0;    // when we last saved our db to flash
     uint32_t lastBackupAttempt = 0; // when we last tried a backup automatically or manually
     uint32_t lastSort = 0;          // When last sorted the nodeDB
diff --git a/src/modules/PositionModule.cpp b/src/modules/PositionModule.cpp
index 776c3b5a6..0fa09df74 100644
--- a/src/modules/PositionModule.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/PositionModule.cpp
@@ -349,6 +349,11 @@ void PositionModule::sendOurPosition()
 
 void PositionModule::sendOurPosition(NodeNum dest, bool wantReplies, uint8_t channel)
 {
+    if (!config.position.fixed_position && !nodeDB->hasLocalPositionSinceBoot()) {
+        LOG_DEBUG("Skip position send; no fresh position since boot");
+        return;
+    }
+
     // cancel any not yet sent (now stale) position packets
     if (prevPacketId) // if we wrap around to zero, we'll simply fail to cancel in that rare case (no big deal)
         service->cancelSending(prevPacketId);
@@ -420,8 +425,12 @@ int32_t PositionModule::runOnce()
         return RUNONCE_INTERVAL;
     }
 
+    bool waitingForFreshPosition = (lastGpsSend == 0) && !config.position.fixed_position && !nodeDB->hasLocalPositionSinceBoot();
+
     if (lastGpsSend == 0 || msSinceLastSend >= intervalMs) {
-        if (nodeDB->hasValidPosition(node)) {
+        if (waitingForFreshPosition) {
+            LOG_DEBUG("Skip initial position send; no fresh position since boot");
+        } else if (nodeDB->hasValidPosition(node)) {
             lastGpsSend = now;
 
             lastGpsLatitude = node->position.latitude_i;