diff --git a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
index 841eba39..b773b640 100644
--- a/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
+++ b/lib/connector/meshcore_connector.dart
@@ -5873,6 +5873,7 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
 
   @visibleForTesting
   void setFirmwareVerCodeForTest(int? value) => _firmwareVerCode = value;
+  void setOffbandCapsForTest(int? value) => _offbandCaps = value;
 
   void _guardRegionScope() {
     if (!supportsRegionScope) {
@@ -6245,6 +6246,21 @@ class MeshCoreConnector extends ChangeNotifier {
     final toImport = nodeSet.difference(local).difference(touched);
     final toPush = local.difference(nodeSet).difference(touched);
     unawaited(blockService.importKeys(toImport));
+    // #471 Option A: a radio that reports an EMPTY block list is treated as
+    // blank. Do NOT auto-offload the client's blocks onto it, which made
+    // fresh/erased radios come up pre-blocked. The client stays the source of
+    // truth; blocks reach a radio only by an explicit user action. A radio that
+    // already holds blocks still unions normally.
+    if (nodeSet.isEmpty) {
+      if (toPush.isNotEmpty) {
+        _appDebugLogService?.info(
+          'Radio reports no blocks; not offloading ${toPush.length} '
+          'client block(s) onto a blank radio (#471)',
+          tag: 'Block',
+        );
+      }
+      return;
+    }
     for (final key in toPush) {
       _pushBlockChange(key, true);
     }
diff --git a/test/connector/block_offload_fresh_radio_test.dart b/test/connector/block_offload_fresh_radio_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d422ae93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/connector/block_offload_fresh_radio_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import 'dart:typed_data';
+
+import 'package:drift/native.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/connector/meshcore_connector.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/connector/meshcore_protocol.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/services/block_service.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/services/message_retry_service.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/services/path_history_service.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/services/storage_service.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/storage/drift/blob_store.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/storage/drift/offband_database.dart';
+import 'package:meshcore_open/storage/prefs_manager.dart';
+import 'package:shared_preferences/shared_preferences.dart';
+
+// #471 Option A: connecting to a radio that reports an EMPTY block list must not
+// offload the client's block list onto it (that made fresh/erased radios come
+// up pre-blocked). A radio that already holds blocks still unions normally.
+void main() {
+  final clientKey = 'cc' * 32; // 32-byte key, all 0xcc
+  final extraKey = 'ee' * 32;
+
+  late OffbandDatabase db;
+  late MeshCoreConnector connector;
+  late BlockService block;
+  late List<Uint8List> sent;
+
+  // Block-list dump framing: START [0xC2 0x03 0xFF count], KEY [0xC2 0x03 idx key32], END [0xC2 0x03 0xFE].
+  Uint8List start(int count) =>
+      Uint8List.fromList([cmdOffbandBlock, offbandBlockList, 0xFF, count]);
+  Uint8List key(int idx, int keyByte) => Uint8List.fromList([
+    cmdOffbandBlock,
+    offbandBlockList,
+    idx,
+    ...List<int>.filled(32, keyByte),
+  ]);
+  Uint8List end() =>
+      Uint8List.fromList([cmdOffbandBlock, offbandBlockList, 0xFE]);
+
+  List<Uint8List> blockAddFrames() => sent
+      .where(
+        (f) =>
+            f.length > 1 && f[0] == cmdOffbandBlock && f[1] == offbandBlockAdd,
+      )
+      .toList();
+
+  setUp(() async {
+    SharedPreferences.setMockInitialValues({});
+    PrefsManager.reset();
+    await PrefsManager.initialize();
+    db = OffbandDatabase(NativeDatabase.memory());
+    BlobStore.overrideForTest(BlobStore(db));
+
+    connector = MeshCoreConnector();
+    block = BlockService();
+    connector.initialize(
+      retryService: MessageRetryService(),
+      pathHistoryService: PathHistoryService(StorageService()),
+      blockService: block,
+    );
+    sent = [];
+    connector.sendFrameOverrideForTest = sent.add;
+    connector.setConnectedForTest();
+    // Make the radio block-capable so a push WOULD fire but for the guard.
+    connector.setFirmwareVerCodeForTest(15);
+    connector.setOffbandCapsForTest(offbandCapBlock);
+  });
+
+  tearDown(() async {
+    BlobStore.clearTestOverride();
+    await db.close();
+  });
+
+  test(
+    'a radio reporting no blocks is NOT offloaded the client list',
+    () async {
+      await block.importKeys({clientKey}); // client has a block
+      sent.clear();
+
+      connector.handleFrameForTest(start(0));
+      connector.handleFrameForTest(end());
+      await Future<void>.delayed(Duration.zero);
+
+      expect(
+        blockAddFrames(),
+        isEmpty,
+        reason: 'a blank radio must not inherit the client block list',
+      );
+    },
+  );
+
+  test(
+    'a radio that already holds blocks still unions the client extras',
+    () async {
+      await block.importKeys({clientKey, extraKey});
+      sent.clear();
+
+      // Radio holds clientKey (0xcc) already, but not extraKey (0xee).
+      connector.handleFrameForTest(start(1));
+      connector.handleFrameForTest(key(0, 0xcc));
+      connector.handleFrameForTest(end());
+      await Future<void>.delayed(Duration.zero);
+
+      final pushed = blockAddFrames();
+      expect(pushed.length, 1, reason: 'only the extra block is offloaded');
+      // The pushed key is extraKey (0xee...), not the one the radio already had.
+      expect(pushed.single.sublist(2), List<int>.filled(32, 0xee));
+    },
+  );
+}