     }
   } else {
     Serial.println("failed to mount FS");
-  }
-  //end read
-  if(!readStatusObject) {
-    create_default_status();
   }
 }
 

        if (json.success()) {
          // don't update hardware, reconnect mqtt. this step happens before setup of the other systems
          apply_json_status(json, false);
          readStatusObject = true;
          Serial.println("\nparsed json");
        } else {
          Serial.println("failed to load json config");

void apply_json_status(JsonObject& root, bool applyAndSave = true);

void setup_status() {
  create_default_status();
  if (SPIFFS.begin()) {
    Serial.println("mounted file system");
    if (SPIFFS.exists("/status.json")) {
