diff --git a/tests/nwfs/nwfs_ncpfs_metadata_smoke.sh.in b/tests/nwfs/nwfs_ncpfs_metadata_smoke.sh.in
index 05c2eda..c848fd8 100755
--- a/tests/nwfs/nwfs_ncpfs_metadata_smoke.sh.in
+++ b/tests/nwfs/nwfs_ncpfs_metadata_smoke.sh.in
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ if [ "$#" -lt 4 ]; then
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_DOSINFO_GRANT_OBJECT/TYPE/RIGHTS to grant temporary rights for DOS info mutation/readback; default: EVERYONE/2/[FMA]. Set object empty to skip." >&2
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_DOSINFO_USER/PASSWORD to verify IRM NCP readback as a non-SUPERVISOR user; default: NOPASSUSER with no password. Set user empty to skip." >&2
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_DOSINFO_REMOUNT=0 to avoid clean supervisor/non-supervisor remounts around DOS info/IRM checks. Default is 1." >&2
+    echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_PREP_REMOUNT=0 to reuse an existing primary mount during initial reset/create. Default is 1." >&2
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_RESET_TESTDIR=0 to keep an existing test directory. Default is 1 and removes TESTDIR before the smoke." >&2
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_HOST_RESET_TESTDIR=0 to forbid host-side reset fallback when NCPFS cannot create at the volume root. Default is 1." >&2
     echo "Set NWFS_NCPFS_DIR_QUOTA_4K to override the directory quota limit; set it empty to skip. Directory quota is off by default for NetWare 3.x/4.x smoke." >&2
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ DOSINFO_RIGHTS_GRANTED=0
 DOSINFO_MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=0
 DOSINFO_CLEAN_MOUNT=0
 DOSINFO_REMOUNT=${NWFS_NCPFS_DOSINFO_REMOUNT:-1}
+PREP_REMOUNT=${NWFS_NCPFS_PREP_REMOUNT:-1}
 VERIFY_ACL=${NWFS_NCPFS_VERIFY_ACL:-auto}
 MKDIR_ERR=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/nwfs_ncpfs_mkdir.XXXXXX")
 WRITE_ERR=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/nwfs_ncpfs_write.XXXXXX")
@@ -317,6 +319,34 @@ ncpfs_mount_path() {
     fi
 }
 
+remount_primary_supervisor() {
+    reason=$1
+    echo "remounting $MOUNTPOINT as $USER $reason" >&2
+    ncpfs_umount_path "$MOUNTPOINT"
+    ncpfs_mount_path "$USER" "$PASSWORD" "$MOUNTPOINT"
+    MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=1
+}
+
+ensure_primary_supervisor_mount_for_prep() {
+    case "$PREP_REMOUNT" in
+        1|yes|true|on)
+            remount_primary_supervisor "before test directory reset/create"
+            ;;
+        0|no|false|off)
+            if mountpoint -q "$MOUNTPOINT" 2>/dev/null; then
+                echo "using existing NCP mount at $MOUNTPOINT" >&2
+            else
+                ncpfs_mount_path "$USER" "$PASSWORD" "$MOUNTPOINT"
+                MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=1
+            fi
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "invalid NWFS_NCPFS_PREP_REMOUNT=$PREP_REMOUNT" >&2
+            exit 2
+            ;;
+    esac
+}
+
 remount_primary_supervisor_for_dosinfo() {
     case "$DOSINFO_REMOUNT" in
         1|yes|true|on) ;;
@@ -327,10 +357,7 @@ remount_primary_supervisor_for_dosinfo() {
             ;;
     esac
 
-    echo "remounting $MOUNTPOINT as $USER before DOS info mutation" >&2
-    ncpfs_umount_path "$MOUNTPOINT"
-    ncpfs_mount_path "$USER" "$PASSWORD" "$MOUNTPOINT"
-    MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=1
+    remount_primary_supervisor "before DOS info mutation"
 }
 
 remount_dosinfo_user_for_readback() {
@@ -375,10 +402,7 @@ remount_primary_supervisor_after_dosinfo_readback() {
             ;;
     esac
 
-    echo "remounting $MOUNTPOINT as $USER after DOS info readback" >&2
-    ncpfs_umount_path "$MOUNTPOINT"
-    ncpfs_mount_path "$USER" "$PASSWORD" "$MOUNTPOINT"
-    MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=1
+    remount_primary_supervisor "after DOS info readback"
 }
 
 grant_dosinfo_rights_if_needed() {
@@ -458,12 +482,7 @@ mount_dosinfo_user_if_requested() {
     DOSINFO_NCP_TEST_PATH=$DOSINFO_MOUNTPOINT/$TESTDIR
 }
 
-if mountpoint -q "$MOUNTPOINT" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "using existing NCP mount at $MOUNTPOINT" >&2
-else
-    ncpfs_mount_path "$USER" "$PASSWORD" "$MOUNTPOINT"
-    MOUNTED_BY_SCRIPT=1
-fi
+ensure_primary_supervisor_mount_for_prep
 
 NCP_TEST_PATH=$MOUNTPOINT/$TESTDIR
 HOST_TEST_PATH=$SYSROOT/$TESTDIR
@@ -498,10 +517,18 @@ else
         echo "cannot create $NW_TEST_PATH through NCPFS at $MOUNTPOINT" >&2
         cat "$MKDIR_ERR" >&2 || true
         if [ "$RESET_TESTDIR" = 1 ] || [ "$RESET_TESTDIR" = yes ] || [ "$RESET_TESTDIR" = true ] || [ "$RESET_TESTDIR" = on ]; then
-            if host_reset_testdir && [ -d "$NCP_TEST_PATH" ]; then
-                echo "created $NW_TEST_PATH host-side because NCPFS create was denied" >&2
+            if host_reset_testdir; then
+                remount_primary_supervisor "after host-side test directory reset"
+                if [ -d "$NCP_TEST_PATH" ]; then
+                    echo "created $NW_TEST_PATH host-side because NCPFS create was denied" >&2
+                else
+                    echo "The server was reached, but the NCP create was denied and host-side reset did not make the path visible." >&2
+                    echo "Try passing a writable relative SYS path, e.g.:" >&2
+                    echo "  $0 $SERVER $USER '***' $SYSROOT $MOUNTPOINT SYSTEM/NWFSTEST $VOLUME" >&2
+                    exit 1
+                fi
             else
-                echo "The server was reached, but the NCP create was denied and host-side reset did not make the path visible." >&2
+                echo "The server was reached, but the NCP create was denied and host-side reset is disabled or failed." >&2
                 echo "Try passing a writable relative SYS path, e.g.:" >&2
                 echo "  $0 $SERVER $USER '***' $SYSROOT $MOUNTPOINT SYSTEM/NWFSTEST $VOLUME" >&2
                 exit 1