diff --git a/packages/js-evo-sdk/src/sdk.ts b/packages/js-evo-sdk/src/sdk.ts
index 9cf8aba176..82d77670c9 100644
--- a/packages/js-evo-sdk/src/sdk.ts
+++ b/packages/js-evo-sdk/src/sdk.ts
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export class EvoSDK {
       );
     }
 
-    this.wasmSdk = builder.build();
+    this.wasmSdk = await builder.build();
   }
 
   static fromWasm(wasmSdk: wasm.WasmSdk): EvoSDK {
diff --git a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/sdk.rs b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/sdk.rs
index 0f3f89b666..c0c1920928 100644
--- a/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/sdk.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-sdk-ffi/src/sdk.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,23 @@ pub struct DashSDKConfigExtended {
     pub core_sdk_handle: *mut CoreSDKHandle,
 }
 
+/// Best-effort protocol-version refresh on SDK init.
+///
+/// Logs a warning and proceeds if the network is unreachable; never fails SDK creation.
+fn best_effort_refresh(sdk: &Sdk, runtime: &BigStackRuntime) {
+    // Mock SDKs have no live network; refreshing only logs noise.
+    if sdk.is_mock() {
+        return;
+    }
+    match runtime.block_on(sdk.refresh_protocol_version()) {
+        Ok(v) => debug!(protocol_version = v, "protocol version refreshed on init"),
+        Err(e) => warn!(
+            error = %e,
+            "protocol version refresh failed on init; proceeding with floor version"
+        ),
+    }
+}
+
 fn apply_version(builder: SdkBuilder, platform_version: u32) -> Result<SdkBuilder, DashSDKError> {
     if platform_version == 0 {
         return Ok(builder);
@@ -168,6 +185,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dash_sdk_create(config: *const DashSDKConfig) -> DashSD
 
     match sdk_result {
         Ok(sdk) => {
+            best_effort_refresh(&sdk, &runtime);
             // Clone Arc<Runtime> into the wrapper
             let wrapper = Box::new(SDKWrapper {
                 sdk,
@@ -281,6 +299,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dash_sdk_create_extended(
 
     match sdk_result {
         Ok(sdk) => {
+            best_effort_refresh(&sdk, &runtime);
             let wrapper = Box::new(SDKWrapper {
                 sdk,
                 runtime,
@@ -487,6 +506,8 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dash_sdk_create_trusted(config: *const DashSDKConfig) -
 
     match sdk_result {
         Ok(sdk) => {
+            best_effort_refresh(&sdk, &runtime);
+
             // Prefetch quorums for trusted setup
             info!("dash_sdk_create_trusted: SDK built, prefetching quorums...");
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-sdk/src/sdk.rs b/packages/rs-sdk/src/sdk.rs
index c24c0379e9..335553a309 100644
--- a/packages/rs-sdk/src/sdk.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-sdk/src/sdk.rs
@@ -570,6 +570,22 @@ impl Sdk {
         self.protocol_version.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
     }
 
+    /// Returns `true` if this SDK is backed by a mock instead of a live network.
+    ///
+    /// Real (network-backed) SDKs return `false`. Used by callers (e.g. the FFI
+    /// init wiring) to skip the best-effort protocol-version refresh, which would
+    /// otherwise issue a guaranteed-failing proven query against a mock.
+    pub fn is_mock(&self) -> bool {
+        #[cfg(feature = "mocks")]
+        {
+            matches!(self.inner, SdkInstance::Mock { .. })
+        }
+        #[cfg(not(feature = "mocks"))]
+        {
+            false
+        }
+    }
+
     // TODO: Move to settings
     /// Indicate if the sdk should request and verify proofs.
     pub fn prove(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/packages/wasm-sdk/src/sdk.rs b/packages/wasm-sdk/src/sdk.rs
index 83c87428f8..e6f5fca7bc 100644
--- a/packages/wasm-sdk/src/sdk.rs
+++ b/packages/wasm-sdk/src/sdk.rs
@@ -333,8 +333,14 @@ impl WasmSdkBuilder {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn build(self) -> Result<WasmSdk, WasmSdkError> {
+    pub async fn build(self) -> Result<WasmSdk, WasmSdkError> {
         let sdk = self.inner.build().map_err(WasmSdkError::from)?;
+        if let Err(e) = sdk.refresh_protocol_version().await {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                error = %e,
+                "protocol version refresh failed on init; proceeding with floor version"
+            );
+        }
         Ok(WasmSdk {
             sdk,
             trusted_context: self.trusted_context,