diff --git a/src/device.c b/src/device.c
index 822446a..2d6723d 100644
--- a/src/device.c
+++ b/src/device.c
@@ -1797,8 +1797,9 @@ enroll_cb (FpDevice *dev, GAsyncResult *res, void *user_data)
    * enough. */
   if (g_error_matches (error, FP_DEVICE_ERROR, FP_DEVICE_ERROR_DATA_FULL))
     {
-      g_debug ("Device storage is full, trying to garbage collect old prints");
-      if (try_delete_print (rdev))
+      g_debug ("Device storage is full");
+      if (fp_device_has_feature (priv->dev, FP_DEVICE_FEATURE_STORAGE_LIST) &&
+          try_delete_print (rdev))
         {
           /* Success? Then restart the operation */
           fp_device_enroll (priv->dev,
@@ -1939,6 +1940,15 @@ enroll_identify_cb (FpDevice *dev, GAsyncResult *res, void *user_data)
   enroll_start (rdev);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+is_first_enrollment (FprintDevice * rdev)
+{
+  g_autoptr(GPtrArray) host_prints = NULL;
+  host_prints = load_all_prints (rdev);
+
+  return host_prints->len == 0;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 fprint_device_enroll_start (FprintDBusDevice      *dbus_dev,
                             GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation,
@@ -1991,6 +2001,15 @@ fprint_device_enroll_start (FprintDBusDevice      *dbus_dev,
   priv->enroll_data = finger;
   priv->current_action = ACTION_ENROLL;
 
+  if (is_first_enrollment (rdev))
+    {
+      g_autoptr(GError) clear_err = NULL;
+
+      if (!fp_device_clear_storage_sync (priv->dev, NULL, &clear_err))
+        g_warning ("Failed to clear storage before first enrollment: %s",
+                   clear_err->message);
+    }
+
   if (fp_device_has_feature (priv->dev, FP_DEVICE_FEATURE_IDENTIFY))
     {
       g_autoptr(GPtrArray) all_prints = load_all_prints (rdev);
diff --git a/tests/fprintd.py b/tests/fprintd.py
index b3366d9..2517d8e 100644
--- a/tests/fprintd.py
+++ b/tests/fprintd.py
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ class FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest(FPrintdVirtualDeviceBaseTest):
         self.assertIn(command, ['INSERT', 'REMOVE', 'SCAN', 'ERROR', 'RETRY',
             'FINGER', 'UNPLUG', 'SLEEP', 'SET_ENROLL_STAGES', 'SET_SCAN_TYPE',
             'SET_CANCELLATION_ENABLED', 'LIST', 'IGNORED_COMMAND',
-            'SET_KEEP_ALIVE'])
+            'SET_KEEP_ALIVE', 'CONT'])
 
         with Connection(self.sockaddr) as con:
             res = self._send_command(con, command, *args)
@@ -935,6 +935,8 @@ class FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceTests(FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest):
           'FP1-20201231-7-ABCDEFGH-testuser' : 'right-index-finger',
           'no-metadata-new' : 'left-middle-finger',
         }
+        # Explicitly fail initial cleanup (not needed, but faster)
+        self.send_command('ERROR', 0)
         for i, f in enrolled_prints.items():
             self.enroll_print(i, f)
 
@@ -973,6 +975,8 @@ class FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceTests(FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest):
         self.device.Claim('(s)', 'testuser')
 
         self.assertEqual(self.get_stored_prints(), ['stored-print'])
+        # Explicitly fail initial cleanup (not needed, but faster)
+        self.send_command('ERROR', 0)
         self.device.EnrollStart('(s)', 'right-thumb')
         self.send_image('stored-print')  # During identify
         self.wait_for_result('enroll-stage-passed')
@@ -990,6 +994,8 @@ class FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceTests(FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest):
         self.device.Claim('(s)', 'testuser')
 
         self.assertEqual(self.get_stored_prints(), ['stored-print'])
+        # Explicitly fail initial cleanup (not needed, but faster)
+        self.send_command('ERROR', 0)
         self.device.EnrollStart('(s)', 'right-thumb')
         self.send_image('stored-print')  # During identify
         self.send_error(FPrint.DeviceError.PROTO)  # During garbage collecting
@@ -3065,6 +3071,10 @@ class FPrintdUtilsTest(FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest):
         self.set_keep_alive(True)
         self.device.Release()
 
+        # Open and clear storage
+        self.send_command('CONT')
+        self.send_command('CONT')
+
         finger_name = self.get_finger_name(FPrint.Finger.LEFT_THUMB)
         enroll, out = self.util_start('enroll', [self.get_current_user(),
             '-f', finger_name])
@@ -3105,6 +3115,10 @@ class FPrintdUtilsTest(FPrintdVirtualStorageDeviceBaseTest):
         self.set_keep_alive(True)
         self.device.Release()
 
+        # Open and clear storage
+        self.send_command('CONT')
+        self.send_command('CONT')
+
         finger_name = self.get_finger_name(FPrint.Finger.LEFT_MIDDLE)
         enroll, out = self.util_start('enroll', [self.get_current_user(),
             '-f', finger_name])