diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/KeychainModule.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/KeychainModule.kt
index d34edfb7..f49312be 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/KeychainModule.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/KeychainModule.kt
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import com.oblador.keychain.resultHandler.ResultHandlerProvider
 import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeychainException
 import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.EmptyParameterException
 import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeyStoreAccessException
+import javax.crypto.AEADBadTagException
+import javax.crypto.BadPaddingException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.SupervisorJob
@@ -278,11 +280,26 @@ class KeychainModule(reactContext: ReactApplicationContext) :
           credentials.putString(Maps.STORAGE, cipher?.getCipherStorageName())
           promise.resolve(credentials)
         } catch (e: KeyStoreAccessException) {
+          // Storage access errors not related to missing keys should be surfaced
           Log.e(KEYCHAIN_MODULE, e.message!!)
           promise.reject(Errors.E_STORAGE_ACCESS_ERROR, e)
         } catch (e: KeychainException) {
-          Log.e(KEYCHAIN_MODULE, e.message!!)
-          promise.reject(e.errorCode, e)
+          // Graceful stale handling: treat missing key or tag/padding failures as "not found".
+          // This avoids side effects after reinstall-and-restore (prefs restored, keystore wiped).
+          // We keep other errors explicit to avoid hiding genuine corruption/tampering issues.
+          val cause = e.cause
+          val isMissingKey = cause is KeyStoreAccessException && (cause.message?.contains("Missing key for alias") == true)
+          val isTagOrPaddingFailure = cause is AEADBadTagException || cause is BadPaddingException ||
+            (e.message?.contains("Authentication tag verification failed") == true) ||
+            (e.message?.contains("Could not decrypt data") == true)
+
+          if (isMissingKey || isTagOrPaddingFailure) {
+            Log.w(KEYCHAIN_MODULE, "Graceful stale credentials for service '$alias' -> resolving false")
+            promise.resolve(false)
+          } else {
+            Log.e(KEYCHAIN_MODULE, e.message!!)
+            promise.reject(e.errorCode, e)
+          }
         } catch (fail: Throwable) {
           Log.e(KEYCHAIN_MODULE, fail.message, fail)
           promise.reject(Errors.E_INTERNAL_ERROR, fail)
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageBase.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageBase.kt
index 4956fcfa..25ed5b33 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageBase.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageBase.kt
@@ -244,6 +244,32 @@ abstract class CipherStorageBase(protected val applicationContext: Context) : Ci
     return key
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Fetch an existing key for the provided alias without creating a new one.
+   *
+   * Why: Reads (decrypt) should not have side effects. Historically, decrypt
+   * used {@link extractGeneratedKey} which auto-created a key when missing.
+   * After a reinstall with backups enabled, preferences (ciphertext) can be
+   * restored while Android Keystore is wiped. Auto-creating a key on decrypt
+   * cannot recover old ciphertext and unexpectedly mutates observable state
+   * (new alias appears in keystore listings). Using this helper allows decrypt
+   * to treat missing keys gracefully (caller can map to "not found") without
+   * changing keystore state.
+   *
+   * @return the existing key or null if the alias does not exist.
+   */
+  @Throws(KeyStoreAccessException::class)
+  fun getExistingKeyOrNull(alias: String): Key? {
+    val safeAlias = getDefaultAliasIfEmpty(alias, getDefaultAliasServiceName())
+    val keyStore = getKeyStoreAndLoad()
+    return try {
+      if (!keyStore.containsAlias(safeAlias)) return null
+      keyStore.getKey(safeAlias, null)
+    } catch (fail: Throwable) {
+      throw KeyStoreAccessException("Could not access Keystore for alias $safeAlias", fail)
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Verify that provided key satisfy minimal needed level. */
   @Throws(GeneralSecurityException::class)
   protected fun validateKeySecurityLevel(level: SecurityLevel, key: Key): Boolean {
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc.kt
index 346e76cb..194d39ee 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc.kt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import com.oblador.keychain.SecurityLevel
 import com.oblador.keychain.cipherStorage.CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc.IV.IV_LENGTH
 import com.oblador.keychain.resultHandler.ResultHandler
 import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeychainException
+import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeyStoreAccessException
 import java.io.IOException
 import java.security.GeneralSecurityException
 import java.security.Key
@@ -117,7 +118,14 @@ class CipherStorageKeystoreAesCbc(reactContext: ReactApplicationContext) :
         val retries = AtomicInteger(1)
 
         try {
-            val key = extractGeneratedKey(safeAlias, level, retries)
+            // Do not create key on decrypt; missing key should be treated gracefully by caller.
+            // See AES-GCM note: avoid creating new aliases during read which would
+            // change observable state without being able to decrypt restored ciphertext.
+            val key = getExistingKeyOrNull(safeAlias)
+            if (key == null) {
+                handler.onDecrypt(null, KeyStoreAccessException("Missing key for alias: $safeAlias"))
+                return
+            }
 
             val results = CipherStorage.DecryptionResult(
                 decryptBytes(key, username), decryptBytes(key, password), getSecurityLevel(key)
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesGcm.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesGcm.kt
index bb1262dd..7ea0f84b 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesGcm.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreAesGcm.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import com.oblador.keychain.resultHandler.CryptoContext
 import com.oblador.keychain.resultHandler.CryptoOperation
 import com.oblador.keychain.resultHandler.ResultHandler
 import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeychainException
+import com.oblador.keychain.exceptions.KeyStoreAccessException
 import java.io.IOException
 import java.security.GeneralSecurityException
 import java.security.Key
@@ -127,7 +128,17 @@ class CipherStorageKeystoreAesGcm(
         var key: Key? = null
 
         try {
-            key = extractGeneratedKey(safeAlias, level, retries)
+            // Do not create key on decrypt; missing key should be treated gracefully by caller.
+            // Rationale: after app reinstall with backups, prefs may be restored but Keystore
+            // is wiped. Auto-generating a key here cannot decrypt old ciphertext and would
+            // mutate state (adding a new alias) which also changes what listing returns.
+            // Instead, surface a missing-key error to the handler; the module maps it to
+            // a graceful "not found" for callers by default.
+            key = getExistingKeyOrNull(safeAlias)
+            if (key == null) {
+                handler.onDecrypt(null, KeyStoreAccessException("Missing key for alias: $safeAlias"))
+                return
+            }
             val results = CipherStorage.DecryptionResult(
                 decryptBytes(key, username), decryptBytes(key, password)
             )
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreRsaEcb.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreRsaEcb.kt
index 78548622..de65611a 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreRsaEcb.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/oblador/keychain/cipherStorage/CipherStorageKeystoreRsaEcb.kt
@@ -106,8 +106,14 @@ class CipherStorageKeystoreRsaEcb(reactContext: ReactApplicationContext) :
         var key: Key? = null
 
         try {
-            // key is always NOT NULL otherwise GeneralSecurityException raised
-            key = extractGeneratedKey(safeAlias, level, retries)
+            // Do not create key on decrypt; missing key should be treated gracefully by caller.
+            // Avoid creating a new keypair on read; this would not help decrypt legacy
+            // ciphertext and would alter keystore listings unexpectedly.
+            key = getExistingKeyOrNull(safeAlias)
+            if (key == null) {
+                handler.onDecrypt(null, KeyStoreAccessException("Missing key for alias: $safeAlias"))
+                return
+            }
 
             val results =
                 CipherStorage.DecryptionResult(