diff --git a/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/Kconfig b/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/Kconfig
index 760a3ce6757b2..792977c64f9af 100644
--- a/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/Kconfig
+++ b/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/Kconfig
@@ -27,8 +27,13 @@ config TLS_CREDENTIALS_BACKEND_VOLATILE
 
 config TLS_CREDENTIALS_BACKEND_PROTECTED_STORAGE
 	bool "TLS credentials management protected storage backend"
-	depends on BUILD_WITH_TFM
+	depends on BUILD_WITH_TFM || SECURE_STORAGE
 	select PSA_WANT_ALG_SHA_256
+	# This backend builds storage UIDs that use the full 64-bit range
+	# (see tls_credential_get_uid()). TF-M's Protected Storage supports that
+	# natively, but Zephyr's Secure Storage defaults to a 30-bit UID, so the
+	# 64-bit UID range must be enabled there for psa_ps_set() to accept them.
+	select SECURE_STORAGE_64_BIT_UID if SECURE_STORAGE
 	help
 	  TLS credentials management backend using the Protected Storage
 	  API to store credentials with integrity check against physical
diff --git a/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/tls_credentials_trusted.c b/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/tls_credentials_trusted.c
index fc7862f5a33f3..f4bdf8874b51d 100644
--- a/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/tls_credentials_trusted.c
+++ b/subsys/net/lib/tls_credentials/tls_credentials_trusted.c
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ static psa_storage_uid_t credentials_toc[CRED_MAX_SLOTS];
 /* A mutex for protecting access to the credentials array. */
 static K_MUTEX_DEFINE(credential_lock);
 
+/* Whether the Table Of Content has been successfully loaded from storage.
+ * The backend is loaded lazily on first access (under credential_lock).
+ */
+static bool credentials_loaded;
+
 /* Construct PSA PS uid from tag & type */
 static inline psa_storage_uid_t tls_credential_get_uid(uint32_t tag,
 						       uint16_t type)
@@ -71,8 +76,10 @@ static int credentials_toc_get(void)
 	status = psa_ps_get(PSA_PS_CRED_TOC_ID, 0, sizeof(credentials_toc),
 			    credentials_toc, &len);
 	if (status == PSA_ERROR_DOES_NOT_EXIST) {
+		LOG_DBG("No credentials ToC found in storage, initializing to empty");
 		return -ENOENT;
 	} else if (status != PSA_SUCCESS) {
+		LOG_ERR("Failed to get credentials ToC from storage: %d", status);
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
@@ -86,6 +93,7 @@ static int credentials_toc_write(void)
 	status = psa_ps_set(PSA_PS_CRED_TOC_ID, sizeof(credentials_toc),
 			    credentials_toc, 0);
 	if (status != PSA_SUCCESS) {
+		LOG_ERR("Failed to write credentials ToC to storage: %d", status);
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
@@ -165,7 +173,30 @@ static int credentials_init(void)
 
 	return 0;
 }
-SYS_INIT(credentials_init, POST_KERNEL, 0);
+
+/* Lazily load the ToC on first access. Must be called with credential_lock held.
+ * Returns 0 once the ToC has been successfully loaded (including the "no ToC yet"
+ * case on a fresh device), or -EACCES if storage is not yet usable, in which case
+ * the caller must fail rather than operate on an unloaded ToC.
+ */
+static int credentials_ensure_loaded(void)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	if (credentials_loaded) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	ret = credentials_init();
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		LOG_ERR("Failed to load TLS credentials from storage (%d)", ret);
+		return -EACCES;
+	}
+
+	credentials_loaded = true;
+
+	return 0;
+}
 
 static struct tls_credential *unused_credential_get(void)
 {
@@ -224,6 +255,11 @@ static struct tls_credential *credential_get_from_uid(psa_storage_uid_t uid)
 struct tls_credential *credential_get(sec_tag_t tag,
 				      enum tls_credential_type type)
 {
+	if (!credentials_loaded) {
+		LOG_WRN("Credentials not loaded");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return credential_get_from_uid(tls_credential_get_uid(tag, type));
 }
 
@@ -235,6 +271,11 @@ struct tls_credential *credential_next_get(sec_tag_t tag,
 	psa_storage_uid_t uid;
 	unsigned int slot;
 
+	if (!credentials_loaded) {
+		LOG_WRN("Credentials not loaded");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	if (!iter) {
 		slot = 0;
 	} else {
@@ -270,6 +311,11 @@ sec_tag_t credential_next_tag_get(sec_tag_t iter)
 	sec_tag_t lowest_candidate = TLS_SEC_TAG_NONE;
 	sec_tag_t candidate;
 
+	if (!credentials_loaded) {
+		LOG_WRN("Credentials not loaded");
+		return TLS_SEC_TAG_NONE;
+	}
+
 	/* Scan all slots and find lowest sectag greater than iter */
 	for (slot = 0; slot < CRED_MAX_SLOTS; slot++) {
 		uid = credentials_toc[slot];
@@ -306,6 +352,8 @@ int credential_digest(struct tls_credential *credential, void *dest, size_t *len
 void credentials_lock(void)
 {
 	k_mutex_lock(&credential_lock, K_FOREVER);
+
+	(void)credentials_ensure_loaded();
 }
 
 void credentials_unlock(void)
@@ -340,6 +388,14 @@ int tls_credential_add(sec_tag_t tag, enum tls_credential_type type,
 
 	k_mutex_lock(&credential_lock, K_FOREVER);
 
+	/* Refuse to modify storage until the ToC is loaded, otherwise this write
+	 * would overwrite the stored ToC and orphan existing credentials.
+	 */
+	ret = credentials_ensure_loaded();
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	if (tls_credential_toc_find_slot(uid) != CRED_MAX_SLOTS) {
 		ret = -EEXIST;
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -384,6 +440,11 @@ int tls_credential_get(sec_tag_t tag, enum tls_credential_type type,
 
 	k_mutex_lock(&credential_lock, K_FOREVER);
 
+	ret = credentials_ensure_loaded();
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	slot = tls_credential_toc_find_slot(uid);
 	if (slot == CRED_MAX_SLOTS) {
 		ret = -ENOENT;
@@ -432,6 +493,11 @@ int tls_credential_delete(sec_tag_t tag, enum tls_credential_type type)
 
 	k_mutex_lock(&credential_lock, K_FOREVER);
 
+	ret = credentials_ensure_loaded();
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	slot = tls_credential_toc_find_slot(uid);
 	if (slot == CRED_MAX_SLOTS) {
 		ret = -ENOENT;