diff --git a/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx b/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
index 0866b01..f5dd14f 100644
--- a/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
@@ -218,17 +218,26 @@ export const OnboardingPage: React.FC = () => {
     }
     setStep1Loading(true);
     try {
-      // Real-time backend OTP verification call
+      // Real-time backend OTP verification call with strict validation
       const res = await api.verifyOtp('phone', enteredOtp);
       if (res && res.verified) {
         updateOnboarding({ isOtpVerified: true, phone: cleanPhone });
         handleNext();
       } else {
-        setStep1Error(res?.error || 'Invalid OTP. Please try again.');
+        setStep1Error(res?.error || 'Invalid or expired OTP code. Please enter the latest OTP received.');
+        setStep1Otp(['', '', '', '', '', '']);
+        setTimeout(() => {
+          document.getElementById('step1-otp-0')?.focus();
+        }, 300);
       }
     } catch (otpErr: any) {
-      console.warn('OTP verification exception:', otpErr);
-      setStep1Error(otpErr?.message || 'Invalid OTP. Please try again.');
+      console.warn('Strict OTP verification failed:', otpErr);
+      const msg = otpErr?.message || 'Invalid or expired OTP code. Please enter the latest OTP received.';
+      setStep1Error(msg);
+      setStep1Otp(['', '', '', '', '', '']);
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        document.getElementById('step1-otp-0')?.focus();
+      }, 300);
     } finally {
       setStep1Loading(false);
     }