diff --git a/inc/vCenter-SSL.ps1 b/inc/vCenter-SSL.ps1
index 106a89c6..80fdd261 100644
--- a/inc/vCenter-SSL.ps1
+++ b/inc/vCenter-SSL.ps1
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ function Show-Banner {
     Add-Content -Path $LogFile -Value $log
 }
 
-
 # ----------------------------
 # Global variables for troubleshooting
 # ----------------------------
@@ -82,12 +81,15 @@ function Get-CertFingerprintFromPem {
     )
 
     try {
-        $pem = $PemString -replace "\r","" -split "`n" | Where-Object {
-            ($_ -notlike "-----BEGIN*") -and ($_ -notlike "-----END*") -and ($_ -ne "")
-        } | Out-String
-        $pem = $pem.Trim()
+        # Strip the BEGIN/END lines and blank lines
+        $pemBody = $PemString -replace "`r","" -split "`n" | Where-Object {
+            ($_ -notlike "-----BEGIN*") -and
+            ($_ -notlike "-----END*")   -and
+            ($_ -ne "")
+        }
+        $pemBody = ($pemBody -join "") # single base64 string
 
-        $bytes = [Convert]::FromBase64String($pem)
+        $bytes = [Convert]::FromBase64String($pemBody)
         $cert  = [System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2]::new($bytes)
 
         $sha256 = [System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256]::Create()
@@ -142,24 +144,26 @@ if (-not (Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name Posh-ACME)) {
 Import-Module Posh-ACME -ErrorAction Stop
 
 # ----------------------------
-# ACME / PowerDNS certificate request with 30-day + rate-limit handling
+# ACME / Posh-ACME certificate logic (v4.30-compatible)
 # ----------------------------
 $certSuccess = $false
-$certPath  = $null
-$keyPath   = $null
-$chainPath = $null
+$certPath    = $null
+$keyPath     = $null
+$chainPath   = $null
 
-# Get latest existing cert (Posh-ACME)
-$existingPACert = Get-PACertificate -Domain $VCENTERHOST -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
+# Get most recent Posh-ACME certificate for this domain
+$existingPACert = Get-PACertificate |
+    Where-Object { $_.MainDomain -eq $VCENTERHOST } |
     Sort-Object NotAfter -Descending |
     Select-Object -First 1
 
 $renewCert  = $true
 $skipReason = ""
 
+# Rule 1: Skip if cert valid >30 days
 if ($existingPACert) {
     $daysLeft = ($existingPACert.NotAfter - (Get-Date)).TotalDays
-    Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Existing Posh-ACME cert expires $($existingPACert.NotAfter) (~$([math]::Round($daysLeft)) days left)." -Color "Gray"
+    Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Existing cert expires $($existingPACert.NotAfter) (~$([math]::Round($daysLeft)) days left)." -Color "Gray"
 
     if ($daysLeft -gt 30) {
         $renewCert  = $false
@@ -167,15 +171,28 @@ if ($existingPACert) {
     }
 }
 
+# Rule 2: LE rate-limit safety (don't request if last issuance < 168h)
+if ($renewCert -and $existingPACert) {
+    $hoursSinceIssued = ((Get-Date) - $existingPACert.Created).TotalHours
+    if ($hoursSinceIssued -lt 168) {
+        $renewCert  = $false
+        $skipReason = "LE rate-limit safety: last cert issued $([math]::Round($hoursSinceIssued)) hours ago (must wait 168h)."
+    }
+}
+
 if (-not $renewCert -and $existingPACert) {
-    Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Skipping ACME request: $skipReason" -Color "Green"
+    Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Skipping ACME issuance: $skipReason" -Color "Yellow"
+
     $certPath  = $existingPACert.CertificatePath
     $keyPath   = $existingPACert.PrivateKeyPath
     $chainPath = $existingPACert.ChainPath
     $certSuccess = $true
 }
 else {
-    # Need or want to renew
+    # We either have no existing cert, it's near expiry, or outside LE safety window
+
+    Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Requesting new ACME certificate via Posh-ACME..." -Color "Cyan"
+
     if ($PDNSAPI -is [string]) {
         $securePDNSAPI = ConvertTo-SecureString $PDNSAPI -AsPlainText -Force
     } else {
@@ -191,11 +208,17 @@ else {
     }
 
     try {
-        Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Requesting new certificate via Posh-ACME..." -Color "Cyan"
-        New-PACertificate -Domain $VCENTERHOST -DnsPlugin PowerDNS -PluginArgs $pArgs `
-            -Contact $ACMEEMAIL -AcceptTOS -Verbose -Force -DnsSleep 15
+        New-PACertificate -Domain $VCENTERHOST `
+            -DnsPlugin PowerDNS `
+            -PluginArgs $pArgs `
+            -Contact $ACMEEMAIL `
+            -AcceptTOS `
+            -DnsSleep 15 `
+            -Force `
+            -Verbose
 
-        $newCert = Get-PACertificate -Domain $VCENTERHOST |
+        $newCert = Get-PACertificate |
+            Where-Object { $_.MainDomain -eq $VCENTERHOST } |
             Sort-Object NotAfter -Descending |
             Select-Object -First 1
 
@@ -206,24 +229,26 @@ else {
             $certSuccess = $true
             Show-Banner -Text "New ACME certificate successfully created." -Type "SUCCESS"
         } else {
-            Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "New-PACertificate succeeded but Get-PACertificate returned nothing." -Color "Red"
+            Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "ACME issuance succeeded but no certificate object found from Get-PACertificate." -Color "Red"
+            $certSuccess = $false
         }
     }
     catch {
-        $msg = $_.Exception.Message
-        Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "ACME certificate request failed: $msg" -Color "Red"
-        $global:helpme = $msg
+        $errorMessage = $_.Exception.Message
+        Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "ACME request failed: $errorMessage" -Color "Red"
+        $global:helpme = $errorMessage
 
-        # If we hit LE rate limit, fall back to existing cert (if any)
-        if ($msg -like "*too many certificates*") {
+        # If LE rate-limit hit, try to fall back to existing cert
+        if ($errorMessage -like "*too many certificates*") {
             Show-Banner -Text "Let’s Encrypt rate-limit reached. Using existing certificate if available." -Type "WARN"
+
             if ($existingPACert) {
                 $certPath  = $existingPACert.CertificatePath
                 $keyPath   = $existingPACert.PrivateKeyPath
                 $chainPath = $existingPACert.ChainPath
                 $certSuccess = $true
             } else {
-                Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "No existing certificate available to fall back to." -Color "Red"
+                Show-Banner -Text "No existing certificate available to fall back to!" -Type "ERROR"
                 $certSuccess = $false
             }
         } else {
@@ -232,9 +257,7 @@ else {
     }
 }
 
-# ----------------------------
-# Verify certificate files exist
-# ----------------------------
+# Verify cert files exist
 if ($certSuccess) {
     foreach ($f in @($certPath, $keyPath, $chainPath)) {
         if (-not (Test-Path $f)) {
@@ -250,19 +273,19 @@ if (-not $certSuccess) {
 }
 
 # ----------------------------
-# Compare fingerprints with current vCenter cert
+# vCenter REST: Compare fingerprints and update if needed
 # ----------------------------
-$updateNeeded = $true
 $sessionHeaders = @{
     'vmware-api-session-id' = $vCenterConn.ExtensionData.Content.SessionManager.SessionId
 }
 $vcenterCertUri = "https://$VCENTERHOST/rest/vcenter/certificate-management/vcenter/tls"
 
+$updateNeeded = $true
+
 try {
     Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Querying current vCenter TLS certificate..." -Color "Cyan"
     $vcResp = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $vcenterCertUri -Method Get -Headers $sessionHeaders -SkipCertificateCheck -ErrorAction Stop
 
-    # Try to find PEM in common shapes
     $currentPem = $null
     if ($vcResp.value -and $vcResp.value.cert) {
         $currentPem = $vcResp.value.cert
@@ -276,14 +299,14 @@ try {
         $newFp     = Get-CertFingerprintFromPem -PemString $newPem
 
         if ($currentFp -and $newFp -and ($currentFp -eq $newFp)) {
-            Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "vCenter already has the same certificate (SHA-256 fingerprint match)." -Color "Green"
+            Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "vCenter already has the same certificate (fingerprint match)." -Color "Green"
             $updateNeeded = $false
         } else {
-            Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "vCenter certificate fingerprint differs. Update is required." -Color "Yellow"
+            Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "vCenter certificate differs from Posh-ACME cert. Update is required." -Color "Yellow"
             $updateNeeded = $true
         }
     } else {
-        Write-Log -Level "WARN" -Message "Could not find existing vCenter certificate in REST response. Assuming update is required." -Color "Yellow"
+        Write-Log -Level "WARN" -Message "Could not parse existing vCenter certificate from REST response. Assuming update required." -Color "Yellow"
         $updateNeeded = $true
     }
 }
@@ -293,7 +316,7 @@ catch {
 }
 
 # ----------------------------
-# Upload and apply certificate via REST (only if needed)
+# Upload/apply cert if needed
 # ----------------------------
 $restartNeeded = $false
 
@@ -329,7 +352,7 @@ if ($updateNeeded) {
 }
 
 # ----------------------------
-# Automatic vpxd restart via REST (only if we changed the cert)
+# vpxd restart via REST (only if cert changed)
 # ----------------------------
 if ($restartNeeded) {
     $maxRetries = 20
@@ -357,7 +380,7 @@ if ($restartNeeded) {
 
     if (-not $restartSucceeded) {
         Show-Banner -Text "Automatic vpxd restart failed after $maxRetries attempts. Please restart manually via SSH." -Type "ERROR"
-        Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "Manual restart command: ssh root@$VCENTERHOST 'service-control --stop vpxd; service-control --start vpxd'" -Color "Red"
+        Write-Log -Level "ERROR" -Message "Manual restart: ssh root@$VCENTERHOST 'service-control --stop vpxd; service-control --start vpxd'" -Color "Red"
     }
 } else {
     Write-Log -Level "INFO" -Message "Skipping vpxd restart because no certificate changes were applied." -Color "Green"