diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_gatt_priv.h b/nimble/host/src/ble_gatt_priv.h
index 3391ed178..a4cb9be3c 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_gatt_priv.h
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_gatt_priv.h
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ int ble_gatts_conn_init(struct ble_gatts_conn *gatts_conn);
 int ble_gatts_init(void);
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATT_CACHING)
 int ble_gattc_cache_conn_init();
+void ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem();
+void ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_all_mem();
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache.c b/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache.c
index f3f3d87ad..68730b8ce 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache.c
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache.c
@@ -879,6 +879,26 @@ ble_gattc_cache_free_mem(void)
 {
     if (ble_gattc_cache_static_vars) {
         if (cache_env) {
+            uint8_t num_addr = cache_env->num_addr;
+            if (num_addr > MAX_DEVICE_IN_CACHE) {
+                num_addr = MAX_DEVICE_IN_CACHE;
+            }
+
+            /* Close any open per-peer cache handles before releasing cache_env. */
+            if (cache_fn.close) {
+                for (uint8_t i = 0; i < num_addr; i++) {
+                    if (cache_env->cache_addr[i].is_open) {
+                        cache_fn.close(cache_env->cache_addr[i].cache_fp);
+                        cache_env->cache_addr[i].is_open = false;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (cache_env->is_open) {
+                    cache_fn.close(cache_env->addr_fp);
+                    cache_env->is_open = false;
+                }
+            }
+
             nimble_platform_mem_free(cache_env);
             cache_env = NULL;
         }
@@ -898,6 +918,7 @@ ble_gattc_cache_init(void *storage_cb)
     uint8_t *p_buf = NULL;
 
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
+   int no_cached_blob = 0;
    rc = ble_gattc_cache_static_vars_init();
    if (rc != 0) {
     return rc;
@@ -936,6 +957,17 @@ ble_gattc_cache_init(void *storage_cb)
                     BLE_HS_LOG(DEBUG, "%s, Line = %d, storage flash get blob data fail, err_code = 0x%x",
                                __func__, __LINE__, rc);
                 }
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
+                /*
+                 * rc == 0x1102 indicates NVS key not found.
+                 * This is expected scenario during first boot or
+                 * when no GATT cache exists yet and should not
+                 * be treated as a fatal error.
+                 */
+                if (rc == 0x1102){
+                    no_cached_blob = 1;
+                }
+#endif
                 goto error;
             }
 
@@ -971,12 +1003,17 @@ error:
         p_buf = NULL;
     }
     if (cache_env) {
+        /* Close NVS handle if it was opened before freeing cache_env */
+        if (cache_env->is_open && cache_fn.close) {
+            cache_fn.close(cache_env->addr_fp);
+            cache_env->is_open = false;
+        }
         nimble_platform_mem_free(cache_env);
         cache_env = NULL;
     }
 
- #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
-    if (ble_gattc_cache_static_vars) {
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
+    if (ble_gattc_cache_static_vars && !no_cached_blob) {
         nimble_platform_mem_free(ble_gattc_cache_static_vars);
         ble_gattc_cache_static_vars = NULL;
     }
diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache_conn.c b/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache_conn.c
index c3d33cab1..de5edbf72 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache_conn.c
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_gattc_cache_conn.c
@@ -185,9 +185,6 @@ ble_gattc_cache_conn_disc_dscs(struct ble_gattc_cache_conn *peer);
 #endif
 
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
-void
-ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem(void);
-
 static ble_gattc_cache_conn_static_vars_t *
 ble_gattc_cache_conn_static_vars_init(void)
 {
@@ -1466,10 +1463,6 @@ ble_gattc_cache_conn_broken(uint16_t conn_handle)
 
     }
     os_memblock_put(&ble_gattc_cache_conn_pool, conn);
-
-#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
-    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem();
-#endif
 }
 
 void
@@ -2244,7 +2237,14 @@ ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem(void)
         nimble_platform_mem_free(ble_gattc_cache_conn_static_vars);
         ble_gattc_cache_conn_static_vars = NULL;
     }
+#endif
+}
 
+void
+ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_all_mem(void)
+{
+    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem();
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
     ble_gattc_cache_free_mem();
 #endif
 }
@@ -2274,7 +2274,7 @@ ble_gattc_cache_conn_init()
     max_dscs = (MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATT_CACHING_MAX_CONNS)) *
                (MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATT_CACHING_MAX_DSCS));
     /* Free memory first in case this function gets called more than once. */
-    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem();
+    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_all_mem();
 
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
     if (ble_gattc_cache_conn_static_vars == NULL) {
@@ -2377,7 +2377,7 @@ ble_gattc_cache_conn_init()
     return 0;
 
 err:
-    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_mem();
+    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_all_mem();
     return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
index cf8a2d990..4145d9d18 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs.c
@@ -1075,6 +1075,9 @@ ble_hs_deinit(void)
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATTC) || MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATTS)
     ble_gattc_deinit();
 #endif
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_GATT_CACHING)
+    ble_gattc_cache_conn_free_all_mem();
+#endif
 
     ble_l2cap_deinit();
 
diff --git a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs_id.c b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs_id.c
index 81823d656..16140b652 100644
--- a/nimble/host/src/ble_hs_id.c
+++ b/nimble/host/src/ble_hs_id.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ static uint8_t ble_hs_id_pub[6];
 static uint8_t ble_hs_id_rnd[6];
 #endif
 
-static const uint8_t ble_hs_misc_null_addr[6];
-
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_STATIC_TO_DYNAMIC)
 int
 ble_hs_id_ensure_ctx(void)