diff --git a/ios/RNCAsyncStorage.m b/ios/RNCAsyncStorage.m
index 18556296..bd9926fa 100644
--- a/ios/RNCAsyncStorage.m
+++ b/ios/RNCAsyncStorage.m
@@ -343,16 +343,33 @@ - (NSDictionary *)_ensureSetup
     }
     RCTHasCreatedStorageDirectory = YES;
   }
+
   if (!_haveSetup) {
-    NSDictionary *errorOut;
+    NSDictionary *errorOut = nil;
     NSString *serialized = RCTReadFile(RCTGetManifestFilePath(), RCTManifestFileName, &errorOut);
-    _manifest = serialized ? RCTJSONParseMutable(serialized, &error) : [NSMutableDictionary new];
-    if (error) {
-      RCTLogWarn(@"Failed to parse manifest - creating new one.\n\n%@", error);
-      _manifest = [NSMutableDictionary new];
+    if (!serialized) {
+      if (errorOut) {
+        // We cannot simply create a new manifest in case the file does exist but we have no access to it.
+        // This can happen when data protection is enabled for the app and we are trying to read the manifest
+        // while the device is locked. (The app can be started by the system even if the device is locked due to
+        // e.g. a geofence event.)
+        RCTLogError(@"Could not open the existing manifest, perhaps data protection is enabled?\n\n%@", errorOut);
+        return errorOut;
+      } else {
+        // We can get nil without errors only when the file does not exist.
+        RCTLogTrace(@"Manifest does not exist - creating a new one.\n\n%@", errorOut);
+        _manifest = [NSMutableDictionary new];
+      }
+    } else {
+      _manifest = RCTJSONParseMutable(serialized, &error);
+      if (!_manifest) {
+        RCTLogError(@"Failed to parse manifest - creating a new one.\n\n%@", error);
+        _manifest = [NSMutableDictionary new];
+      }
     }
     _haveSetup = YES;
   }
+
   return nil;
 }