diff --git a/wled00/FX_2Dfcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_2Dfcn.cpp
index a5507f23..1e7505cb 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_2Dfcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_2Dfcn.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ void WS2812FX::setUpMatrix() {
     
     // WLEDMM check if mapping table is necessary (avoiding heap fragmentation)
 //#if defined(WLED_ENABLE_HUB75MATRIX)
-    bool needLedMap = (loadedLedmap >0);              // ledmap loaded
-    needLedMap |= WLED_FS.exists(F("/2d-gaps.json")); // gapFile found
+   bool needLedMap = (loadedLedmap >0);              // ledmap loaded
     needLedMap |= panel.size() > 1;                   // 2D config: more than one panel
     if (panel.size() == 1) {
       Panel &p = panel[0];
@@ -58,6 +57,11 @@ void WS2812FX::setUpMatrix() {
       needLedMap |= p.bottomStart | p.rightStart;        // panel not top left, or not left->light
       needLedMap |= (p.xOffset > 0) || (p.yOffset > 0);  // panel does not start at (0,0)
     }
+    needLedMap |= (ledMaps >1) && (loadedLedmap >0);     // ledmap1...10 loaded
+    if (!needLedMap) { // only perform file cheking if we must (may cause flicker)
+      needLedMap |= WLED_FS.exists(F("/2d-gaps.json"));  // gapFile found
+      needLedMap |= WLED_FS.exists(F("/ledmap.json"));   // global ledmap found
+    }
 //#else
 //    bool needLedMap = true;                              // un-comment to always use ledMaps on non-HUB75 builds
 //#endif
@@ -172,6 +176,7 @@ void WS2812FX::setUpMatrix() {
     }
   }
 
+#if 0 // WLEDMM this test is too early - ledmap will be loaded later
 #ifdef WLED_ENABLE_HUB75MATRIX
   // softhack007 hack: delete mapping table in case it only contains "identity"
   if (customMappingTable != nullptr && customMappingTableSize > 0) {
@@ -188,6 +193,7 @@ void WS2812FX::setUpMatrix() {
     }
   }
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #else
   isMatrix = false; // no matter what config says
diff --git a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
index b95f20c1..2af3cb9e 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
@@ -2705,6 +2705,7 @@ bool WS2812FX::deserializeMap(uint8_t n) {
     //DEBUG_PRINTF(" (\"width\": %s) ", fileName)
 
     memset(fileName, 0, sizeof(fileName));              // clear old buffer
+    f.seek(0);                                          // rewind to start
     f.find("\"height\":");
     f.readBytesUntil('\n', fileName, sizeof(fileName)-1);
     uint16_t maxHeight = atoi(cleanUpName(fileName));
@@ -2722,7 +2723,7 @@ bool WS2812FX::deserializeMap(uint8_t n) {
     #endif
   }
 
-  USER_PRINTF("deserializeMap %d x %d\n", Segment::maxWidth, Segment::maxHeight);
+  DEBUG_PRINTF("deserializeMap %d x %d\n", Segment::maxWidth, Segment::maxHeight);
 
   //WLEDMM recreate customMappingTable if more space needed
   if (Segment::maxWidth * Segment::maxHeight > customMappingTableSize) {
@@ -2752,20 +2753,27 @@ bool WS2812FX::deserializeMap(uint8_t n) {
     // WLEDMM reset mapping table before loading
     //memset(customMappingTable, 0xFF, customMappingTableSize * sizeof(uint16_t)); // FFFF = no pixel
     for (unsigned i=0; i<customMappingTableSize; i++) customMappingTable[i]=i;     // "neutral" 1:1 mapping
-
     //WLEDMM: find the map values
-    f.find("\"map\":[");
+    f.seek(0);                                           // rewind to start
+    f.find("\"map\":");
+    f.readBytesUntil('[', fileName, sizeof(fileName)-1); // drop everything until "["
     uint16_t i=0;
+    bool endOfArray = false;
     do { //for each element in the array
-      int mapi = f.readStringUntil(',').toInt();
-      // USER_PRINTF(", %d(%d)", mapi, i);
+      String entry = f.readStringUntil(',');
+      int mapi = entry.toInt();
+      //DEBUG_PRINTF("%c %d(%d)", i>0?',':' ', mapi, i);
       if (i < customMappingSize) customMappingTable[i++] = (uint16_t) (mapi<0 ? 0xFFFFU : mapi);  // WLEDMM do not write past array bounds
-    } while (f.available() && (i < customMappingSize));
+      endOfArray  = entry.indexOf("]") >= 0;             // if we hit "]", stop reading
+    } while (f.available() && (i < customMappingSize) && !endOfArray);
+    //DEBUG_PRINTLN("");
 
     loadedLedmap = n;
     f.close();
 
-    USER_PRINTF("Custom ledmap: %d size=%d\n", loadedLedmap, customMappingSize);
+    if ((customMappingTable != nullptr) && (customMappingSize>0)) { 
+      USER_PRINTF(PSTR("Ledmap #%d read. Size=%d (%d x %d); %d items found.\n"), loadedLedmap, customMappingSize, Segment::maxWidth, Segment::maxHeight, i);
+    }
     #ifdef WLED_DEBUG_MAPS
       for (uint16_t j=0; j<customMappingSize; j++) { // fixing a minor warning: declaration of 'i' shadows a previous local
         if (!(j%Segment::maxWidth)) DEBUG_PRINTLN();
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index 07f5cac3..b60364a1 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 // version code in format yymmddb (b = daily build)
-#define VERSION 2512292
+#define VERSION 2512301
 
 // WLEDMM  - you can check for this define in usermods, to only enabled WLEDMM specific code in the "right" fork. Its not defined in AC WLED.
 #define _MoonModules_WLED_