diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 4f6edac3..a7a222fc 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -280,6 +280,9 @@ void WLED::setup()
   WRITE_PERI_REG(RTC_CNTL_BROWN_OUT_REG, 0); //disable brownout detection
   #endif
 
+  #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
+  pinMode(hardwareRX, INPUT_PULLDOWN); delay(1);        // suppress noise in case RX pin is floating (at low noise energy) - see issue #3128
+  #endif
   Serial.begin(115200);
   if (!Serial) delay(1000); // WLEDMM make sure that Serial has initalized
 
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index 3c272ab7..4fb1b02e 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 // version code in format yymmddb (b = daily build)
-#define VERSION 2303161
+#define VERSION 2303162
 
 //uncomment this if you have a "my_config.h" file you'd like to use
 //#define WLED_USE_MY_CONFIG
diff --git a/wled00/wled_serial.cpp b/wled00/wled_serial.cpp
index 35fce884..0bc6ce00 100644
--- a/wled00/wled_serial.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled_serial.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ bool canUseSerial(void) {   // WLEDMM returns true if Serial can be used for deb
 void handleSerial()
 {
   if (pinManager.isPinAllocated(hardwareRX)) return;
-  if (!Serial) return;  // WLEDMM - serial not connected (USB CDC)
+  if (!Serial) return;              // arduino docs: `if (Serial)` indicates whether or not the USB CDC serial connection is open. For all non-USB CDC ports, this will always return true
   if (((pinManager.isPinAllocated(hardwareTX)) && (pinManager.getPinOwner(hardwareTX) != PinOwner::DebugOut))) return; // WLEDMM serial TX is necessary for adalight / TPM2
 
   #ifdef WLED_ENABLE_ADALIGHT