diff --git a/usermods/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT.h b/usermods/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT.h
index ebe066c3..ac3a5686 100644
--- a/usermods/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT.h
+++ b/usermods/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT/usermod_v2_four_line_display_ALT.h
@@ -347,19 +347,21 @@ class FourLineDisplayUsermod : public Usermod {
           return;
         }
       } else {
-        if (ioPin[0] < 0 || ioPin[1] < 0) {
-          ioPin[0] = i2c_scl;
-          ioPin[1] = i2c_sda;
-        }
+        //if (ioPin[0] < 0 || ioPin[1] < 0) { //WLEDMM do _not_ copy global pins !!
+        //  ioPin[0] = i2c_scl;
+        //  ioPin[1] = i2c_sda;
+        //}
         isHW = (ioPin[0]==i2c_scl && ioPin[1]==i2c_sda);
+        if ((ioPin[0] == -1) || (ioPin[1] == -1)) isHW = true;  // WLEDMM "use global" = hardware
         // isHW = true;
         if (isHW) po = PinOwner::HW_I2C;  // allow multiple allocations of HW I2C bus pins
         PinManagerPinType pins[2] = { {ioPin[0], true }, { ioPin[1], true } };
 
-        if (ioPin[0] < 0 || ioPin[1] < 0)  { typeOK=false; strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("I2C No Pins defined")); return; }  //WLEDMM bugfix - ensure that "final" GPIO are valid
+        if ((ioPin[0] < 0 || ioPin[1] < 0) && (i2c_scl < 0 || i2c_sda < 0))  {        // invalid pins, or "use global" and global pins not defined
+          typeOK=false; strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("I2C No Pins defined")); return; }  //WLEDMM bugfix - ensure that "final" GPIO are valid
 
         if (isHW) {
-          if (!pinManager.joinWire(ioPin[1], ioPin[0])) { typeOK=false; strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("I2C init failed")); return; }  // WLEDMM join the HW bus
+          if (!pinManager.joinWire(i2c_sda, i2c_scl)) { typeOK=false; strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("I2C HW init failed")); return; }  // WLEDMM join the HW bus
         } else {
           if (!pinManager.allocateMultiplePins(pins, 2, po)) { typeOK=false; strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("I2C Alloc pins failed")); return; } // WLEDMM use software bus
         }
@@ -442,7 +444,7 @@ class FourLineDisplayUsermod : public Usermod {
 
       if (nullptr == u8x8) {
           USER_PRINTLN(F("Display init failed."));
-          pinManager.deallocateMultiplePins((const uint8_t*)ioPin, isSPI ? 5 : 2, po);
+          if (!isHW || !isSPI) pinManager.deallocateMultiplePins((const uint8_t*)ioPin, isSPI ? 5 : 2, po);   // WLEDMM do not de-alloc global pins
           typeOK=false;
           strcpy(errorMessage, PSTR("Display init failed"));
           return;
@@ -1285,8 +1287,9 @@ class FourLineDisplayUsermod : public Usermod {
             bool isHW = (oldPin[0]==spi_sclk && oldPin[1]==spi_mosi);
             if (isHW) po = PinOwner::HW_SPI;
           } else {
-            bool isHW = (oldPin[0]==i2c_scl && oldPin[1]==i2c_sda);
-            if (isHW) po = PinOwner::HW_I2C;
+            //bool isHW = (oldPin[0]==i2c_scl && oldPin[1]==i2c_sda);
+            //if ((ioPin[0] == -1) || (ioPin[1] == -1)) isHW = true;  // WLEDMM "use global" = hardware
+            //if (isHW) po = PinOwner::HW_I2C;                        // WLEDMM don't try to de-alloc HW pins.
           }
           pinManager.deallocateMultiplePins((const uint8_t *)oldPin, 2, po);
           type = newType;
diff --git a/wled00/set.cpp b/wled00/set.cpp
index da3b26c5..f8428961 100644
--- a/wled00/set.cpp
+++ b/wled00/set.cpp
@@ -523,12 +523,12 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
     if (!requestJSONBufferLock(5)) return;
 
     // global I2C & SPI pins
-    int8_t hw_sda_pin  = -1;//!request->arg(F("SDApin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SDApin")).toInt();
-    int8_t hw_scl_pin  = -1;//!request->arg(F("SCLpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SCLpin")).toInt();
+    int8_t hw_sda_pin  = -2;//!request->arg(F("SDApin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SDApin")).toInt();  // WLEDMM: -2 = no value
+    int8_t hw_scl_pin  = -2;//!request->arg(F("SCLpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SCLpin")).toInt();  // WLEDMM: -2 = no value
 
-    int8_t hw_mosi_pin = -1;//!request->arg(F("MOSIpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("MOSIpin")).toInt();
-    int8_t hw_miso_pin = -1;//!request->arg(F("MISOpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("MISOpin")).toInt();
-    int8_t hw_sclk_pin = -1;//!request->arg(F("SCLKpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SCLKpin")).toInt();
+    int8_t hw_mosi_pin = -2;//!request->arg(F("MOSIpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("MOSIpin")).toInt();
+    int8_t hw_miso_pin = -2;//!request->arg(F("MISOpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("MISOpin")).toInt();
+    int8_t hw_sclk_pin = -2;//!request->arg(F("SCLKpin")).length() ? -1 : (int)request->arg(F("SCLKpin")).toInt();
 
     //WLEDMM: :pin values have 2 occurrences: the type and the value, we need the value
     int paramsNr = request->params();
@@ -556,17 +556,19 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
     if (hw_sda_pin >= 0 && hw_scl_pin >= 0 && pinManager.allocateMultiplePins(i2c, 2, PinOwner::HW_I2C)) {
       i2c_sda = hw_sda_pin;
       i2c_scl = hw_scl_pin;
+      DEBUG_PRINTF("handleSettingsSet(): reserved I2C pins SDA=%d SCL=%d.\n", i2c_sda, i2c_scl);
       #ifdef ESP32
       Wire.setPins(i2c_sda, i2c_scl); // this will fail if Wire is initilised (Wire.begin() called)
       #endif
       // Wire.begin(); // WLEDMM moved into pinManager
     } else {
       // there is no Wire.end()
-      if (hw_sda_pin < 0 || hw_scl_pin < 0) { // WLEDMM bugfix allow pin = -1
+      if (hw_sda_pin == -1 || hw_scl_pin == -1) { // WLEDMM bugfix allow pin = -1
         i2c_sda = -1;
         i2c_scl = -1;
+        DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("handleSettingsSet(): reset I2C pins to -1"));
       }
-      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Could not allocate I2C pins."));
+      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("handleSettingsSet(): Could not allocate I2C pins - deallocating."));
       uint8_t i2c[2] = { static_cast<uint8_t>(i2c_scl), static_cast<uint8_t>(i2c_sda) };
       pinManager.deallocateMultiplePins(i2c, 2, PinOwner::HW_I2C); // just in case deallocation of old pins
       Serial.printf("pinmgr not success for global i2c %d %d\n", i2c_sda, i2c_scl);
@@ -592,7 +594,7 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
       #endif
     } else {
       //SPI.end();
-      if (hw_mosi_pin < 0 || hw_sclk_pin < 0) { // WLEDMM bugfix allow pin = -1
+      if (hw_mosi_pin == -1 || hw_sclk_pin == -1) { // WLEDMM bugfix allow pin = -1
         spi_mosi = hw_mosi_pin;
         spi_miso = hw_miso_pin;
         spi_sclk = hw_sclk_pin;
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index 233a47ab..761d8549 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 // version code in format yymmddb (b = daily build)
-#define VERSION 2303080
+#define VERSION 2303081
 
 //uncomment this if you have a "my_config.h" file you'd like to use
 //#define WLED_USE_MY_CONFIG