diff --git a/wled00/cfg.cpp b/wled00/cfg.cpp
index dc52bdb0..8e4d6dc8 100644
--- a/wled00/cfg.cpp
+++ b/wled00/cfg.cpp
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ bool deserializeConfig(JsonObject doc, bool fromFS) {
     Wire.setPins(i2c_sda, i2c_scl); // this will fail if Wire is initilised (Wire.begin() called prior)
     #endif
     // Wire.begin(); // WLEDMM moved into pinManager
+    Serial.printf("pinmgr success for global i2c %d %d\n", i2c_sda, i2c_scl);
   } else {
     Serial.printf("pinmgr not success for global i2c %d %d\n", i2c_sda, i2c_scl);
   }
@@ -324,6 +325,7 @@ bool deserializeConfig(JsonObject doc, bool fromFS) {
     #else
     SPI.begin();
     #endif
+    Serial.printf("pinmgr success for global spi %d %d %d\n", spi_mosi, spi_miso, spi_sclk);
   } else {
     Serial.printf("pinmgr not success for global spi %d %d %d\n", spi_mosi, spi_miso, spi_sclk);
   }
diff --git a/wled00/pin_manager.cpp b/wled00/pin_manager.cpp
index 0c501b68..ff9ac885 100644
--- a/wled00/pin_manager.cpp
+++ b/wled00/pin_manager.cpp
@@ -518,16 +518,7 @@ bool PinManagerClass::isPinAllocated(byte gpio, PinOwner tag)
 //
 
 bool PinManagerClass::joinWire() {    // shortcut in case no parameters provided
-  #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
-    // ESP32 - i2c pins can be mapped to any GPIO
     return joinWire(i2c_sda, i2c_scl);
-  #else
-    // ESP8266: I2C pins are fixed
-    if ((i2c_sda < 0) || (i2c_scl < 0))
-      return joinWire(i2c_sda, i2c_scl);        // special case: -1 = disable i2c
-    else 
-      return joinWire(4, 5);                    // normal case - use HW pins -> SDA = 4, SCL = 5
-  #endif
 }
 
 bool PinManagerClass::joinWire(int8_t pinSDA, int8_t pinSCL) {
@@ -570,19 +561,22 @@ bool PinManagerClass::joinWire(int8_t pinSDA, int8_t pinSCL) {
   bool wireIsOK = true;
   #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32         // ESP32 - i2c pins can be mapped to any GPIO
     wireIsOK = Wire.setPins(pinSDA, pinSCL);   // this will fail if Wire is initialised already (i.e. Wire.begin() called prior)
-  #else // 8266 - I2C pins are fixed
-    if((pinSDA != 4) || (pinSCL != 5)) {     // fixed PINS: SDA = 4, SCL = 5
-      DEBUG_PRINT(F("PIN Manager: warning ESP8266 I2C pins are fixed. please use SDA="));
-      DEBUG_PRINTF("%d, SCL=%d !\n",4, 5);
-      return(false);
-    }
+  #else // 8266 - I2C pins are fixed -> actually they are not.
+    //if((pinSDA != 4) || (pinSCL != 5)) {     // fixed PINS: SDA = 4, SCL = 5
+    // DEBUG_PRINT(F("PIN Manager: warning ESP8266 I2C pins are fixed. please use SDA="));
+    //  DEBUG_PRINTF("%d, SCL=%d !\n",4, 5);
+    //  return(false);
+    //}
   #endif
   if (wireIsOK == false) {
     USER_PRINTLN(F("PIN Manager: warning - wire.setPins failed!"));
   }
 
-  //wireIsOK = Wire.begin();  // this will fail if wire is already running
-  Wire.begin();  // returns void on 8266
+  #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
+    wireIsOK = Wire.begin(pinSDA, pinSCL);  // this will fail if wire is already running
+  #else
+    Wire.begin(pinSDA, pinSCL);  // returns void on 8266
+  #endif
 
   if (wireIsOK == false) {
     USER_PRINTLN(F("PIN Manager: warning - wire.begin failed!"));
diff --git a/wled00/set.cpp b/wled00/set.cpp
index f45f5d42..8755b7dd 100644
--- a/wled00/set.cpp
+++ b/wled00/set.cpp
@@ -532,10 +532,10 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
   }
 
     #ifdef ESP8266
-    // cannot change pins on ESP8266
+    // cannot change pins on ESP8266 --> actually we can
     // WLEDMM: HW_PIN_xx could be set to -1 --> use pins as defined by the framework! SDA = 4, SCL = 5
-    if (hw_sda_pin >= 0 && hw_sda_pin != 4) hw_sda_pin = 4;
-    if (hw_scl_pin >= 0 && hw_scl_pin != 5) hw_scl_pin = 5;
+    //if (hw_sda_pin >= 0 && hw_sda_pin != 4) hw_sda_pin = 4;
+    //if (hw_scl_pin >= 0 && hw_scl_pin != 5) hw_scl_pin = 5;
     #endif
     PinManagerPinType i2c[2] = { { hw_sda_pin, true }, { hw_scl_pin, true } };
     if (hw_sda_pin >= 0 && hw_scl_pin >= 0 && pinManager.allocateMultiplePins(i2c, 2, PinOwner::HW_I2C)) {
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index c00c062c..3aba9db8 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 // version code in format yymmddb (b = daily build)
-#define VERSION 2301150
+#define VERSION 2301151
 
 //uncomment this if you have a "my_config.h" file you'd like to use
 //#define WLED_USE_MY_CONFIG