diff --git a/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.h b/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.h
index 4726ee26..50448ab1 100644
--- a/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.h
+++ b/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.h
@@ -1493,13 +1493,18 @@ class AudioReactive : public Usermod {
       return strncmp_P(header, UDP_SYNC_HEADER_v1, 6) == 0;
     }
 
-    void decodeAudioData(int packetSize, uint8_t *fftBuff) {
+    bool decodeAudioData(int packetSize, uint8_t *fftBuff) {
+      if((0 == packetSize) || (nullptr == fftBuff)) return false; // sanity check
       audioSyncPacket *receivedPacket = reinterpret_cast<audioSyncPacket*>(fftBuff);
 
+      // validate sequence, discard out-of-sequence packets
       static uint8_t lastFrameCounter = 0;
-      if(receivedPacket->frameCounter <= lastFrameCounter && receivedPacket->frameCounter != 0) { // TODO: might need extra checks here
+      bool sequenceOK = false;
+      if(receivedPacket->frameCounter > lastFrameCounter) sequenceOK = true;
+      if((lastFrameCounter > 248) && (receivedPacket->frameCounter < 12)) sequenceOK = true; // handle roll-over (255 -> 0)
+      if((sequenceOK == false) && (receivedPacket->frameCounter != 0)) { // always accept "0" - its the legacy value
         DEBUGSR_PRINTF("Skipping audio frame out of order or duplicated - %u vs %u\n", lastFrameCounter, receivedPacket->frameCounter);
-        return;
+        return false;   // reject out-of sequence frame
       }
       else {
         lastFrameCounter = receivedPacket->frameCounter;
@@ -1529,6 +1534,7 @@ class AudioReactive : public Usermod {
       my_magnitude  = fmaxf(receivedPacket->FFT_Magnitude, 0.0f);
       FFT_Magnitude = my_magnitude;
       FFT_MajorPeak = constrain(receivedPacket->FFT_MajorPeak, 1.0f, 11025.0f);  // restrict value to range expected by effects
+      return true;
     }
 
     void decodeAudioData_v1(int packetSize, uint8_t *fftBuff) {
@@ -1591,9 +1597,8 @@ class AudioReactive : public Usermod {
 
         // VERIFY THAT THIS IS A COMPATIBLE PACKET
         if (packetSize == sizeof(audioSyncPacket) && (isValidUdpSyncVersion((const char *)fftUdpBuffer))) {
-          decodeAudioData(packetSize, fftUdpBuffer);
+          haveFreshData = decodeAudioData(packetSize, fftUdpBuffer);
           //DEBUGSR_PRINTLN("Finished parsing UDP Sync Packet v2");
-          haveFreshData = true;
           receivedFormat = 2;
         } else {
           if (packetSize == sizeof(audioSyncPacket_v1) && (isValidUdpSyncVersion_v1((const char *)fftUdpBuffer))) {