diff --git a/wled00/bus_manager.cpp b/wled00/bus_manager.cpp
index c8e42c57..0f892f5f 100644
--- a/wled00/bus_manager.cpp
+++ b/wled00/bus_manager.cpp
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ BusHub75Matrix::BusHub75Matrix(BusConfig &bc) : Bus(bc.type, bc.start, bc.autoWh
 
   _valid = false;
   mxconfig.double_buff = false; // default to off, known to cause issue with some effects but needs more memory
-
+  isBlack = false;
 
   fourScanPanel = nullptr;
 
@@ -671,6 +671,8 @@ BusHub75Matrix::BusHub75Matrix(BusConfig &bc) : Bus(bc.type, bc.start, bc.autoWh
   }
   else {
     _valid = true;
+    display->clearScreen();   // initially clear the screen buffer
+    isBlack = true;
   }
   
   switch(bc.type) {
@@ -700,6 +702,7 @@ BusHub75Matrix::BusHub75Matrix(BusConfig &bc) : Bus(bc.type, bc.start, bc.autoWh
 
 void  __attribute__((hot)) BusHub75Matrix::setPixelColor(uint16_t pix, uint32_t c) {
   if (!_valid || pix >= _len) return;
+  if (isBlack && (c == BLACK)) return;  // reject black pixels directly after clearScreen()
 #ifndef NO_CIE1931
   c = unGamma24(c); // to use the driver linear brightness feature, we first need to undo WLED gamma correction
 #endif
@@ -719,6 +722,7 @@ void  __attribute__((hot)) BusHub75Matrix::setPixelColor(uint16_t pix, uint32_t
     int y = pix / pxwidth;
     display->drawPixelRGB888(int16_t(x), int16_t(y), r, g, b);
   }
+  isBlack = false;
 }
 
 void BusHub75Matrix::setBrightness(uint8_t b, bool immediate) {
diff --git a/wled00/bus_manager.h b/wled00/bus_manager.h
index 18337026..cfea2674 100644
--- a/wled00/bus_manager.h
+++ b/wled00/bus_manager.h
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ class BusHub75Matrix : public Bus {
         display->flipDMABuffer(); // Show the back buffer, set currently output buffer to the back (i.e. no longer being sent to LED panels)
         // while(!previousBufferFree) delay(1);   // experimental - Wait before we allow any writing to the buffer. Stop flicker.
         display->clearScreen();   // Now clear the back-buffer
+        isBlack = true;
       }
     }
 
@@ -369,6 +370,7 @@ class BusHub75Matrix : public Bus {
       // delete fourScanPanel;
       delete display;
       _valid = false;
+      isBlack = false;
     }
 
     ~BusHub75Matrix() {
@@ -379,6 +381,7 @@ class BusHub75Matrix : public Bus {
     MatrixPanel_I2S_DMA *display = nullptr;
     VirtualMatrixPanel  *fourScanPanel = nullptr;
     HUB75_I2S_CFG mxconfig;
+    bool isBlack = false;
     
 };
 #endif