diff --git a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
index 4afb99906b..adcc5e7079 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
@@ -1585,7 +1585,9 @@ void WS2812FX::blendSegment(const Segment &topSegment) const {
         // workaround for On/Off transition
         // (bri != briT) && !bri => from On to Off
         // (bri != briT) &&  bri => from Off to On
-        if ((briOld == 0 || bri == 0) && ((!clipped && (bri != briT) && !bri) || (clipped && (bri != briT) && bri))) c_a = BLACK;
+        // note: only blank pixels once the segment transition has actually started; bri changes before
+        // startTransition() is called (stateUpdated()) and a frame rendered in that window would blank the whole segment
+        if (topSegment.isInTransition() && (briOld == 0 || bri == 0) && ((!clipped && (bri != briT) && !bri) || (clipped && (bri != briT) && bri))) c_a = BLACK;
       }
       // map it into frame buffer
       x = c;  // restore coordiates if we were PUSHing
@@ -1657,7 +1659,9 @@ void WS2812FX::blendSegment(const Segment &topSegment) const {
         // workaround for On/Off transition
         // (bri != briT) && !bri => from On to Off
         // (bri != briT) &&  bri => from Off to On
-        if ((briOld == 0 || bri == 0) && ((!clipped && (bri != briT) && !bri) || (clipped && (bri != briT) && bri))) c_a = BLACK;
+        // note: only blank pixels once the segment transition has actually started; bri changes before
+        // startTransition() is called (stateUpdated()) and a frame rendered in that window would blank the whole segment
+        if (topSegment.isInTransition() && (briOld == 0 || bri == 0) && ((!clipped && (bri != briT) && !bri) || (clipped && (bri != briT) && bri))) c_a = BLACK;
       }
       // map into frame buffer
       i = k; // restore index if we were PUSHing
@@ -1907,8 +1911,9 @@ void WS2812FX::resetSegments() {
   if (isServicing()) return;
   _segments.clear();          // destructs all Segment as part of clearing
   _segments.emplace_back(0, isMatrix ? Segment::maxWidth : _length, 0, isMatrix ? Segment::maxHeight : 1);
-  if(_segments.size() == 0) {
-    _segments.emplace_back(); // if out of heap, create a default segment
+  if (getActiveSegmentsNum() == 0) {
+    _segments.clear();        // free failed segment
+    _segments.emplace_back(); // if out of heap, create a default 30 pixel segment
     errorFlag = ERR_NORAM_PX;
   }
   _segments.shrink_to_fit();  // just in case ...
@@ -1985,6 +1990,7 @@ void WS2812FX::makeAutoSegments(bool forceReset) {
       #endif
     }
   }
+  if (getActiveSegmentsNum() == 0) resetSegments(); // fallback if auto segment creation failed
   _mainSegment = 0;
 
   fixInvalidSegments();
diff --git a/wled00/network.cpp b/wled00/network.cpp
index 606fa65d9e..83e196178d 100644
--- a/wled00/network.cpp
+++ b/wled00/network.cpp
@@ -421,7 +421,8 @@ void WiFiEvent(WiFiEvent_t event)
   switch (event) {
     case ARDUINO_EVENT_WIFI_AP_STADISCONNECTED:
       // AP client disconnected
-      if (--apClients == 0 && isWiFiConfigured()) forceReconnect = true; // no clients reconnect WiFi if awailable
+      if (apClients > 0) apClients--;
+      if (apClients == 0 && isWiFiConfigured()) forceReconnect = true; // no clients reconnect WiFi if available
       DEBUG_PRINTF_P(PSTR("WiFi-E: AP Client Disconnected (%d) @ %lus.\n"), (int)apClients, millis()/1000);
       break;
     case ARDUINO_EVENT_WIFI_AP_STACONNECTED:
diff --git a/wled00/playlist.cpp b/wled00/playlist.cpp
index c5acecdaf1..d8dde0c744 100644
--- a/wled00/playlist.cpp
+++ b/wled00/playlist.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ int16_t loadPlaylist(JsonObject playlistObj, byte presetId) {
       it++;
     }
   }
-  for (int i = it; i < playlistLen; i++) playlistEntries[i].tr = playlistEntries[it -1].tr;
+  if (it > 0) // should never happen but just in case
+    for (int i = it; i < playlistLen; i++) playlistEntries[i].tr = playlistEntries[it -1].tr;
 
   int rep = playlistObj[F("repeat")];
   bool shuffle = false;
diff --git a/wled00/set.cpp b/wled00/set.cpp
index fb516ac7d6..7f61cb87bb 100644
--- a/wled00/set.cpp
+++ b/wled00/set.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
     apBehavior = request->arg(F("AB")).toInt();
     char oldSSID[33]; strcpy(oldSSID, apSSID);
     strlcpy(apSSID, request->arg(F("AS")).c_str(), 33);
-    if (!strcmp(oldSSID, apSSID) && apActive) forceReconnect = true;
+    if ((strcmp(oldSSID, apSSID) != 0) && apActive) forceReconnect = true; // AP SSID changed
     apHide = request->hasArg(F("AH"));
     int passlen = request->arg(F("AP")).length();
     if (passlen == 0 || (passlen > 7 && !isAsterisksOnly(request->arg(F("AP")).c_str(), 65))) {