diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 438d3fdb..951f0235 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -305,9 +305,6 @@ void WLED::setup()
 #else
   DEBUG_PRINT("esp8266 ");
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getCoreVersion());
-  #ifdef WLED_DEBUG
-  pinManager.allocatePin(1,true); // GPIO1 reserved for debug output
-  #endif
 #endif
   DEBUG_PRINT("heap ");
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
@@ -316,12 +313,16 @@ void WLED::setup()
   //DEBUG_PRINT(F("LEDs inited. heap usage ~"));
   //DEBUG_PRINTLN(heapPreAlloc - ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
+#ifdef WLED_DEBUG
+  pinManager.allocatePin(1,true); // GPIO1 reserved for debug output
+#endif
 #ifdef WLED_USE_DMX //reserve GPIO2 as hardcoded DMX pin
-  pinManager.allocatePin(2);
-#endif
-#ifdef WLED_ENABLE_ADALIGHT // reserve GPIO3 (RX) pin for ADALight
-  pinManager.allocatePin(3);
+  pinManager.allocatePin(2,false);
 #endif
+//#ifdef WLED_ENABLE_ADALIGHT // reserve GPIO3 (RX) pin for ADALight
+//  pinManager.allocatePin(3,false);
+//#endif
+
   bool fsinit = false;
   DEBUGFS_PRINTLN(F("Mount FS"));
 #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
@@ -365,7 +366,14 @@ void WLED::setup()
   WiFi.onEvent(WiFiEvent);
   #endif
 
-  Serial.println(F("Ada"));
+#ifdef WLED_ENABLE_ADALIGHT // reserve GPIO3 (RX) pin for ADALight
+  if (!pinManager.isPinAllocated(3)) {
+    Serial.println(F("Ada"));
+    pinManager.allocatePin(3,false);
+  } else {
+    DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("ADALight disabled due to GPIO3 being used."));
+  }
+#endif
 
   // generate module IDs
   escapedMac = WiFi.macAddress();
diff --git a/wled00/xml.cpp b/wled00/xml.cpp
index c8f75333..a043ccfe 100644
--- a/wled00/xml.cpp
+++ b/wled00/xml.cpp
@@ -286,7 +286,24 @@ void getSettingsJS(byte subPage, char* dest)
         oappend(SET_F(",2")); // DMX hardcoded pin
       #endif
       #ifdef WLED_ENABLE_ADALIGHT
-        oappend(SET_F(",3")); // ADALight (RX) pin
+      // inform settings page that pin 3 is used by ADALights if not aleready used by strip (previous setup)
+      // NOTE: this will prohibit pin 3 use on new installs
+      {
+        bool pin3used = false;
+        for (uint8_t s=0; s < busses.getNumBusses(); s++) {
+          Bus* bus = busses.getBus(s);
+          uint8_t pins[5];
+          uint8_t nPins = bus->getPins(pins);
+          for (uint8_t i = 0; i < nPins; i++) {
+            if (pins[i] == 3) {
+              pin3used = true;
+              break;
+            }
+          }
+          if (pin3used) break;
+        }
+        if (!pin3used && pinManager.isPinAllocated(3)) oappend(SET_F(",3")); // ADALight (RX) pin
+      }
       #endif
       #ifdef WLED_DEBUG
         oappend(SET_F(",1")); // debug output (TX) pin