diff --git a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
index 91512517..d8a8278e 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ void Segment::deallocateData() {
 void Segment::resetIfRequired() {
   if (reset) {
     if (leds && !Segment::_globalLeds) { free(leds); leds = nullptr; }
-    //if (_t) { delete _t; _t = nullptr; transitional = false; }
+    if (transitional && _t) { transitional = false; delete _t; _t = nullptr; }
+    deallocateData();
     next_time = 0; step = 0; call = 0; aux0 = 0; aux1 = 0;
     reset = false; // setOption(SEG_OPTION_RESET, false);
   }
@@ -1385,7 +1386,6 @@ void WS2812FX::purgeSegments(bool force) {
   if (_segments.size() <= 1) return;
   for (size_t i = _segments.size()-1; i > 0; i--)
     if (_segments[i].stop == 0 || force) {
-      DEBUG_PRINT(F("Purging segment segment: ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(i);
       deleted++;
       _segments.erase(_segments.begin() + i);
     }
diff --git a/wled00/fcn_declare.h b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
index 3d5c9ac2..0b5974f8 100644
--- a/wled00/fcn_declare.h
+++ b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void handleIR();
 #include "src/dependencies/json/AsyncJson-v6.h"
 #include "FX.h"
 
-void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId = 0);
+bool deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId = 0);
 bool deserializeState(JsonObject root, byte callMode = CALL_MODE_DIRECT_CHANGE, byte presetId = 0);
 void serializeSegment(JsonObject& root, Segment& seg, byte id, bool forPreset = false, bool segmentBounds = true);
 void serializeState(JsonObject root, bool forPreset = false, bool includeBri = true, bool segmentBounds = true, bool selectedSegmentsOnly = false);
diff --git a/wled00/json.cpp b/wled00/json.cpp
index 86501bca..77d89f17 100644
--- a/wled00/json.cpp
+++ b/wled00/json.cpp
@@ -14,16 +14,16 @@
  * JSON API (De)serialization
  */
 
-void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
+bool deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
 {
   byte id = elem["id"] | it;
-  if (id >= strip.getMaxSegments()) return;
+  if (id >= strip.getMaxSegments()) return false;
 
   int stop = elem["stop"] | -1;
 
   // if using vectors use this code to append segment
   if (id >= strip.getSegmentsNum()) {
-    if (stop <= 0) return; // ignore empty/inactive segments
+    if (stop <= 0) return false; // ignore empty/inactive segments
     strip.appendSegment(Segment(0, strip.getLengthTotal()));
     id = strip.getSegmentsNum()-1; // segments are added at the end of list
   }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
       elem["rev"]   = !elem["rev"]; // alternate reverse on even/odd segments
       deserializeSegment(elem, i, presetId); // recursive call with new id
     }
-    return;
+    return true;
   }
 
   if (elem["n"]) {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
   if (stop > start && of > len -1) of = len -1;
   seg.set(start, stop, grp, spc, of, startY, stopY);
 
-  if (seg.reset && seg.stop == 0) return; // segment was deleted & is marked for reset, no need to change anything else
+  if (seg.reset && seg.stop == 0) return true; // segment was deleted & is marked for reset, no need to change anything else
 
   byte segbri = seg.opacity;
   if (getVal(elem["bri"], &segbri)) {
@@ -264,6 +264,8 @@ void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
   }
   // send UDP/WS if segment options changed (except selection; will also deselect current preset)
   if (seg.differs(prev) & 0x7F) stateChanged = true;
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 // deserializes WLED state (fileDoc points to doc object if called from web server)
@@ -379,11 +381,12 @@ bool deserializeState(JsonObject root, byte callMode, byte presetId)
       deserializeSegment(segVar, id, presetId); //apply only the segment with the specified ID
     }
   } else {
+    size_t deleted = 0;
     JsonArray segs = segVar.as<JsonArray>();
     for (JsonObject elem : segs) {
-      deserializeSegment(elem, it, presetId);
-      it++;
+      if (deserializeSegment(elem, it++, presetId) && !elem["stop"].isNull() && elem["stop"]==0) deleted++;
     }
+    if (strip.getSegmentsNum() > 3 && deleted >= strip.getSegmentsNum()/2U) strip.purgeSegments(); // batch deleting more than half segments
   }
 
   usermods.readFromJsonState(root);
diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index dcb94483..14d86355 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -316,8 +316,7 @@ void WLED::setup()
   DEBUG_PRINT(F("esp8266 "));
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getCoreVersion());
 #endif
-  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap "));
-  DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
   #if defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32) && defined(WLED_USE_PSRAM)
   if (psramFound()) {
@@ -352,6 +351,8 @@ void WLED::setup()
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Registering usermods ..."));
   registerUsermods();
 
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
+
   for (uint8_t i=1; i<WLED_MAX_BUTTONS; i++) btnPin[i] = -1;
 
   bool fsinit = false;
@@ -392,10 +393,12 @@ void WLED::setup()
 
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Initializing strip"));
   beginStrip();
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Usermods setup"));
   userSetup();
   usermods.setup();
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
   if (strcmp(clientSSID, DEFAULT_CLIENT_SSID) == 0)
     showWelcomePage = true;
@@ -451,7 +454,9 @@ void WLED::setup()
 #endif
 
   // HTTP server page init
+  DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("initServer"));
   initServer();
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
   enableWatchdog();
 
@@ -747,6 +752,8 @@ void WLED::handleConnection()
       DEBUG_PRINTLN(heap);
       forceReconnect = true;
       strip.purgeSegments(true); // remove all but one segments from memory
+    } else if (heap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE) {
+      strip.purgeSegments();
     }
     lastHeap = heap;
     heapTime = now;