diff --git a/wled00/json.cpp b/wled00/json.cpp
index 79c44880..7ae408a3 100644
--- a/wled00/json.cpp
+++ b/wled00/json.cpp
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ void serializeState(JsonObject root, bool forPreset, bool includeBri, bool segme
     if (errorFlag) {root[F("error")] = errorFlag; errorFlag = ERR_NONE;}
 
     root[F("ps")] = currentPreset>0 ? currentPreset : -1;
-    root[F("pl")] = currentPlaylist>0 ? currentPlaylist : -1;
+    root[F("pl")] = currentPlaylist;
 
     usermods.addToJsonState(root);
 
diff --git a/wled00/playlist.cpp b/wled00/playlist.cpp
index 31bcede5..1a64601b 100644
--- a/wled00/playlist.cpp
+++ b/wled00/playlist.cpp
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@ void unloadPlaylist() {
     delete[] playlistEntries;
     playlistEntries = nullptr;
   }
-  currentPlaylist = 0;
-  playlistIndex = -1;
+  currentPlaylist = playlistIndex = -1;
   playlistLen = playlistEntryDur = playlistOptions = 0;
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Playlist unloaded."));
 }
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ int16_t loadPlaylist(JsonObject playlistObj, byte presetId) {
 
 void handlePlaylist() {
   static unsigned long presetCycledTime = 0;
-  if (!currentPlaylist || playlistEntries == nullptr) return;
+  if (currentPlaylist<0 || playlistEntries == nullptr) return;
 
   if (millis() - presetCycledTime > (100*playlistEntryDur)) {
     presetCycledTime = millis();
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index e56c7978..050db5a9 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 // version code in format yymmddb (b = daily build)
-#define VERSION 2110070
+#define VERSION 2110071
 
 //uncomment this if you have a "my_config.h" file you'd like to use
 //#define WLED_USE_MY_CONFIG
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ WLED_GLOBAL byte timerWeekday[] _INIT_N(({ 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 25
 WLED_GLOBAL bool blynkEnabled _INIT(false);
 
 //playlists
-WLED_GLOBAL byte currentPlaylist _INIT(0);
+WLED_GLOBAL int16_t currentPlaylist _INIT(-1);
 //still used for "PL=~" HTTP API command
 WLED_GLOBAL byte presetCycCurr _INIT(0);
 
diff --git a/wled00/xml.cpp b/wled00/xml.cpp
index 260aad6f..b266d0d3 100644
--- a/wled00/xml.cpp
+++ b/wled00/xml.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void XML_response(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, char* dest)
   oappend(SET_F("</ws><ps>"));
   oappendi(currentPreset);
   oappend(SET_F("</ps><cy>"));
-  oappendi(currentPlaylist > 0);
+  oappendi(currentPlaylist >= 0);
   oappend(SET_F("</cy><ds>"));
   oappend(serverDescription);
   if (realtimeMode)