diff --git a/usermods/Animated_Staircase/Animated_Staircase.h b/usermods/Animated_Staircase/Animated_Staircase.h
index 3cf349ca..427348d8 100644
--- a/usermods/Animated_Staircase/Animated_Staircase.h
+++ b/usermods/Animated_Staircase/Animated_Staircase.h
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ class Animated_Staircase : public Usermod {
 
           // We may need to copy mode and colors from segment 0 to make sure
           // changes are propagated even when the config is changed during a wipe
-          // segments->mode = mainsegment.mode;
-          // segments->colors[0] = mainsegment.colors[0];
+          // seg.setMode(mainsegment.mode);
+          // seg.setColor(0, mainsegment.colors[0]);
         } else {
           seg.setOption(SEG_OPTION_ON, false);
         }
diff --git a/usermods/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT.h b/usermods/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT.h
index 18435ca3..85ed7ff3 100644
--- a/usermods/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT.h
+++ b/usermods/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT/usermod_v2_rotary_encoder_ui_ALT.h
@@ -531,11 +531,11 @@ public:
       for (byte i=0; i<strip.getSegmentsNum(); i++) {
         Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(i);
         if (!seg.isActive()) continue;
-        strip.setMode(i, effectCurrent);
+        seg.setMode(effectCurrent);
       }
     } else {
-      //Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(strip.getMainSegmentId());
-      strip.setMode(strip.getMainSegmentId(), effectCurrent);
+      Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(strip.getMainSegmentId());
+      seg.setMode(effectCurrent);
     }
     lampUdated();
   #ifdef USERMOD_FOUR_LINE_DISPLAY
@@ -661,11 +661,11 @@ public:
       for (byte i=0; i<strip.getSegmentsNum(); i++) {
         Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(i);
         if (!seg.isActive()) continue;
-        seg.palette = effectPalette;
+        seg.setPalette(effectPalette);
       }
     } else {
       Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(strip.getMainSegmentId());
-      seg.palette = effectPalette;
+      seg.setPalette(effectPalette);
     }
     lampUdated();
   #ifdef USERMOD_FOUR_LINE_DISPLAY
diff --git a/wled00/FX.h b/wled00/FX.h
index 13670b30..e39d9aef 100644
--- a/wled00/FX.h
+++ b/wled00/FX.h
@@ -502,6 +502,8 @@ typedef struct Segment {
     void    setCCT(uint16_t k);
     void    setOpacity(uint8_t o);
     void    setOption(uint8_t n, bool val);
+    void    setMode(uint8_t fx, bool loadDefaults = false);
+    void    setPalette(uint8_t pal);
     uint8_t differs(Segment& b) const;
     void    refreshLightCapabilities(void);
 
diff --git a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
index bb930322..21882d65 100644
--- a/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
+++ b/wled00/FX_fcn.cpp
@@ -396,6 +396,48 @@ void Segment::setOption(uint8_t n, bool val) {
   else     options &= ~(0x01 << n);
 }
 
+void Segment::setMode(uint8_t fx, bool loadDefaults) {
+  // if we have a valid mode & is not reserved
+  if (fx < strip.getModeCount() && strncmp_P("RSVD", strip.getModeData(fx), 4)) {
+    if (fx != mode) {
+      startTransition(strip.getTransition()); // set effect transitions
+      //markForReset(); // transition will handle this
+      mode = fx;
+
+      // load default values from effect string
+      if (loadDefaults) {
+        int16_t sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "sx");   if (sOpt >= 0) speed     = sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "ix");   if (sOpt >= 0) intensity = sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c1");   if (sOpt >= 0) custom1   = sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c2");   if (sOpt >= 0) custom2   = sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c3");   if (sOpt >= 0) custom3   = sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mp12"); if (sOpt >= 0) map1D2D   = constrain(sOpt, 0, 7);
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "ssim"); if (sOpt >= 0) soundSim  = constrain(sOpt, 0, 7);
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "rev");  if (sOpt >= 0) reverse   = (bool)sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mi");   if (sOpt >= 0) mirror    = (bool)sOpt; // NOTE: setting this option is a risky business
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "rY");   if (sOpt >= 0) reverse_y = (bool)sOpt;
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mY");   if (sOpt >= 0) mirror_y  = (bool)sOpt; // NOTE: setting this option is a risky business
+        sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "pal");
+        if (sOpt >= 0 && (size_t)sOpt < strip.getPaletteCount() + strip.customPalettes.size()) {
+          if (sOpt != palette) {
+            palette = sOpt;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void Segment::setPalette(uint8_t pal) {
+  if (pal < strip.getPaletteCount()) {
+    if (pal != palette) {
+      if (strip.paletteFade) startTransition(strip.getTransition());
+      palette = pal;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 // 2D matrix
 uint16_t Segment::virtualWidth() const {
   uint16_t groupLen = groupLength();
diff --git a/wled00/json.cpp b/wled00/json.cpp
index 4b49d104..9f5acdc7 100644
--- a/wled00/json.cpp
+++ b/wled00/json.cpp
@@ -174,47 +174,16 @@ void deserializeSegment(JsonObject elem, byte it, byte presetId)
   byte fx = seg.mode;
   if (getVal(elem["fx"], &fx, 0, strip.getModeCount())) { //load effect ('r' random, '~' inc/dec, 0-255 exact value)
     if (!presetId && currentPlaylist>=0) unloadPlaylist();
-    if (fx != seg.mode) {
-      seg.startTransition(strip.getTransition()); // set effect transitions
-      //seg.markForReset();
-      seg.mode = fx;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // load default values from effect string
-  if (elem[F("fxdef")])
-  {
-    int16_t sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "sx");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.speed     = sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "ix");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.intensity = sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c1");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.custom1   = sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c2");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.custom2   = sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "c3");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.custom3   = sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mp12"); if (sOpt >= 0) seg.map1D2D   = constrain(sOpt, 0, 7);
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "ssim"); if (sOpt >= 0) seg.soundSim  = constrain(sOpt, 0, 7);
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "rev");  if (sOpt >= 0) seg.reverse   = (bool)sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mi");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.mirror    = (bool)sOpt; // NOTE: setting this option is a risky business
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "rY");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.reverse_y = (bool)sOpt;
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "mY");   if (sOpt >= 0) seg.mirror_y  = (bool)sOpt; // NOTE: setting this option is a risky business
-    sOpt = extractModeDefaults(fx, "pal");
-    if (sOpt >= 0 && sOpt < strip.getPaletteCount() + strip.customPalettes.size()) {
-      if (sOpt != seg.palette) {
-        if (strip.paletteFade && !seg.transitional) seg.startTransition(strip.getTransition());
-        seg.palette = sOpt;
-      }
-    }
+    if (fx != seg.mode) seg.setMode(fx, elem[F("fxdef")]);
   }
 
   //getVal also supports inc/decrementing and random
   getVal(elem["sx"], &seg.speed);
   getVal(elem["ix"], &seg.intensity);
+
   uint8_t pal = seg.palette;
-  if (getVal(elem["pal"], &pal, 1, strip.getPaletteCount())) {
-    if (pal != seg.palette) {
-      if (strip.paletteFade && !seg.transitional) seg.startTransition(strip.getTransition());
-      seg.palette = pal;
-    }
-  }
+  if (getVal(elem["pal"], &pal, 1, strip.getPaletteCount())) seg.setPalette(pal);
+
   getVal(elem["c1"], &seg.custom1);
   getVal(elem["c2"], &seg.custom2);
   uint8_t cust3 = seg.custom3;
diff --git a/wled00/set.cpp b/wled00/set.cpp
index daaf4271..235f8985 100644
--- a/wled00/set.cpp
+++ b/wled00/set.cpp
@@ -888,17 +888,10 @@ bool handleSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const String& req, bool apply)
   for (uint8_t i = 0; i < strip.getSegmentsNum(); i++) {
     Segment& seg = strip.getSegment(i);
     if (i != selectedSeg && (singleSegment || !seg.isActive() || !seg.isSelected())) continue; // skip non main segments if not applying to all
-    if (fxModeChanged)  {
-      seg.startTransition(strip.getTransition());
-      seg.mode = effectIn;
-      // TODO: we should load defaults here as well
-    }
+    if (fxModeChanged)    seg.setMode(effectIn, req.indexOf(F("FXD="))>0);  // apply defaults if FXD= is specified
     if (speedChanged)     seg.speed     = speedIn;
     if (intensityChanged) seg.intensity = intensityIn;
-    if (paletteChanged) {
-      if (strip.paletteBlend) seg.startTransition(strip.getTransition());
-      seg.palette = paletteIn;
-    }
+    if (paletteChanged)   seg.setPalette(paletteIn);
   }
 
   //set advanced overlay