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 b142f9037f..858e165401 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
@@ -398,8 +398,14 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::sortModesAndPalettes() {
   modes_alpha_indexes = re_initIndexArray(strip.getModeCount());
   re_sortModes(modes_qstrings, modes_alpha_indexes, strip.getModeCount(), MODE_SORT_SKIP_COUNT);
 
-  palettes_qstrings = re_findModeStrings(JSON_palette_names, strip.getPaletteCount());
-  palettes_alpha_indexes = re_initIndexArray(strip.getPaletteCount());  // only use internal palettes
+  palettes_qstrings = re_findModeStrings(JSON_palette_names, strip.getPaletteCount()+strip.customPalettes.size());
+  palettes_alpha_indexes = re_initIndexArray(strip.getPaletteCount()+strip.customPalettes.size());
+  if (strip.customPalettes.size()) {
+    for (int i=0; i<strip.customPalettes.size(); i++) {
+      palettes_alpha_indexes[strip.getPaletteCount()+i] = 255-i;
+      palettes_qstrings[strip.getPaletteCount()+i] = PSTR("~Custom~");
+    }
+  }
 
   // How many palette names start with '*' and should not be sorted?
   // (Also skipping the first one, 'Default').
@@ -496,7 +502,7 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::setup()
     }
   } else {
     PinManagerPinType pins[3] = { { pinA, false }, { pinB, false }, { pinC, false } };
-    if (!pinManager.allocateMultiplePins(pins, 3, PinOwner::UM_RotaryEncoderUI)) {
+    if (pinA<0 || pinB<0 || !pinManager.allocateMultiplePins(pins, 3, PinOwner::UM_RotaryEncoderUI)) {
       pinA = pinB = pinC = -1;
       enabled = false;
       return;
@@ -507,7 +513,7 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::setup()
     #endif
     pinMode(pinA, USERMOD_ROTARY_ENCODER_GPIO);
     pinMode(pinB, USERMOD_ROTARY_ENCODER_GPIO);
-    pinMode(pinC, USERMOD_ROTARY_ENCODER_GPIO);
+    if (pinC>=0) pinMode(pinC, USERMOD_ROTARY_ENCODER_GPIO);
   }
 
   loopTime = millis();
@@ -682,21 +688,25 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::displayNetworkInfo() {
 void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::findCurrentEffectAndPalette() {
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Finding current mode and palette."));
   currentEffectAndPaletteInitialized = true;
-  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < strip.getModeCount(); i++) {
+
+  effectCurrentIndex = 0;
+  for (int i = 0; i < strip.getModeCount(); i++) {
     if (modes_alpha_indexes[i] == effectCurrent) {
       effectCurrentIndex = i;
+      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Found current mode."));
       break;
     }
   }
-  DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Found current mode."));
 
-  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < strip.getPaletteCount(); i++) {
+  effectPaletteIndex = 0;
+  DEBUG_PRINTLN(effectPalette);
+  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < strip.getPaletteCount()+strip.customPalettes.size(); i++) {
     if (palettes_alpha_indexes[i] == effectPalette) {
       effectPaletteIndex = i;
+      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Found palette."));
       break;
     }
   }
-  DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Found palette."));
 }
 
 bool RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::changeState(const char *stateName, byte markedLine, byte markedCol, byte glyph) {
@@ -731,7 +741,9 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::changeBrightness(bool increase) {
   }
   display->updateRedrawTime();
 #endif
-  bri = max(min((increase ? bri+fadeAmount : bri-fadeAmount), 255), 0);
+  //bri = max(min((increase ? bri+fadeAmount : bri-fadeAmount), 255), 0);
+  if (bri < 40) bri = max(min((increase ? bri+fadeAmount/2 : bri-fadeAmount/2), 255), 0); // slower steps when brightness < 16%
+  else bri = max(min((increase ? bri+fadeAmount : bri-fadeAmount), 255), 0);
   lampUdated();
 #ifdef USERMOD_FOUR_LINE_DISPLAY
   display->updateBrightness();
@@ -878,7 +890,7 @@ void RotaryEncoderUIUsermod::changePalette(bool increase) {
   }
   display->updateRedrawTime();
 #endif
-  effectPaletteIndex = max(min((increase ? effectPaletteIndex+1 : effectPaletteIndex-1), strip.getPaletteCount()-1), 0);
+  effectPaletteIndex = max(min((unsigned)(increase ? effectPaletteIndex+1 : effectPaletteIndex-1), strip.getPaletteCount()+strip.customPalettes.size()-1), 0U);
   effectPalette = palettes_alpha_indexes[effectPaletteIndex];
   stateChanged = true;
   if (applyToAll) {
diff --git a/wled00/led.cpp b/wled00/led.cpp
index db49ec2a8d..19e376ab4c 100644
--- a/wled00/led.cpp
+++ b/wled00/led.cpp
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ void stateUpdated(byte callMode) {
 
 void updateInterfaces(uint8_t callMode)
 {
+  if (!interfaceUpdateCallMode || millis() - lastInterfaceUpdate < INTERFACE_UPDATE_COOLDOWN) return;
+
   sendDataWs();
   lastInterfaceUpdate = millis();
   if (callMode == CALL_MODE_WS_SEND) return;
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ void updateInterfaces(uint8_t callMode)
 void handleTransitions()
 {
   //handle still pending interface update
-  if (interfaceUpdateCallMode && millis() - lastInterfaceUpdate > INTERFACE_UPDATE_COOLDOWN) updateInterfaces(interfaceUpdateCallMode);
+  updateInterfaces(interfaceUpdateCallMode);
 #ifndef WLED_DISABLE_MQTT
   if (doPublishMqtt) publishMqtt();
 #endif
diff --git a/wled00/util.cpp b/wled00/util.cpp
index 3c58bf9ce7..5ab073e6bb 100644
--- a/wled00/util.cpp
+++ b/wled00/util.cpp
@@ -148,8 +148,14 @@ bool oappendi(int i)
 bool oappend(const char* txt)
 {
   uint16_t len = strlen(txt);
-  if (olen + len >= SETTINGS_STACK_BUF_SIZE)
+  if (olen + len >= SETTINGS_STACK_BUF_SIZE) {
+#ifdef WLED_DEBUG
+    DEBUG_PRINT(F("oappend() buffer overflow. Cannnot append "));
+    DEBUG_PRINT(len); DEBUG_PRINT(F(" bytes \t\""));
+    DEBUG_PRINT(txt); DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("\""));
+#endif
     return false;        // buffer full
+  }
   strcpy(obuf + olen, txt);
   olen += len;
   return true;
@@ -246,6 +252,12 @@ uint8_t extractModeName(uint8_t mode, const char *src, char *dest, uint8_t maxLe
     } else return 0;
   }
 
+  if (src == JSON_palette_names && mode > GRADIENT_PALETTE_COUNT) {
+    snprintf_P(dest, maxLen, PSTR("~ Custom %d~"), 255-mode);
+    dest[maxLen-1] = '\0';
+    return strlen(dest);
+  }
+
   uint8_t qComma = 0;
   bool insideQuotes = false;
   uint8_t printedChars = 0;
@@ -560,4 +572,4 @@ void enumerateLedmaps() {
     }
 
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 1c1ee97679..a527f2967a 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -195,12 +195,15 @@ void WLED::loop()
 
 #if WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT > 0
   // we finished our mainloop, reset the watchdog timer
-  if (!strip.isUpdating())
+  static unsigned long lastWDTFeed = 0;
+  if (!strip.isUpdating() || millis() - lastWDTFeed > (WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT*500)) {
   #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
     esp_task_wdt_reset();
   #else
     ESP.wdtFeed();
   #endif
+    lastWDTFeed = millis();
+  }
 #endif
 
   if (doReboot && (!doInitBusses || !doSerializeConfig)) // if busses have to be inited & saved, wait until next iteration