diff --git a/FluidNC/esp32/StepTimer.cpp b/FluidNC/esp32/StepTimer.cpp
index 05336f6be..338698fbd 100644
--- a/FluidNC/esp32/StepTimer.cpp
+++ b/FluidNC/esp32/StepTimer.cpp
@@ -29,14 +29,21 @@ static void IRAM_ATTR timer_isr(void* arg) {
     }
 }
 
+// Possibly-unnecessary optimization to avoid rewriting the alarm value
+static uint32_t old_ticks = 0xffffffff;
+
 void IRAM_ATTR stepTimerStart() {
     timer_ll_set_alarm_value(&TIMERG0, TIMER_0, 10ULL);  // Interrupt very soon to start the stepping
+    old_ticks = 10ULL;
     timer_ll_set_alarm_enable(&TIMERG0, TIMER_0, true);
     timer_ll_set_counter_enable(&TIMERG0, TIMER_0, true);
 }
 
 void IRAM_ATTR stepTimerSetTicks(uint32_t ticks) {
-    timer_ll_set_alarm_value(&TIMERG0, TIMER_0, (uint64_t)ticks);
+    if (ticks != old_ticks) {
+        timer_ll_set_alarm_value(&TIMERG0, TIMER_0, (uint64_t)ticks);
+        old_ticks = ticks;
+    }
 }
 
 void IRAM_ATTR stepTimerStop() {
@@ -61,7 +68,7 @@ void stepTimerInit(uint32_t frequency, bool (*callback)(void)) {
     timer_isr_callback = callback;
 
     esp_intr_alloc_intrstatus(timer_group_periph_signals.groups[TIMER_GROUP_0].t0_irq_id,
-                              ESP_INTR_FLAG_IRAM,
+                              ESP_INTR_FLAG_IRAM | ESP_INTR_FLAG_LEVEL3,
                               timer_ll_get_intr_status_reg(&TIMERG0),
                               1 << TIMER_0,
                               timer_isr,
diff --git a/FluidNC/esp32/i2s_engine.c b/FluidNC/esp32/i2s_engine.c
index fe4df8c25..967161aa5 100644
--- a/FluidNC/esp32/i2s_engine.c
+++ b/FluidNC/esp32/i2s_engine.c
@@ -455,22 +455,24 @@ static IRAM_ATTR void finish_dir() {
 // push _pulse_counts copies of the memory variable to the
 // I2S FIFO, thus creating a pulse of the desired length.
 static IRAM_ATTR void finish_step() {
-    for (int i = 0; i < _pulse_counts; i++) {
-        I2S0.fifo_wr = new_port_data;
+    if (new_port_data == i2s_out_port_data) {
+        return;
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < _pulse_counts; i++) {
-        I2S0.fifo_wr = i2s_out_port_data;
+        I2S0.fifo_wr = new_port_data;
     }
+    // There is no need for multiple "step off" samples since the timer will not fire
+    // until the next time for a pulse.
+    I2S0.fifo_wr = i2s_out_port_data;
 }
 
 static IRAM_ATTR int start_unstep() {
-#if 1
     return 1;
-#else
-    return 0;
-#endif
 }
 
+// Not called since start_unstep() returns 1
+static IRAM_ATTR void finish_unstep() {}
+
 static uint32_t max_pulses_per_sec() {
     return 1000000 / (2 * _pulse_counts * I2S_OUT_USEC_PER_PULSE);
 }
@@ -486,7 +488,7 @@ step_engine_t engine = {
     set_step_pin,
     finish_step,
     start_unstep,
-    finish_step,   // finish_step and finish_unstep are the same
+    finish_unstep,
     max_pulses_per_sec
 };
 
diff --git a/FluidNC/src/Machine/Axis.cpp b/FluidNC/src/Machine/Axis.cpp
index b206cb268..09199771f 100644
--- a/FluidNC/src/Machine/Axis.cpp
+++ b/FluidNC/src/Machine/Axis.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 namespace Machine {
     void Axis::group(Configuration::HandlerBase& handler) {
         handler.item("steps_per_mm", _stepsPerMm, 0.001, 100000.0);
-        handler.item("max_rate_mm_per_min", _maxRate, 0.001, 100000.0);
+        handler.item("max_rate_mm_per_min", _maxRate, 0.001, 200000.0);
         handler.item("acceleration_mm_per_sec2", _acceleration, 0.001, 100000.0);
         handler.item("max_travel_mm", _maxTravel, 0.1, 10000000.0);
         handler.item("soft_limits", _softLimits);
diff --git a/FluidNC/src/Stepping.cpp b/FluidNC/src/Stepping.cpp
index d9d30ccac..6e00043d5 100644
--- a/FluidNC/src/Stepping.cpp
+++ b/FluidNC/src/Stepping.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ void IRAM_ATTR Stepping::step(uint8_t step_mask, uint8_t dir_mask) {
         previous_dir_mask = dir_mask;
     }
 
+    step_engine->start_step();
+
     // Turn on step pulses for motors that are supposed to step now
     for (size_t axis = 0; axis < _n_active_axes; axis++) {
         if (bitnum_is_true(step_mask, axis)) {
@@ -193,8 +195,7 @@ void IRAM_ATTR Stepping::waitDirection() {}
 // Called only from Stepper::pulse_func when a new segment is loaded
 // The argument is in units of ticks of the timer that generates ISRs
 void IRAM_ATTR Stepping::setTimerPeriod(uint16_t timerTicks) {
-    // stepTimerSetTicks((uint32_t)timerTicks * 3 / 10);
-    stepTimerSetTicks((uint32_t)timerTicks / 2);
+    stepTimerSetTicks((uint32_t)timerTicks);
 }
 
 // Called only from Stepper::wake_up which is not used in ISR context