diff --git a/bin/dmshell_client.py b/bin/dmshell_client.py
index 6f76d79a4..df082eaf7 100644
--- a/bin/dmshell_client.py
+++ b/bin/dmshell_client.py
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ def reader_loop(sock: socket.socket, state: SessionState) -> None:
                 send_ack_frame(sock, state)
                 continue
             if action == "gap":
-                state.event_queue.put(f"missing frame before seq={shell.seq}, requesting replay from seq={missing_from}")
+                # state.event_queue.put(f"missing frame before seq={shell.seq}, requesting replay from seq={missing_from}")
                 send_ack_frame(sock, state, replay_from=missing_from)
                 continue
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/RadioLibInterface.h b/src/mesh/RadioLibInterface.h
index ca3d78503..5ef688629 100644
--- a/src/mesh/RadioLibInterface.h
+++ b/src/mesh/RadioLibInterface.h
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ class RadioLibInterface : public RadioInterface, protected concurrency::Notified
     /** Attempt to find a packet in the TxQueue. Returns true if the packet was found. */
     virtual bool findInTxQueue(NodeNum from, PacketId id) override;
 
+    uint8_t packetsInTxQueue() { return txQueue.getMaxLen() - txQueue.getFree(); }
+
   private:
     /** if we have something waiting to send, start a short (random) timer so we can come check for collision before actually
      * doing the transmit */
diff --git a/src/modules/DMShell.cpp b/src/modules/DMShell.cpp
index fed1a526e..36a1b0247 100644
--- a/src/modules/DMShell.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/DMShell.cpp
@@ -98,13 +98,21 @@ ProcessMessage DMShellModule::handleReceived(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp)
         return ProcessMessage::STOP;
     }
 
+    // TODO: double-check the sender is the same as the one we have an active session with before processing ACKs
+    if (frame.op == meshtastic_DMShell_OpCode_ACK) {
+        if (session.active && frame.sessionId == session.sessionId && getFrom(&mp) == session.peer) {
+            handleAckFrame(frame);
+        }
+        return ProcessMessage::STOP;
+    }
+
     if (frame.op >= 64) {
-        LOG_WARN("DMShell: ignoring frame with op code %d", frame.op);
+        LOG_WARN("DMShell: ignoring frame with op code %d, seq %d", frame.op, frame.seq);
         return ProcessMessage::CONTINUE;
     }
 
     if (!isAuthorizedPacket(mp)) {
-        LOG_WARN("DMShell: unauthorized sender 0x%x", mp.from);
+        LOG_WARN("DMShell: unauthorized sender 0x%x, %u", mp.from, frame.op);
         myReply = allocErrorResponse(meshtastic_Routing_Error_NOT_AUTHORIZED, &mp);
         return ProcessMessage::STOP;
     }
@@ -113,13 +121,6 @@ ProcessMessage DMShellModule::handleReceived(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp)
         pruneSentFrames(frame.ackSeq);
     }
 
-    if (frame.op == meshtastic_DMShell_OpCode_ACK) {
-        if (session.active && frame.sessionId == session.sessionId && getFrom(&mp) == session.peer) {
-            handleAckFrame(frame);
-        }
-        return ProcessMessage::STOP;
-    }
-
     if (frame.op == meshtastic_DMShell_OpCode_OPEN) {
         LOG_WARN("DMShell: received OPEN from 0x%x sessionId=0x%x", mp.from, frame.sessionId);
         if (!openSession(mp, frame)) {
@@ -189,6 +190,10 @@ int32_t DMShellModule::runOnce()
         return 100;
     }
 
+    if (RadioLibInterface::instance->packetsInTxQueue() > 1) {
+        return 50;
+    }
+
     uint8_t outBuf[MAX_PTY_READ_SIZE];
     while (session.masterFd >= 0) {
         const ssize_t bytesRead = read(session.masterFd, outBuf, sizeof(outBuf));
@@ -196,7 +201,8 @@ int32_t DMShellModule::runOnce()
             LOG_WARN("DMShell: read %d bytes from PTY", bytesRead);
             sendControl(meshtastic_DMShell_OpCode_OUTPUT, outBuf, static_cast<size_t>(bytesRead));
             session.lastActivityMs = millis();
-            continue;
+            // continue;
+            return 50;
         }
 
         if (bytesRead == 0) {