diff --git a/wled00/mqtt.cpp b/wled00/mqtt.cpp
index 2e2e4a6bd..5599824ef 100644
--- a/wled00/mqtt.cpp
+++ b/wled00/mqtt.cpp
@@ -103,20 +103,17 @@ void onMqttMessage(char* topic, char* payload, AsyncMqttClientMessageProperties
     colorFromDecOrHexString(col, payloadStr);
     colorUpdated(CALL_MODE_DIRECT_CHANGE);
   } else if (strcmp_P(topic, PSTR("/api")) == 0) {
-    if (!requestJSONBufferLock(15)) {
-      delete[] payloadStr;
-      payloadStr = nullptr;
-      return;
+    if (requestJSONBufferLock(15)) {
+      if (payloadStr[0] == '{') { //JSON API
+        deserializeJson(*pDoc, payloadStr);
+        deserializeState(pDoc->as<JsonObject>());
+      } else { //HTTP API
+        String apireq = "win"; apireq += '&'; // reduce flash string usage
+        apireq += payloadStr;
+        handleSet(nullptr, apireq);
+      }
+      releaseJSONBufferLock();
     }
-    if (payloadStr[0] == '{') { //JSON API
-      deserializeJson(*pDoc, payloadStr);
-      deserializeState(pDoc->as<JsonObject>());
-    } else { //HTTP API
-      String apireq = "win"; apireq += '&'; // reduce flash string usage
-      apireq += payloadStr;
-      handleSet(nullptr, apireq);
-    }
-    releaseJSONBufferLock();
   } else if (strlen(topic) != 0) {
     // non standard topic, check with usermods
     usermods.onMqttMessage(topic, payloadStr);