diff --git a/arch/esp32/esp32.ini b/arch/esp32/esp32.ini
index b62e609f..3c5c5335 100644
--- a/arch/esp32/esp32.ini
+++ b/arch/esp32/esp32.ini
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 ; Common settings for ESP targes, mixin with extends = esp32_base
 [esp32_base]
 extends = arduino_base
-platform = espressif32
+platform = espressif32@5.1.1
 build_src_filter = 
   ${arduino_base.build_src_filter} -<platform/nrf52/> -<platform/stm32wl> -<platform/rp2040>
 upload_speed = 921600
 debug_init_break = tbreak setup
 monitor_filters = esp32_exception_decoder
+platform_packages = platformio/tool-esptoolpy@^1.40201.0
 
 # Remove -DMYNEWT_VAL_BLE_HS_LOG_LVL=LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL for low level BLE logging.
 # See library directory for BLE logging possible values: .pio/libdeps/tbeam/NimBLE-Arduino/src/log_common/log_common.h
diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index ac5be370..23102e00 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ framework = arduino
 lib_deps =
   ${env.lib_deps}
   ; Portduino is using meshtastic fork for now
-  https://github.com/jgromes/RadioLib.git
+  https://github.com/jgromes/RadioLib.git@5.3.0
 
 build_flags = ${env.build_flags} -Os 
 # -DRADIOLIB_GODMODE
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index d425576e..f4ff0559 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ void MQTT::onPublish(char *topic, byte *payload, unsigned int length)
 {
     // parsing ServiceEnvelope
     ServiceEnvelope e = ServiceEnvelope_init_default;
-    if (moduleConfig.mqtt.json_enabled && !pb_decode_from_bytes(payload, length, ServiceEnvelope_fields, &e)) {
-
+    if (!pb_decode_from_bytes(payload, length, ServiceEnvelope_fields, &e) && moduleConfig.mqtt.json_enabled) {
         // check if this is a json payload message
         using namespace json11;
         char payloadStr[length + 1];
diff --git a/variants/tlora_v1/variant.h b/variants/tlora_v1/variant.h
index c138447d..3a1d61db 100644
--- a/variants/tlora_v1/variant.h
+++ b/variants/tlora_v1/variant.h
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #undef GPS_RX_PIN
 #undef GPS_TX_PIN
-#define GPS_RX_PIN 36
-#define GPS_TX_PIN 37
 
 #define I2C_SDA 4 // I2C pins for this board
 #define I2C_SCL 15