diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
index 038861937d..44094f1bba 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
@@ -267,14 +267,22 @@ void MeshService::sendNetworkPing(NodeNum dest, bool wantReplies)
 
 void MeshService::sendToPhone(meshtastic_MeshPacket *p)
 {
+    perhapsDecode(p);
+
     if (toPhoneQueue.numFree() == 0) {
-        LOG_WARN("ToPhone queue is full, discarding oldest\n");
-        meshtastic_MeshPacket *d = toPhoneQueue.dequeuePtr(0);
-        if (d)
-            releaseToPool(d);
+        if (p->decoded.portnum == meshtastic_PortNum_TEXT_MESSAGE_APP ||
+            p->decoded.portnum == meshtastic_PortNum_RANGE_TEST_APP) {
+            LOG_WARN("ToPhone queue is full, discarding oldest\n");
+            meshtastic_MeshPacket *d = toPhoneQueue.dequeuePtr(0);
+            if (d)
+                releaseToPool(d);
+        } else {
+            LOG_WARN("ToPhone queue is full, dropping packet.\n");
+            releaseToPool(p);
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
-    perhapsDecode(p);
     assert(toPhoneQueue.enqueue(p, 0));
     fromNum++;
 }