--- a/src/Dispatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/Dispatcher.cpp
@@ -192,12 +192,30 @@ void Dispatcher::checkRecv() {
   float score;
   uint32_t air_time;
   {
     uint8_t raw[MAX_TRANS_UNIT+1];
     int len = _radio->recvRaw(raw, MAX_TRANS_UNIT);
     if (len > 0) {
       logRxRaw(_radio->getLastSNR(), _radio->getLastRSSI(), raw, len);
 
       pkt = _mgr->allocNew();
       if (pkt == NULL) {
+        // Pool exhausted — evict the last queued outbound packet so
+        // inbound traffic is not silently dropped.
+        int total = _mgr->getOutboundTotal();
+        if (total > 0) {
+          Packet* evicted = _mgr->removeOutboundByIdx(total - 1);
+          if (evicted) {
+            MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("%s Dispatcher::checkRecv(): evicted queued TX to make room for RX", getLogDateTime());
+            _mgr->free(evicted);
+            pkt = _mgr->allocNew();
+          }
+        }
+        if (pkt == NULL) {
+          MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("%s Dispatcher::checkRecv(): WARNING: received data, no unused packets available!", getLogDateTime());
+        }
       } else {
         if (tryParsePacket(pkt, raw, len)) {
           pkt->_snr = _radio->getLastSNR() * 4.0f;
@@ -368,7 +386,13 @@ void Dispatcher::sendPacket(Packet* packet, uint8_t priority, uint32_t delay_mil
   if (!Packet::isValidPathLen(packet->path_len) || packet->payload_len > MAX_PACKET_PAYLOAD) {
     MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("%s Dispatcher::sendPacket(): ERROR: invalid packet... path_len=%d, payload_len=%d", getLogDateTime(), (uint32_t) packet->path_len, (uint32_t) packet->payload_len);
     _mgr->free(packet);
+  } else if (_mgr->getFreeCount() < 1) {
+    // Refuse to queue if it would leave zero free slots — always reserve
+    // at least 1 slot so checkRecv() can allocate for inbound traffic.
+    MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("%s Dispatcher::sendPacket(): WARNING: dropping outbound, pool reserve exhausted", getLogDateTime());
+    _mgr->free(packet);
   } else {
     _mgr->queueOutbound(packet, priority, futureMillis(delay_millis));
   }
 }