diff --git a/wled00/wled03_set.ino b/wled00/wled03_set.ino
index 3f08d2807..9c753fec2 100644
--- a/wled00/wled03_set.ino
+++ b/wled00/wled03_set.ino
@@ -622,6 +622,10 @@ bool handleSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const String& req)
 
   //cronixie
   #ifndef WLED_DISABLE_CRONIXIE
+  //mode, 1 countdown
+  pos = req.indexOf("NM=");
+  if (pos > 0) countdownMode = (req.charAt(pos+3) != '0');
+  
   pos = req.indexOf("NX="); //sets digits to code
   if (pos > 0) {
     strlcpy(cronixieDisplay, req.substring(pos + 3, pos + 9).c_str(), 6);
@@ -636,9 +640,6 @@ bool handleSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const String& req)
     overlayRefreshedTime = 0;
   }
   #endif
-  //mode, 1 countdown
-  pos = req.indexOf("NM=");
-  if (pos > 0) countdownMode = (req.charAt(pos+3) != '0');
 
   pos = req.indexOf("U0="); //user var 0
   if (pos > 0) {
diff --git a/wled00/wled10_ntp.ino b/wled00/wled10_ntp.ino
index 57a810f14..bf8df064d 100644
--- a/wled00/wled10_ntp.ino
+++ b/wled00/wled10_ntp.ino
@@ -163,13 +163,16 @@ void setCountdown()
 //returns true if countdown just over
 bool checkCountdown()
 {
-  long diff = countdownTime - now();
-  local = abs(diff);
-  if (diff <0 && !countdownOverTriggered)
-  {
-    if (macroCountdown != 0) applyMacro(macroCountdown);
-    countdownOverTriggered = true;
-    return true;
+  unsigned long n = now();
+  local = countdownTime - n;
+  if (n > countdownTime) {
+    local = n - countdownTime;
+    if (!countdownOverTriggered)
+    {
+      if (macroCountdown != 0) applyMacro(macroCountdown);
+      countdownOverTriggered = true;
+      return true;
+    }
   }
   return false;
 }
diff --git a/wled00/wled13_cronixie.ino b/wled00/wled13_cronixie.ino
index dac324751..4c5a74961 100644
--- a/wled00/wled13_cronixie.ino
+++ b/wled00/wled13_cronixie.ino
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ void _overlayCronixie()
 {
   if (countdownMode) checkCountdown();
   #ifndef WLED_DISABLE_CRONIXIE
-  
   byte h = hour(local);
   byte h0 = h;
   byte m = minute(local);