diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index 6f6245710..762d9ec14 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ lib_deps =
   #https://github.com/lorol/LITTLEFS.git
   # ESPAsyncTCP @ 1.2.0
   ESPAsyncUDP
-  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.7 # 2.6.5/2.6.6 and newer do not compile on ESP core < 3.0.0
-  #makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.9 # 2.6.5/2.6.6 and newer do not compile on ESP core < 3.0.0
+  #makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.7 # 2.6.5/2.6.6 and newer do not compile on ESP core < 3.0.0
+  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.9 # 2.6.5/2.6.6 and newer do not compile on ESP core < 3.0.0
 
 [esp32]
 #platform = https://github.com/tasmota/platform-espressif32/releases/download/v2.0.2/platform-tasmota-espressif32-2.0.2.zip
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ default_partitions = tools/WLED_ESP32_4MB_1MB_FS.csv
 lib_deps =
   ${env.lib_deps}
   https://github.com/lorol/LITTLEFS.git
-  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.7
+  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.9
   https://github.com/pbolduc/AsyncTCP.git @ 1.2.0
 
 [esp32s2]
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ build_flags = -g
 
 lib_deps =
   ${env.lib_deps}
-  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.7
+  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.9
   https://github.com/pbolduc/AsyncTCP.git @ 1.2.0
 
 [esp32c3]
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ build_flags = -g
 
 lib_deps =
   ${env.lib_deps}
-  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.7
+  makuna/NeoPixelBus @ 2.6.9
   https://github.com/pbolduc/AsyncTCP.git @ 1.2.0
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/wled00/ir.cpp b/wled00/ir.cpp
index d1d3e1945..c241ebdae 100644
--- a/wled00/ir.cpp
+++ b/wled00/ir.cpp
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ void decodeIRJson(uint32_t code)
   // command is JSON object
   //allow applyPreset() to reuse JSON buffer, or it would alloc. a second buffer and run out of mem.
   //fileDoc = &doc; // used for applying presets (presets.cpp)
-  if (!cmdStr.isEmpty()) 
+  if (jsonCmdObj.isNull())  // we could also use: fdo["cmd"].is<String>()
   {
     if (cmdStr.startsWith("!")) {
       // call limited set of C functions