diff --git a/wled00/const.h b/wled00/const.h
index b8b54dc54..e50616271 100644
--- a/wled00/const.h
+++ b/wled00/const.h
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@
 #define ERR_FS_BEGIN    10  // Could not init filesystem (no partition?)
 #define ERR_FS_QUOTA    11  // The FS is full or the maximum file size is reached
 #define ERR_FS_PLOAD    12  // It was attempted to load a preset that does not exist
+#define ERR_FS_IRLOAD   13  // It was attempted to load an IR JSON cmd, but the "ir.json" file does not exist
 #define ERR_FS_GENERAL  19  // A general unspecified filesystem error occured
 #define ERR_OVERTEMP    30  // An attached temperature sensor has measured above threshold temperature (not implemented)
 #define ERR_OVERCURRENT 31  // An attached current sensor has measured a current above the threshold (not implemented)
diff --git a/wled00/ir.cpp b/wled00/ir.cpp
index b1812caa2..ba22421d2 100644
--- a/wled00/ir.cpp
+++ b/wled00/ir.cpp
@@ -568,60 +568,62 @@ void decodeIRJson(uint32_t code)
   char objKey[10];
   const char* cmd;
   String cmdStr;
-  byte irError;
   DynamicJsonDocument irDoc(JSON_BUFFER_SIZE);
   JsonObject fdo;
   JsonObject jsonCmdObj;
 
   sprintf(objKey, "\"0x%X\":", code);
 
-  irError = readObjectFromFile("/ir.json", objKey, &irDoc) ? ERR_NONE : ERR_FS_PLOAD;
+  readObjectFromFile("/ir.json", objKey, &irDoc);
   fdo = irDoc.as<JsonObject>();
   lastValidCode = 0;
-  if (!irError) 
+  if (fdo.isNull()) {
+    //the received code does not exist
+    if (!WLED_FS.exists("/ir.json")) errorFlag = ERR_FS_IRLOAD; //warn if IR file itself doesn't exist
+    return;
+  }
+
+  jsonCmdObj = fdo["cmd"];
+  cmdStr = String(jsonCmdObj);
+
+  if (!cmdStr.isEmpty()) 
   {
-    cmd = fdo["cmd"];
-    cmdStr = String(cmd);
-    jsonCmdObj = fdo["cmd"];
-    if (!cmdStr.isEmpty()) 
-    {
-      if (cmdStr.startsWith("!")) {
-        // call limited set of C functions
-        if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!incBri"))) {
-          lastValidCode = code;
-          incBrightness();
-        } else if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!decBri"))) {
-          lastValidCode = code;
-          decBrightness();
-        } else if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!presetF"))) { //!presetFallback
-          uint8_t p1 = fdo["PL"] ? fdo["PL"] : 1;
-          uint8_t p2 = fdo["FX"] ? fdo["FX"] : random8(MODE_COUNT);
-          uint8_t p3 = fdo["FP"] ? fdo["FP"] : 0;
-          presetFallback(p1, p2, p3);
-        }
-      } else {
-        // HTTP API command
-        if (cmdStr.indexOf("~") || fdo["rpt"]) 
-        {
-          // repeatable action
-          lastValidCode = code;
-        }
-        if (effectCurrent == 0 && cmdStr.indexOf("FP=") > -1) {
-          // setting palette but it wont show because effect is solid
-          effectCurrent = FX_MODE_GRADIENT;
-        }
-        if (!cmdStr.startsWith("win&")) {
-          cmdStr = "win&" + cmdStr;
-        }
-        handleSet(nullptr, cmdStr, false); 
-      }        
-    } else if (!jsonCmdObj.isNull()) {
-      // command is JSON object
-      //allow applyPreset() to reuse JSON buffer, or it would alloc. a second buffer and run out of mem.
-      fileDoc = &irDoc;
-      deserializeState(jsonCmdObj, CALL_MODE_BUTTON);
-      fileDoc = nullptr;
-    }
+    if (cmdStr.startsWith("!")) {
+      // call limited set of C functions
+      if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!incBri"))) {
+        lastValidCode = code;
+        incBrightness();
+      } else if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!decBri"))) {
+        lastValidCode = code;
+        decBrightness();
+      } else if (cmdStr.startsWith(F("!presetF"))) { //!presetFallback
+        uint8_t p1 = fdo["PL"] ? fdo["PL"] : 1;
+        uint8_t p2 = fdo["FX"] ? fdo["FX"] : random8(MODE_COUNT);
+        uint8_t p3 = fdo["FP"] ? fdo["FP"] : 0;
+        presetFallback(p1, p2, p3);
+      }
+    } else {
+      // HTTP API command
+      if (cmdStr.indexOf("~") || fdo["rpt"]) 
+      {
+        // repeatable action
+        lastValidCode = code;
+      }
+      if (effectCurrent == 0 && cmdStr.indexOf("FP=") > -1) {
+        // setting palette but it wont show because effect is solid
+        effectCurrent = FX_MODE_GRADIENT;
+      }
+      if (!cmdStr.startsWith("win&")) {
+        cmdStr = "win&" + cmdStr;
+      }
+      handleSet(nullptr, cmdStr, false); 
+    }        
+  } else if (!jsonCmdObj.isNull()) {
+    // command is JSON object
+    //allow applyPreset() to reuse JSON buffer, or it would alloc. a second buffer and run out of mem.
+    fileDoc = &irDoc;
+    deserializeState(jsonCmdObj, CALL_MODE_BUTTON);
+    fileDoc = nullptr;
   }
 }