diff --git a/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.cpp b/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.cpp
index fe73231b..d9e4b445 100644
--- a/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.cpp
+++ b/usermods/audioreactive/audio_reactive.cpp
@@ -1235,16 +1235,24 @@ class AudioReactive : public Usermod {
           break;
         #endif
 
+        case 254: // dummy "network receive only" mode
+          if (audioSource) delete audioSource; audioSource = nullptr;
+          disableSoundProcessing = true;
+          audioSyncEnabled = 2; // force udp sound receive mode
+          enabled = true;
+          break;
+
         case 255: // 255 = -1 = no audio source
           // falls through to default
         default:
           if (audioSource) delete audioSource; audioSource = nullptr;
+          disableSoundProcessing = true;
           enabled = false;
         break;
       }
       delay(250); // give microphone enough time to initialise
 
-      if (!audioSource) enabled = false;                 // audio failed to initialise
+      if (!audioSource && (dmType != 254)) enabled = false;// audio failed to initialise
 #endif
       if (enabled) onUpdateBegin(false);                 // create FFT task, and initialize network