diff --git a/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp b/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
index eb6116e7..083a0629 100644
--- a/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ void BaseChatMesh::onGroupDataRecv(mesh::Packet* packet, uint8_t type, const mes
 mesh::Packet* BaseChatMesh::composeMsgPacket(const ContactInfo& recipient, uint32_t timestamp, uint8_t attempt, const char *text, uint32_t& expected_ack) {
   int text_len = strlen(text);
   if (text_len > MAX_TEXT_LEN) return NULL;
+  if (attempt > 3 && text_len > MAX_TEXT_LEN-2) return NULL;
 
   uint8_t temp[5+MAX_TEXT_LEN+1];
   memcpy(temp, &timestamp, 4);   // mostly an extra blob to help make packet_hash unique
@@ -238,7 +239,13 @@ mesh::Packet* BaseChatMesh::composeMsgPacket(const ContactInfo& recipient, uint3
   // calc expected ACK reply
   mesh::Utils::sha256((uint8_t *)&expected_ack, 4, temp, 5 + text_len, self_id.pub_key, PUB_KEY_SIZE);
 
-  return createDatagram(PAYLOAD_TYPE_TXT_MSG, recipient.id, recipient.shared_secret, temp, 5 + text_len);
+  int len = 5 + text_len;
+  if (attempt > 3) {
+    temp[len++] = 0;  // null terminator
+    temp[len++] = attempt;  // hide attempt number at tail end of payload
+  }
+
+  return createDatagram(PAYLOAD_TYPE_TXT_MSG, recipient.id, recipient.shared_secret, temp, len);
 }
 
 int  BaseChatMesh::sendMessage(const ContactInfo& recipient, uint32_t timestamp, uint8_t attempt, const char* text, uint32_t& expected_ack, uint32_t& est_timeout) {