diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
index 32e851d8b..7b1263147 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
@@ -3504,10 +3504,9 @@ void NodeDB::addFromContact(meshtastic_SharedContact contact)
  */
 bool NodeDB::updateUser(uint32_t nodeId, meshtastic_User &p, uint8_t channelIndex, bool xeddsaSigned)
 {
-    // Only a signed update may change the identity of a node that has proven it signs; our own record is
-    // exempt. Checked before getOrCreateMeshNode so a refused update cannot evict or write the warm tier.
-    const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *existing = getMeshNode(nodeId);
-    if (nodeId != getNodeNum() && existing && nodeInfoLiteHasXeddsaSigned(existing) && !xeddsaSigned) {
+    // Only a signed update may change the identity of a proven signer; our own record is exempt.
+    // Checked before getOrCreateMeshNode so a refusal cannot evict; isKnownXeddsaSigner covers the warm tier.
+    if (nodeId != getNodeNum() && isKnownXeddsaSigner(nodeId) && !xeddsaSigned) {
         LOG_WARN("Refusing unsigned identity update for node 0x%08x that previously signed", nodeId);
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/mesh/Router.cpp b/src/mesh/Router.cpp
index cf0e05c9a..3abcf64b3 100644
--- a/src/mesh/Router.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/Router.cpp
@@ -681,20 +681,14 @@ bool checkXeddsaReceivePolicy(meshtastic_MeshPacket *p)
         if (compatible)
             return true;
 
-        // In Balanced, preserve legacy unsigned-unicast compatibility and only reject the class a
-        // signing node always signs: a non-PKI broadcast whose signed encoding would still fit the
-        // LoRa frame. Canonical sizing removes unknown protobuf fields before mirroring the
-        // sender-side signedDataFits() gate, so this counts the same fields that gate counted.
-        // Unicast packets and broadcasts too big to carry a signature are never signed, so they
-        // must not be hard-failed here even for a known signer (PKI already returned above).
-        // isKnownXeddsaSigner consults the warm tier too: a signer evicted from the hot store
-        // must not become impersonatable via unsigned broadcasts until it is re-heard.
-        if (nodeDB->isKnownXeddsaSigner(p->from) && isBroadcast(p->to)) {
+        // Balanced rejects only what a signer always signs: non-PKI broadcasts whose signed encoding
+        // would have fit, plus unicasts on ham where licensed senders sign too. Mirrors perhapsEncode.
+        if (nodeDB->isKnownXeddsaSigner(p->from) && (isBroadcast(p->to) || owner.is_licensed)) {
             size_t canonicalSize;
             if (!canonicalSignableSize(&p->decoded, &canonicalSize))
                 return true; // can't size it; never drop on a sizing failure
             if (canonicalSize + XEDDSA_SIGNATURE_FIELD_BYTES + MESHTASTIC_HEADER_LENGTH <= MAX_LORA_PAYLOAD_LEN) {
-                LOG_WARN("Dropping unsigned broadcast from 0x%08x that previously signed", p->from);
+                LOG_WARN("Dropping unsigned packet from 0x%08x that previously signed", p->from);
                 return false;
             }
         }
@@ -1172,7 +1166,12 @@ meshtastic_Routing_Error perhapsEncode(meshtastic_MeshPacket *p)
                          *destKey.bytes);
                 return meshtastic_Routing_Error_PKI_FAILED;
             }
-            crypto->encryptCurve25519(p->to, getFrom(p), destKey, p->id, numbytes, bytes, p->encrypted.bytes);
+            // On failure encrypted.bytes holds no ciphertext, so continuing would put the plaintext
+            // on the air labelled pki_encrypted.
+            if (!crypto->encryptCurve25519(p->to, getFrom(p), destKey, p->id, numbytes, bytes, p->encrypted.bytes)) {
+                LOG_WARN("PKI encryption failed for destination node 0x%08x", p->to);
+                return meshtastic_Routing_Error_PKI_FAILED;
+            }
             numbytes += MESHTASTIC_PKC_OVERHEAD;
             p->channel = 0;
             p->pki_encrypted = true;
diff --git a/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h b/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
index 60967ccef..4a05d1292 100644
--- a/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
+++ b/src/mesh/udp/UdpMulticastHandler.h
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ class UdpMulticastHandler final
                 LOG_WARN("UDP packet with spoofed local from=0x%08x, dropping", mp.from);
                 return;
             }
+            // Same clamp the MQTT ingress applies: an out-of-range hop count is not relayable.
+            if (mp.hop_limit > HOP_MAX || mp.hop_start > HOP_MAX) {
+                LOG_WARN("UDP packet with invalid hop_limit(%u) or hop_start(%u), dropping", mp.hop_limit, mp.hop_start);
+                return;
+            }
             mp.transport_mechanism = meshtastic_MeshPacket_TransportMechanism_TRANSPORT_MULTICAST_UDP;
             // Authentication metadata is local-only; Router re-establishes it after successful PKI decryption.
             mp.pki_encrypted = false;
diff --git a/src/modules/NodeInfoModule.cpp b/src/modules/NodeInfoModule.cpp
index cf6180ca2..91ec9d633 100644
--- a/src/modules/NodeInfoModule.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/NodeInfoModule.cpp
@@ -53,10 +53,9 @@ bool NodeInfoModule::handleReceivedProtobuf(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp, mes
         return true;
     }
     NodeNum sourceNum = getFrom(&mp);
-    const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *node = nodeDB->getMeshNode(sourceNum);
-    // Broadcasts only: senders never sign unicast NodeInfo, so dropping it would break exchanges
-    // with signer nodes. Backstops ingress that skips Router's downgrade drop (e.g. decoded MQTT).
-    if (node && nodeInfoLiteHasXeddsaSigned(node) && !mp.xeddsa_signed && isBroadcast(mp.to)) {
+    // Broadcasts only: unicast NodeInfo is unsigned off ham, so updateUser refuses the identity
+    // write instead. isKnownXeddsaSigner also covers the warm tier.
+    if (nodeDB->isKnownXeddsaSigner(sourceNum) && !mp.xeddsa_signed && isBroadcast(mp.to)) {
         LOG_WARN("Dropping unsigned NodeInfo broadcast from node 0x%08x that previously signed", sourceNum);
         return true;
     }