diff --git a/bin/regen-protos.sh b/bin/regen-protos.sh
index ad771ab452..b3395de30c 100755
--- a/bin/regen-protos.sh
+++ b/bin/regen-protos.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ echo "prebuilt binaries for your computer into nanopb-0.4.7"
 cd protobufs
 ../nanopb-0.4.7/generator-bin/protoc --nanopb_out=-v:../src/mesh/generated/ -I=../protobufs meshtastic/*.proto --experimental_allow_proto3_optional
 
-# cd ../src/mesh/generated/meshtastic
+cd ../src/mesh/generated/meshtastic
+rename .c .cpp *.c
+cd ../../../..
 # sed -i 's/#include "meshtastic/#include "./g' -- *
 
 # sed -i 's/meshtastic_//g' -- *
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
index 8fb03055ce..47a46476fc 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
@@ -51,12 +51,22 @@ meshtastic_OEMStore oemStore;
 
 bool meshtastic_DeviceState_callback(pb_istream_t *istream, pb_ostream_t *ostream, const pb_field_iter_t *field)
 {
-    std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *vec = (std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *)field->pData;
+    if (ostream) {
+        std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *vec = (std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *)field->pData;
+        for (auto item : *vec) {
+            if (!pb_encode_tag_for_field(ostream, field))
+                return false;
+            pb_encode_submessage(ostream, meshtastic_NodeInfoLite_fields, &item);
+        }
+    }
+    if (istream) {
+        meshtastic_NodeInfoLite node; // this gets good data
+        std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *vec = (std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *)field->pData;
 
-    for (auto item : *vec) {
-        pb_encode_tag_for_field(ostream, field);
-        pb_encode_submessage(ostream, meshtastic_NodeInfoLite_fields, &item);
+        if (istream->bytes_left && pb_decode(istream, meshtastic_NodeInfoLite_fields, &node))
+            vec->push_back(node);
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 /** The current change # for radio settings.  Starts at 0 on boot and any time the radio settings
@@ -81,14 +91,7 @@ uint32_t error_address = 0;
 
 static uint8_t ourMacAddr[6];
 
-NodeDB::NodeDB() : meshNodes(devicestate.node_db_lite)
-{
-    std::cout << "test " << numMeshNodes << std::endl;
-    std::cout << MAX_NUM_NODES << std::endl;
-    meshNodes.reserve(MAX_NUM_NODES);
-    std::cout << "vector size " << meshNodes.size() << std::endl;
-    numMeshNodes = devicestate.node_db_lite_count;
-}
+NodeDB::NodeDB() {}
 
 /**
  * Most (but not always) of the time we want to treat packets 'from' the local phone (where from == 0), as if they originated on
@@ -390,12 +393,14 @@ void NodeDB::removeNodeByNum(uint nodeNum)
 {
     int newPos = 0, removed = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < numMeshNodes; i++) {
-        if (meshNodes[i].num != nodeNum)
-            meshNodes[newPos++] = meshNodes[i];
+        if (meshNodes->at(i).num != nodeNum)
+            meshNodes->at(newPos++) = meshNodes->at(i);
         else
             removed++;
     }
     numMeshNodes -= removed;
+    std::fill(devicestate.node_db_lite.begin() + numMeshNodes, devicestate.node_db_lite.begin() + numMeshNodes + 1,
+              meshtastic_NodeInfoLite());
     LOG_DEBUG("NodeDB::removeNodeByNum purged %d entries. Saving changes...\n", removed);
     saveDeviceStateToDisk();
 }
@@ -404,12 +409,14 @@ void NodeDB::cleanupMeshDB()
 {
     int newPos = 0, removed = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < numMeshNodes; i++) {
-        if (meshNodes[i].has_user)
-            meshNodes[newPos++] = meshNodes[i];
+        if (meshNodes->at(i).has_user)
+            meshNodes->at(newPos++) = meshNodes->at(i);
         else
             removed++;
     }
     numMeshNodes -= removed;
+    std::fill(devicestate.node_db_lite.begin() + numMeshNodes, devicestate.node_db_lite.begin() + numMeshNodes + removed,
+              meshtastic_NodeInfoLite());
     LOG_DEBUG("cleanupMeshDB purged %d entries\n", removed);
 }
 
@@ -419,6 +426,7 @@ void NodeDB::installDefaultDeviceState()
     // memset(&devicestate, 0, sizeof(meshtastic_DeviceState));
 
     numMeshNodes = 0;
+    meshNodes = &devicestate.node_db_lite;
 
     // init our devicestate with valid flags so protobuf writing/reading will work
     devicestate.has_my_node = true;
@@ -565,17 +573,21 @@ bool NodeDB::loadProto(const char *filename, size_t protoSize, size_t objSize, c
 void NodeDB::loadFromDisk()
 {
     // static DeviceState scratch; We no longer read into a tempbuf because this structure is 15KB of valuable RAM
-    if (!loadProto(prefFileName, sizeof(meshtastic_DeviceState), sizeof(meshtastic_DeviceState), &meshtastic_DeviceState_msg,
-                   &devicestate)) {
+    if (!loadProto(prefFileName, sizeof(meshtastic_DeviceState) + MAX_NUM_NODES * sizeof(meshtastic_NodeInfo),
+                   sizeof(meshtastic_DeviceState), &meshtastic_DeviceState_msg, &devicestate)) {
         installDefaultDeviceState(); // Our in RAM copy might now be corrupt
     } else {
         if (devicestate.version < DEVICESTATE_MIN_VER) {
             LOG_WARN("Devicestate %d is old, discarding\n", devicestate.version);
             factoryReset();
         } else {
-            LOG_INFO("Loaded saved devicestate version %d\n", devicestate.version);
+            LOG_INFO("Loaded saved devicestate version %d, with nodecount: %d\n", devicestate.version,
+                     devicestate.node_db_lite.size());
+            meshNodes = &devicestate.node_db_lite;
+            numMeshNodes = devicestate.node_db_lite.size();
         }
     }
+    meshNodes->resize(MAX_NUM_NODES);
 
     if (!loadProto(configFileName, meshtastic_LocalConfig_size, sizeof(meshtastic_LocalConfig), &meshtastic_LocalConfig_msg,
                    &config)) {
@@ -728,7 +740,7 @@ void NodeDB::saveToDisk(int saveWhat)
 const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *NodeDB::readNextMeshNode(uint32_t &readIndex)
 {
     if (readIndex < numMeshNodes)
-        return &meshNodes[readIndex++];
+        return &meshNodes->at(readIndex++);
     else
         return NULL;
 }
@@ -764,9 +776,9 @@ size_t NodeDB::getNumOnlineMeshNodes(bool localOnly)
 
     // FIXME this implementation is kinda expensive
     for (int i = 0; i < numMeshNodes; i++) {
-        if (localOnly && meshNodes[i].via_mqtt)
+        if (localOnly && meshNodes->at(i).via_mqtt)
             continue;
-        if (sinceLastSeen(&meshNodes[i]) < NUM_ONLINE_SECS)
+        if (sinceLastSeen(&meshNodes->at(i)) < NUM_ONLINE_SECS)
             numseen++;
     }
 
@@ -915,8 +927,8 @@ uint8_t NodeDB::getMeshNodeChannel(NodeNum n)
 meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *NodeDB::getMeshNode(NodeNum n)
 {
     for (int i = 0; i < numMeshNodes; i++)
-        if (meshNodes[i].num == n)
-            return &meshNodes[i];
+        if (meshNodes->at(i).num == n)
+            return &meshNodes->at(i);
 
     return NULL;
 }
@@ -935,19 +947,19 @@ meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *NodeDB::getOrCreateMeshNode(NodeNum n)
             uint32_t oldest = UINT32_MAX;
             int oldestIndex = -1;
             for (int i = 1; i < numMeshNodes; i++) {
-                if (meshNodes[i].last_heard < oldest) {
-                    oldest = meshNodes[i].last_heard;
+                if (meshNodes->at(i).last_heard < oldest) {
+                    oldest = meshNodes->at(i).last_heard;
                     oldestIndex = i;
                 }
             }
             // Shove the remaining nodes down the chain
             for (int i = oldestIndex; i < numMeshNodes - 1; i++) {
-                meshNodes[i] = meshNodes[i + 1];
+                meshNodes->at(i) = meshNodes->at(i + 1);
             }
             (numMeshNodes)--;
         }
         // add the node at the end
-        lite = &meshNodes[(numMeshNodes)++];
+        lite = &meshNodes->at((numMeshNodes)++);
 
         // everything is missing except the nodenum
         memset(lite, 0, sizeof(*lite));
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
index 362b28618b..a2e83fb5cf 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ class NodeDB
     // Eventually use a smarter datastructure
     // HashMap<NodeNum, NodeInfo> nodes;
     // Note: these two references just point into our static array we serialize to/from disk
-    std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> meshNodes;
-    pb_size_t numMeshNodes;
 
   public:
+    std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> *meshNodes;
     bool updateGUI = false; // we think the gui should definitely be redrawn, screen will clear this once handled
     meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *updateGUIforNode = NULL; // if currently showing this node, we think you should update the GUI
     Observable<const meshtastic::NodeStatus *> newStatus;
+    pb_size_t numMeshNodes;
 
     /// don't do mesh based algorithm for node id assignment (initially)
     /// instead just store in flash - possibly even in the initial alpha release do this hack
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class NodeDB
     meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *getMeshNodeByIndex(size_t x)
     {
         assert(x < numMeshNodes);
-        return &meshNodes[x];
+        return &meshNodes->at(x);
     }
 
     meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *getMeshNode(NodeNum n);
diff --git a/src/mesh/generated/meshtastic/deviceonly.pb.h b/src/mesh/generated/meshtastic/deviceonly.pb.h
index 27acbea67a..9ba9edac37 100644
--- a/src/mesh/generated/meshtastic/deviceonly.pb.h
+++ b/src/mesh/generated/meshtastic/deviceonly.pb.h
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ typedef struct _meshtastic_DeviceState {
     meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin node_remote_hardware_pins[12];
     /* New lite version of NodeDB to decrease memory footprint */
     std::vector<meshtastic_NodeInfoLite> node_db_lite;
-    uint32_t node_db_lite_count;
 } meshtastic_DeviceState;
 
 
@@ -179,13 +178,13 @@ extern "C" {
 
 
 /* Initializer values for message structs */
-#define meshtastic_DeviceState_init_default      {false, meshtastic_MyNodeInfo_init_default, false, meshtastic_User_init_default, 0, {meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default}, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default, 0, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default, 0, {meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default}, {{NULL}, NULL}, 0}
+#define meshtastic_DeviceState_init_default      {false, meshtastic_MyNodeInfo_init_default, false, meshtastic_User_init_default, 0, {meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default}, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default, 0, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_default, 0, {meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default}, {{NULL}, NULL}}
 #define meshtastic_NodeInfoLite_init_default     {0, false, meshtastic_User_init_default, false, meshtastic_PositionLite_init_default, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_DeviceMetrics_init_default, 0, 0, 0}
 #define meshtastic_PositionLite_init_default     {0, 0, 0, 0, _meshtastic_Position_LocSource_MIN}
 #define meshtastic_ChannelFile_init_default      {0, {meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default, meshtastic_Channel_init_default}, 0}
 #define meshtastic_OEMStore_init_default         {0, 0, {0, {0}}, _meshtastic_ScreenFonts_MIN, "", {0, {0}}, false, meshtastic_LocalConfig_init_default, false, meshtastic_LocalModuleConfig_init_default}
 #define meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_default {0, false, meshtastic_RemoteHardwarePin_init_default}
-#define meshtastic_DeviceState_init_zero         {false, meshtastic_MyNodeInfo_init_zero, false, meshtastic_User_init_zero, 0, {meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero}, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero, 0, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero, 0, {meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero}, {{NULL}, NULL}, 0}
+#define meshtastic_DeviceState_init_zero         {false, meshtastic_MyNodeInfo_init_zero, false, meshtastic_User_init_zero, 0, {meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero}, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero, 0, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_MeshPacket_init_zero, 0, {meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero, meshtastic_NodeRemoteHardwarePin_init_zero}, {{NULL}, NULL}}
 #define meshtastic_NodeInfoLite_init_zero        {0, false, meshtastic_User_init_zero, false, meshtastic_PositionLite_init_zero, 0, 0, false, meshtastic_DeviceMetrics_init_zero, 0, 0, 0}
 #define meshtastic_PositionLite_init_zero        {0, 0, 0, 0, _meshtastic_Position_LocSource_MIN}
 #define meshtastic_ChannelFile_init_zero         {0, {meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero, meshtastic_Channel_init_zero}, 0}
@@ -229,7 +228,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_rx_waypoint_tag   12
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_node_remote_hardware_pins_tag 13
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_node_db_lite_tag  14
-#define meshtastic_DeviceState_node_db_lite_count_tag 15
 
 /* Struct field encoding specification for nanopb */
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_FIELDLIST(X, a) \
@@ -242,8 +240,7 @@ X(a, STATIC,   SINGULAR, BOOL,     no_save,           9) \
 X(a, STATIC,   SINGULAR, BOOL,     did_gps_reset,    11) \
 X(a, STATIC,   OPTIONAL, MESSAGE,  rx_waypoint,      12) \
 X(a, STATIC,   REPEATED, MESSAGE,  node_remote_hardware_pins,  13) \
-X(a, CALLBACK, REPEATED, MESSAGE,  node_db_lite,     14) \
-X(a, STATIC,   SINGULAR, UINT32,   node_db_lite_count,  15)
+X(a, CALLBACK, REPEATED, MESSAGE,  node_db_lite,     14)
 extern bool meshtastic_DeviceState_callback(pb_istream_t *istream, pb_ostream_t *ostream, const pb_field_t *field);
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_CALLBACK meshtastic_DeviceState_callback
 #define meshtastic_DeviceState_DEFAULT NULL
diff --git a/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp b/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
index 7f299ce38a..b255c0ce1a 100644
--- a/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/portduino/PortduinoGlue.cpp
@@ -199,9 +199,8 @@ void portduinoSetup()
             settingsMap[webserverport] = (yamlConfig["Webserver"]["Port"]).as<int>(-1);
             settingsStrings[webserverrootpath] = (yamlConfig["Webserver"]["RootPath"]).as<std::string>("");
         }
-        // if (yamlConfig["General"]) {
-        settingsMap[maxnodes] = (yamlConfig["General"]["MaxNodes"]).as<int>(150);
-        //}
+
+        settingsMap[maxnodes] = (yamlConfig["General"]["MaxNodes"]).as<int>(200);
 
     } catch (YAML::Exception e) {
         std::cout << "*** Exception " << e.what() << std::endl;