diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.cpp b/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.cpp
index b9eb1c105c..97483d07fc 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.cpp
@@ -22,13 +22,18 @@ void ESPNowBridge::send_cb(const uint8_t *mac, esp_now_send_status_t status) {
 }
 
 ESPNowBridge::ESPNowBridge(NodePrefs *prefs, mesh::PacketManager *mgr, mesh::RTCClock *rtc)
-    : BridgeBase(prefs, mgr, rtc), _rx_buffer_pos(0) {
+    : BridgeBase(prefs, mgr, rtc), _rx_read_idx(0), _rx_write_idx(0), _rx_count(0), _rx_drop_count(0), _rx_lock(portMUX_INITIALIZER_UNLOCKED) {
   _instance = this;
 }
 
 void ESPNowBridge::begin() {
   BRIDGE_DEBUG_PRINTLN("Initializing...\n");
 
+  _rx_read_idx = 0;
+  _rx_write_idx = 0;
+  _rx_count = 0;
+  _rx_drop_count = 0;
+
   // Initialize WiFi in station mode
   WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
   
@@ -87,10 +92,19 @@ void ESPNowBridge::end() {
 
   // Update bridge state
   _initialized = false;
+
+  portENTER_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+  _rx_read_idx = 0;
+  _rx_write_idx = 0;
+  _rx_count = 0;
+  portEXIT_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
 }
 
 void ESPNowBridge::loop() {
-  // Nothing to do here - ESP-NOW is callback based
+  PendingFrame frame;
+  while (popPendingFrame(frame)) {
+    processReceivedFrame(frame.buf, frame.len);
+  }
 }
 
 void ESPNowBridge::xorCrypt(uint8_t *data, size_t len) {
@@ -101,6 +115,12 @@ void ESPNowBridge::xorCrypt(uint8_t *data, size_t len) {
 }
 
 void ESPNowBridge::onDataRecv(const uint8_t *mac, const uint8_t *data, int32_t len) {
+  (void)mac;
+
+  if (_initialized == false) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Ignore packets that are too small to contain header + checksum
   if (len < (BRIDGE_MAGIC_SIZE + BRIDGE_CHECKSUM_SIZE)) {
     BRIDGE_DEBUG_PRINTLN("RX packet too small, len=%d\n", len);
@@ -113,6 +133,42 @@ void ESPNowBridge::onDataRecv(const uint8_t *mac, const uint8_t *data, int32_t l
     return;
   }
 
+  portENTER_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+  if (_rx_count >= RX_QUEUE_SIZE) {
+    _rx_drop_count++;
+    portEXIT_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+    BRIDGE_DEBUG_PRINTLN("RX queue full, dropping frame len=%d (drops=%lu)\n", len, (unsigned long)_rx_drop_count);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  PendingFrame &slot = _rx_queue[_rx_write_idx];
+  slot.len = len;
+  memcpy(slot.buf, data, len);
+  _rx_write_idx = (_rx_write_idx + 1) % RX_QUEUE_SIZE;
+  _rx_count++;
+  portEXIT_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+}
+
+bool ESPNowBridge::popPendingFrame(PendingFrame &frame) {
+  bool have_frame = false;
+  portENTER_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+  if (_rx_count > 0) {
+    frame = _rx_queue[_rx_read_idx];
+    _rx_read_idx = (_rx_read_idx + 1) % RX_QUEUE_SIZE;
+    _rx_count--;
+    have_frame = true;
+  }
+  portEXIT_CRITICAL(&_rx_lock);
+  return have_frame;
+}
+
+void ESPNowBridge::processReceivedFrame(const uint8_t *data, size_t len) {
+  // Ignore packets that are too small to contain header + checksum
+  if (len < (BRIDGE_MAGIC_SIZE + BRIDGE_CHECKSUM_SIZE)) {
+    BRIDGE_DEBUG_PRINTLN("RX packet too small, len=%d\n", (int)len);
+    return;
+  }
+
   // Check packet header magic
   uint16_t received_magic = (data[0] << 8) | data[1];
   if (received_magic != BRIDGE_PACKET_MAGIC) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.h b/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.h
index 431a036b09..80e80ac8c4 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.h
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/ESPNowBridge.h
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include "MeshCore.h"
 #include "esp_now.h"
 #include "helpers/bridges/BridgeBase.h"
+#include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
+#include <freertos/portmacro.h>
 
 #ifdef WITH_ESPNOW_BRIDGE
 
@@ -63,11 +65,18 @@ class ESPNowBridge : public BridgeBase {
    */
   static const size_t MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE = MAX_ESPNOW_PACKET_SIZE - (BRIDGE_MAGIC_SIZE + BRIDGE_CHECKSUM_SIZE);
 
-  /** Buffer for receiving ESP-NOW packets */
-  uint8_t _rx_buffer[MAX_ESPNOW_PACKET_SIZE];
+  struct PendingFrame {
+    uint16_t len;
+    uint8_t buf[MAX_ESPNOW_PACKET_SIZE];
+  };
 
-  /** Current position in receive buffer */
-  size_t _rx_buffer_pos;
+  static const uint8_t RX_QUEUE_SIZE = 4;
+  PendingFrame _rx_queue[RX_QUEUE_SIZE];
+  uint8_t _rx_read_idx;
+  uint8_t _rx_write_idx;
+  uint8_t _rx_count;
+  uint32_t _rx_drop_count;
+  portMUX_TYPE _rx_lock;
 
   /**
    * Performs XOR encryption/decryption of data
@@ -92,6 +101,10 @@ class ESPNowBridge : public BridgeBase {
    */
   void onDataRecv(const uint8_t *mac, const uint8_t *data, int32_t len);
 
+  void processReceivedFrame(const uint8_t *data, size_t len);
+
+  bool popPendingFrame(PendingFrame &frame);
+
   /**
    * ESP-NOW send callback
    * Called by ESP-NOW after a transmission attempt