diff --git a/include/dsd.h b/include/dsd.h
index 3e70d55..58d271e 100644
--- a/include/dsd.h
+++ b/include/dsd.h
@@ -784,8 +784,8 @@ typedef struct
 
   unsigned long long int m17_dst;
   unsigned long long int m17_src;
-  uint8_t m17_can;     //can value that was decoded from signal
-  uint8_t m17_can_en; //can value supplied to the encoding side
+  uint8_t m17_can; //can value that was decoded from signal
+  int m17_can_en; //can value supplied to the encoding side
 
   char m17_dst_csd[20];
   char m17_src_csd[20];
@@ -802,6 +802,7 @@ typedef struct
   //misc str storage
   char str50a[50];
   char str50b[50];
+  char str50c[50];
   char m17dat[50];  //user supplied m17 data input string
   char m17sms[800]; //user supplied sms text string
 
diff --git a/src/dsd_main.c b/src/dsd_main.c
index 6240eb7..cf59a40 100644
--- a/src/dsd_main.c
+++ b/src/dsd_main.c
@@ -502,8 +502,7 @@ noCarrier (dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
 
   state->m17_dst = 0;
   state->m17_src = 0;
-  state->m17_can = 0;     //can value that was decoded from signal
-  state->m17_can_en = 0; //can value supplied to the encoding side
+  state->m17_can = 0;
   memset(state->m17_dst_csd, 0, sizeof(state->m17_dst_csd));
   memset(state->m17_src_csd, 0, sizeof(state->m17_src_csd));
   sprintf (state->m17_dst_str, "%s", "");
@@ -514,10 +513,11 @@ noCarrier (dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
   memset(state->m17_meta, 0, sizeof(state->m17_meta));
 
   //misc str storage
-  memset (state->str50a, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
-  memset (state->str50b, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
-  memset (state->m17sms, 0, 800*sizeof(char));
-  sprintf (state->m17dat, "%s", "");
+  sprintf (state->str50a, "%s", "");
+  // memset (state->str50b, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
+  // memset (state->str50c, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
+  // memset (state->m17sms, 0, 800*sizeof(char));
+  // sprintf (state->m17dat, "%s", "");
 
   //set float temp buffer to baseline
   memset (state->audio_out_temp_buf, 0.0f, sizeof(state->audio_out_temp_buf));
@@ -1179,9 +1179,17 @@ initState (dsd_state * state)
   state->m17_pbc_ct = 0;
   state->m17_str_dt = 9;
 
+  //misc str storage
+  sprintf (state->str50a, "%s", "");
+  memset (state->str50b, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
+  memset (state->str50c, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
+  memset (state->m17sms, 0, 800*sizeof(char));
+  sprintf (state->m17dat, "%s", "");
+
   state->m17_dst = 0;
   state->m17_src = 0;
-  state->m17_can = 0;
+  state->m17_can = 0;     //can value that was decoded from signal
+  state->m17_can_en = -1; //can value supplied to the encoding side
   memset(state->m17_dst_csd, 0, sizeof(state->m17_dst_csd));
   memset(state->m17_src_csd, 0, sizeof(state->m17_src_csd));
   sprintf (state->m17_dst_str, "%s", "");
@@ -3006,8 +3014,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
       curr = strtok(NULL, ":"); //m17 src address
       if (curr != NULL)
       {
-        strncpy (state.str50a, curr, 9); //only read first 9
-        state.str50a[9] = '\0';
+        strncpy (state.str50c, curr, 9); //only read first 9
+        state.str50c[9] = '\0';
       }
       
       curr = strtok(NULL, ":"); //m17 dst address
@@ -3027,7 +3035,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
       // fprintf (stderr, " %s;", state.m17dat);
 
       //debug print
-      fprintf (stderr, " M17:%d:%s:%s; \n ", state.m17_can_en, state.str50a, state.str50b);
+      fprintf (stderr, " M17:%d:%s:%s; \n ", state.m17_can_en, state.str50c, state.str50b);
     }
 
     if (opts.playfiles == 1)
diff --git a/src/dsd_ncurses.c b/src/dsd_ncurses.c
index f8539f0..436a720 100644
--- a/src/dsd_ncurses.c
+++ b/src/dsd_ncurses.c
@@ -1684,7 +1684,7 @@ void ncursesMenu (dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
       state->nxdn_last_rid = 0;
       state->nxdn_last_tg = 0;
       sprintf (state->str50a, "%s", "");
-      sprintf (state->str50b, "%s", "");
+      memset  (state->str50b, 0, 50*sizeof(char));
     }
 
     if (choice == 16) //toggle payload printing
diff --git a/src/m17.c b/src/m17.c
index ab5f89e..741df58 100644
--- a/src/m17.c
+++ b/src/m17.c
@@ -1299,11 +1299,11 @@ void encodeM17STR(dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
   //end User Defined Variables
 
   //configure User Defined Variables, if defined at CLI
-  if (state->m17_can_en != 0) //is 0 a valid number?
+  if (state->m17_can_en != -1) //has a set value
     can = state->m17_can_en;
 
-  if (state->str50a[0] != 0)
-    sprintf (s40, "%s", state->str50a);
+  if (state->str50c[0] != 0)
+    sprintf (s40, "%s", state->str50c);
 
   if (state->str50b[0] != 0)
     sprintf (d40, "%s", state->str50b);
@@ -2288,11 +2288,11 @@ void encodeM17PKT(dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
   //end User Defined Variables
 
   //configure User Defined Variables, if defined at CLI
-  if (state->m17_can_en != 0) //is 0 a valid number?
+  if (state->m17_can_en != -1) //has a set value
     can = state->m17_can_en;
 
-  if (state->str50a[0] != 0)
-    sprintf (s40, "%s", state->str50a);
+  if (state->str50c[0] != 0)
+    sprintf (s40, "%s", state->str50c);
 
   if (state->str50b[0] != 0)
     sprintf (d40, "%s", state->str50b);
@@ -2301,7 +2301,7 @@ void encodeM17PKT(dsd_opts * opts, dsd_state * state)
     sprintf (text, "%s", state->m17sms);
 
   // switch to this if issues crop up (cygwin, etc)
-  // strncpy (s40, state->str50a, 9);
+  // strncpy (s40, state->str50c, 9);
   // strncpy (d40, state->str50b, 9);
   // s40[10] = '\0';
   // d40[10] = '\0';