diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index 911635b..67e8992 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -45,6 +45,40 @@ setup_logging()
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def _install_meshcore_serial_junk_prefix_patch(serial_connection_cls=None) -> None:
+    """Make meshcore serial framing tolerant of leading junk bytes.
+
+    Some radios emit console/debug text on the same UART as the companion
+    protocol. The current meshcore serial parser searches for the frame start
+    marker but then incorrectly begins parsing at byte 0 of the chunk instead
+    of the located marker offset, which can drop valid response frames.
+
+    TODO: Remove this monkeypatch once meshcore_py includes the upstream fix:
+    https://github.com/meshcore-dev/meshcore_py/pull/67
+    """
+    if serial_connection_cls is None:
+        from meshcore.serial_cx import SerialConnection as serial_connection_cls
+
+    original_handle_rx = serial_connection_cls.handle_rx
+    if getattr(original_handle_rx, "_rtmesh_junk_prefix_patch", False):
+        return
+
+    def patched_handle_rx(self, data: bytearray):
+        if len(self.header) == 0:
+            idx = data.find(b"\x3e")
+            if idx < 0:
+                return
+            if idx > 0:
+                data = data[idx:]
+        return original_handle_rx(self, data)
+
+    patched_handle_rx._rtmesh_junk_prefix_patch = True
+    serial_connection_cls.handle_rx = patched_handle_rx
+
+
+_install_meshcore_serial_junk_prefix_patch()
+
+
 async def _startup_radio_connect_and_setup() -> None:
     """Connect/setup the radio in the background so HTTP serving can start immediately."""
     try:
diff --git a/tests/test_main_startup.py b/tests/test_main_startup.py
index 0bb5cb7..00655fc 100644
--- a/tests/test_main_startup.py
+++ b/tests/test_main_startup.py
@@ -5,10 +5,84 @@ from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, patch
 
 import pytest
 
-from app.main import app, lifespan
+from app.main import _install_meshcore_serial_junk_prefix_patch, app, lifespan
 
 
 class TestStartupLifespan:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_meshcore_serial_patch_discards_leading_junk_before_frame(self):
+        class RecordingReader:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.frames = []
+
+            async def handle_rx(self, data):
+                self.frames.append(bytes(data))
+
+        class FakeSerialConnection:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.header = b""
+                self.reader = None
+                self.frame_expected_size = 0
+                self.inframe = b""
+
+            def set_reader(self, reader):
+                self.reader = reader
+
+            def handle_rx(self, data: bytearray):
+                if len(self.header) == 0:
+                    idx = data.find(b"\x3e")
+                    if idx < 0:
+                        return
+                    self.header = data[0:1]
+                    data = data[1:]
+
+                if len(self.header) < 3:
+                    while len(self.header) < 3 and len(data) > 0:
+                        self.header = self.header + data[0:1]
+                        data = data[1:]
+                    if len(self.header) < 3:
+                        return
+
+                    self.frame_expected_size = int.from_bytes(
+                        self.header[1:], "little", signed=False
+                    )
+                    if self.frame_expected_size > 300:
+                        self.header = b""
+                        self.inframe = b""
+                        self.frame_expected_size = 0
+                        if len(data) > 0:
+                            self.handle_rx(data)
+                            return
+
+                upbound = self.frame_expected_size - len(self.inframe)
+                if len(data) < upbound:
+                    self.inframe = self.inframe + data
+                    return
+
+                self.inframe = self.inframe + data[0:upbound]
+                data = data[upbound:]
+                if self.reader is not None:
+                    asyncio.create_task(self.reader.handle_rx(self.inframe))
+                self.inframe = b""
+                self.header = b""
+                self.frame_expected_size = 0
+                if len(data) > 0:
+                    self.handle_rx(data)
+
+        _install_meshcore_serial_junk_prefix_patch(FakeSerialConnection)
+
+        conn = FakeSerialConnection()
+        reader = RecordingReader()
+        conn.set_reader(reader)
+
+        payload = b"\x00\x01\x02\x53"
+        frame = b"\x3e" + len(payload).to_bytes(2, "little") + payload
+
+        conn.handle_rx(b"junk bytes\r\n" + frame)
+        await asyncio.sleep(0)
+
+        assert reader.frames == [payload]
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_lifespan_does_not_wait_for_radio_setup(self):
         """HTTP serving should start before post-connect setup finishes."""