diff --git a/config.template b/config.template
index e94c846..e5c2063 100644
--- a/config.template
+++ b/config.template
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ surveyRecordLocation=True
 responseDelay = 2.2
 # delay in seconds for splits in messages to avoid message collision /throttling
 splitDelay = 2.5
-# message chunk size for sending at high success rate, chunkr allows exceeding by 3 characters
+# message chunk size in charcters, chunkr allows exceeding by 3 characters
 MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE = 160
 # Request Acknowledgement of message OTA
 wantAck = False
diff --git a/mesh_bot.py b/mesh_bot.py
index c25ca8e..ae7d280 100755
--- a/mesh_bot.py
+++ b/mesh_bot.py
@@ -1089,8 +1089,6 @@ def handle_messages(message, deviceID, channel_number, msg_history, publicChanne
         response = ""
         header = "📨Messages:"
         # Calculate safe byte limit (account for header and some overhead)
-        # Meshtastic has ~237 byte limit, use conservative 200 bytes for message content
-        max_bytes = 200
         header_bytes = len(header.encode('utf-8'))
         available_bytes = max_bytes - header_bytes
         
diff --git a/modules/bbstools.py b/modules/bbstools.py
index b83ad89..2a9aafa 100644
--- a/modules/bbstools.py
+++ b/modules/bbstools.py
@@ -96,13 +96,15 @@ def bbs_post_message(subject, message, fromNode):
     if str(fromNode) in bbs_ban_list:
         logger.warning(f"System: Naughty node {fromNode}, tried to post a message: {subject}, {message} and was dropped.")
         return "Message posted. ID is: " + str(messageID)
-    
+    # validate message length isnt three times the MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE
+    if len(message) > (3 * MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE):
+        return "Message too long, max length is " + str(3 * MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE) + " characters."
     # validate not a duplicate message
     for msg in bbs_messages:
         if msg[1].strip().lower() == subject.strip().lower() and msg[2].strip().lower() == message.strip().lower():
             messageID = msg[0]
             return "Message posted. ID is: " + str(messageID)
-
+    # validate its not overlength by keeping in chunker limit
     # append the message to the list
     bbs_messages.append([messageID, subject, message, fromNode])
     logger.info(f"System: NEW Message Posted, subject: {subject}, message: {message} from {fromNode}")
@@ -153,6 +155,14 @@ def bbs_post_dm(toNode, message, fromNode):
     if str(fromNode) in bbs_ban_list:
         logger.warning(f"System: Naughty node {fromNode}, tried to post a message: {message} and was dropped.")
         return "DM Posted for node " + str(toNode)
+    
+    # validate message length isnt three times the MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE
+    if len(message) > (3 * MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE):
+        return "Message too long, max length is " + str(3 * MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE) + " characters."
+    # validate not a duplicate message
+    for msg in bbs_dm:
+        if msg[0] == int(toNode) and msg[1].strip().lower() == message.strip().lower():
+            return "DM Posted for node " + str(toNode)
 
     # append the message to the list
     bbs_dm.append([int(toNode), message, int(fromNode)])
diff --git a/modules/settings.py b/modules/settings.py
index 82de6cf..e3eb75b 100644
--- a/modules/settings.py
+++ b/modules/settings.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ seenNodes = [] # list to hold the last seen nodes
 surveyTracker, tictactoeTracker, hamtestTracker, hangmanTracker, golfTracker, mastermindTracker, vpTracker, blackjackTracker, lemonadeTracker, dwPlayerTracker = ([], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [])
 cmdHistory = [] # list to hold the command history for lheard and history commands
 msg_history = [] # list to hold the message history for the messages command
+max_bytes = 200 # Meshtastic has ~237 byte limit, use conservative 200 bytes for message content
 
 # Read the config file, if it does not exist, create basic config file
 config = configparser.ConfigParser() 
@@ -384,7 +385,7 @@ try:
     # messaging settings
     responseDelay = config['messagingSettings'].getfloat('responseDelay', 0.7) # default 0.7
     splitDelay = config['messagingSettings'].getfloat('splitDelay', 0) # default 0
-    MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE = config['messagingSettings'].getint('MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE', 160) # default 160
+    MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE = config['messagingSettings'].getint('MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE', 160) # default 160 chars
     wantAck = config['messagingSettings'].getboolean('wantAck', False) # default False
     maxBuffer = config['messagingSettings'].getint('maxBuffer', 200) # default 200
     enableHopLogs = config['messagingSettings'].getboolean('enableHopLogs', False) # default False