diff --git a/src/ems-esp.cpp b/src/ems-esp.cpp
index 18b3c9bd2..8018f2c8c 100644
--- a/src/ems-esp.cpp
+++ b/src/ems-esp.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ char * _bool_to_char(char * s, uint8_t value) {
 // negative values are assumed stored as 1-compliment (https://medium.com/@LeeJulija/how-integers-are-stored-in-memory-using-twos-complement-5ba04d61a56c)
 char * _short_to_char(char * s, int16_t value, uint8_t decimals = 1) {
     // remove errors or invalid values
-    if ((value == EMS_VALUE_SHORT_NOTSET) || (value == 0x8000)) {
+    if (value == EMS_VALUE_SHORT_NOTSET) {
         strlcpy(s, "?", 10);
         return (s);
     }
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ char * _short_to_char(char * s, int16_t value, uint8_t decimals = 1) {
 // decimals: 0 = no division, 1=divide value by 10, 2=divide by 2, 10=divide value by 100
 char * _ushort_to_char(char * s, uint16_t value, uint8_t decimals = 1) {
     // remove errors or invalid values
-    if ((value == EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET) || (value == 0x8000)) {
+    if (value == EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET) {
         strlcpy(s, "?", 10);
         return (s);
     }
@@ -643,6 +643,8 @@ void publishSensorValues() {
     }
 }
 
+
+
 // send values via MQTT
 // a json object is created for the boiler and one for the thermostat
 // CRC check is done to see if there are changes in the values since the last send to avoid too much wifi traffic
diff --git a/src/ems.h b/src/ems.h
index f3cec99ab..34a0662ba 100644
--- a/src/ems.h
+++ b/src/ems.h
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@
 // max length of a telegram, including CRC, for Rx and Tx.
 #define EMS_MAX_TELEGRAM_LENGTH 32
 
-// default values
+// default values for null values
 #define EMS_VALUE_INT_ON 1             // boolean true
 #define EMS_VALUE_INT_OFF 0            // boolean false
 #define EMS_VALUE_INT_NOTSET 0xFF      // for 8-bit unsigned ints/bytes
 #define EMS_VALUE_SHORT_NOTSET -32768  // for 2-byte signed shorts
-#define EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET 0xFFFF // for 2-byte unsigned shorts
+#define EMS_VALUE_USHORT_NOTSET 0x8000 // for 2-byte unsigned shorts
 #define EMS_VALUE_LONG_NOTSET 0xFFFFFF // for 3-byte longs
 
 #define EMS_THERMOSTAT_WRITE_YES true