diff --git a/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/app.js b/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/app.js
index 163f6019..61fa984e 100644
--- a/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/app.js
+++ b/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/app.js
@@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ async function sendToClient(socket, headers_obj, data = null) {
         headers_obj = headerStringToObj(headers_obj, true);
     }
     if (!socket_sessions[socket.id]) {
-        socket.destroy();
+        if (socket.destroy) socket.destroy();
         return;
     }
     if (!socket.res) {
@@ -1471,10 +1471,15 @@ async function processRequest(socket, data_hex, skipSecure = false, encryptedReq
             if (!headers) return;
 
             if (headers["wtv-client-serial-number"] != null && socket.ssid == null) {
-                if (!wtvshared.checkSSID(headers["wtv-client-serial-number"])) {
-                    // close socket for invalid ssid
-                    cleanupSocket(socket)
-                    return;
+                if (minisrv_config.config.require_valid_ssid) {
+                    if (!wtvshared.checkSSID(headers["wtv-client-serial-number"])) {
+                        // reject invalid SSIDs
+                        var errpage = wtvshared.doErrorPage(400, "minisrv ran into a technical problem. Reason: Your SSID is not valid.");
+                        headers = errpage[0];
+                        data = errpage[1];
+                        sendToClient(socket, headers, data);
+                        return;
+                    }
                 }
                 socket.ssid = wtvshared.makeSafeSSID(headers["wtv-client-serial-number"]);
                 if (socket.ssid != null) {
diff --git a/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/includes/config.json b/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/includes/config.json
index b1cc656f..e7b7adea 100644
--- a/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/includes/config.json
+++ b/zefie_wtvp_minisrv/includes/config.json
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
     "allow_guests": true, // Allow users to experience the server without registering
     "domain_name": "wtv.zefie.com", // For usenet and future stuff, no need to change just yet,
     "max_post_length": 20, // in megabytes
+    "require_valid_ssid": true, // require a valid SSID (with valid CRC)
     "user_accounts": { // user account settings
       "max_users_per_account": 6, // Max total users (including primary) per account
       "min_username_length": 5, // minimum username length