diff --git a/components/config/config.c b/components/config/config.c
index 62763fa7..74c22f0f 100644
--- a/components/config/config.c
+++ b/components/config/config.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ static void * malloc_fn(size_t sz){
 	}
 	return ptr;
 }
+/*
 static void * free_fn(void * ptr){
 	if(ptr!=NULL){
 		heap_caps_free(ptr);
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ static void * free_fn(void * ptr){
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
+*/
 #endif
 void init_cJSON(){
 	static cJSON_Hooks hooks;
diff --git a/components/driver_bt/bt_app_sink.c b/components/driver_bt/bt_app_sink.c
index 1f2b8145..746080b0 100644
--- a/components/driver_bt/bt_app_sink.c
+++ b/components/driver_bt/bt_app_sink.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ const static actrls_t controls = {
 
 /* taking/giving audio system's control */
 void bt_master(bool on) {
-	if (on) actrls_set(controls);
+	if (on) actrls_set(controls, NULL);
 	else actrls_unset();
 }
 
diff --git a/components/raop/raop_sink.c b/components/raop/raop_sink.c
index 76717e71..684fc991 100644
--- a/components/raop/raop_sink.c
+++ b/components/raop/raop_sink.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const static actrls_t controls = {
  * Airplay taking/giving audio system's control 
  */
 void raop_master(bool on) {
-	if (on) actrls_set(controls);
+	if (on) actrls_set(controls, NULL);
 	else actrls_unset();
 }
 
diff --git a/components/services/audio_controls.c b/components/services/audio_controls.c
index 30794e70..f981d317 100644
--- a/components/services/audio_controls.c
+++ b/components/services/audio_controls.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  *
  */
- #define LOG_LOCAL_LEVEL ESP_LOG_DEBUG
+//#define LOG_LOCAL_LEVEL ESP_LOG_DEBUG
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "audio_controls.h"
 
-
 typedef esp_err_t (actrls_config_map_handler) (const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cur_config,uint32_t offset);
 typedef struct {
 	char * member;
@@ -37,8 +36,6 @@ typedef struct {
 	actrls_config_map_handler * handler;
 } actrls_config_map_t;
 
-
-
 static esp_err_t actrls_process_member(const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cur_config);
 static esp_err_t actrls_process_button(const cJSON * button, actrls_config_t *cur_config);
 static esp_err_t actrls_process_int (const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cur_config, uint32_t offset);
@@ -71,6 +68,7 @@ static const char * TAG = "audio controls";
 static actrls_config_t *json_config;
 cJSON * control_profiles = NULL;
 static actrls_t default_controls, current_controls;
+static actrls_hook_t *default_hook, *current_hook;
 
 static void control_handler(void *client, button_event_e event, button_press_e press, bool long_press) {
 	actrls_config_t *key = (actrls_config_t*) client;
@@ -92,34 +90,33 @@ static void control_handler(void *client, button_event_e event, button_press_e p
 	
 	ESP_LOGD(TAG, "control gpio:%u press:%u long:%u event:%u action:%u", key->gpio, press, long_press, event,action_detail.action);
 
+	// stop here if control hook served the request
+	if (current_hook && (*current_hook)(key->gpio, action_detail.action, event, press, long_press)) return;
+	
+	// otherwise process using configuration
 	if (action_detail.action == ACTRLS_REMAP) {
 		// remap requested
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG, "remapping buttons to profile %s",action_detail.name);
 		cJSON * profile_obj = cJSON_GetObjectItem(control_profiles,action_detail.name);
-		if(profile_obj){
-			actrls_config_t * profile  = (actrls_config_t *) cJSON_GetStringValue(profile_obj);
-			if(profile){
-				actrls_config_t *cur_config =profile;
+		if (profile_obj) {
+			actrls_config_t *cur_config  = (actrls_config_t *) cJSON_GetStringValue(profile_obj);
+			if (cur_config) {
 				ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Remapping all the buttons that are found in the new profile");
-				while(cur_config){
+				while (cur_config->gpio != -1) {
 					ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Remapping button with gpio %u", cur_config->gpio);
 					button_remap((void*) cur_config, cur_config->gpio, control_handler, cur_config->long_press, cur_config->shifter_gpio);
 					cur_config++;
 				}
-			}
-			else {
+			} else {
 				ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Profile %s exists, but is empty. Cannot remap buttons",action_detail.name);
 			}
-
-		}
-		else {
+		} else {
 			ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Invalid profile name %s. Cannot remap buttons",action_detail.name);
-		}
-
+		}	
 	} else if (action_detail.action != ACTRLS_NONE) {
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG, "calling action %u", action_detail.action);
 		if (current_controls[action_detail.action]) (*current_controls[action_detail.action])();
-	}
+	}	
 }
 
 /*
@@ -163,7 +160,8 @@ esp_err_t actrls_init(int n, const actrls_config_t *config) {
  */
 static actrls_action_e actrls_parse_action_json(const char * name){
 	actrls_action_e action = ACTRLS_NONE;
-	if(!strcmp("ACTRLS_NONE",name)) return ACTRLS_NONE;
+	
+	if(!strcasecmp("ACTRLS_NONE",name)) return ACTRLS_NONE;
 	for(int i=0;i<ACTRLS_MAX && actrls_action_s[i][0]!='\0' ;i++){
 		if(!strcmp(actrls_action_s[i], name)){
 			return (actrls_action_e) i;
@@ -174,15 +172,14 @@ static actrls_action_e actrls_parse_action_json(const char * name){
 	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"unknown action %s, trying to find matching profile ", name);
 	cJSON * existing = cJSON_GetObjectItem(control_profiles, name);
 
-	if(!existing){
-			ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Loading new audio control profile with name: %s", name);
-			if(actrls_init_json(name)==ESP_OK){
-				action = ACTRLS_REMAP;
-			}
-
-	}
-	else{
+	if (!existing) {
+		ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Loading new audio control profile with name: %s", name);
+		if (actrls_init_json(name, false) == ESP_OK) {
+			action = ACTRLS_REMAP;
+		}
+	} else {
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Existing profile %s was referenced", name);
+		action = ACTRLS_REMAP;
 	}
 
 	return action;
@@ -224,17 +221,15 @@ static esp_err_t actrls_process_type (const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cur
  */
 static esp_err_t actrls_process_bool (const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cur_config, uint32_t offset){
 	esp_err_t err = ESP_OK;
-	if(!member) {
+	if (!member) {
 		ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Null json member pointer!");
 		err = ESP_FAIL;
-	}
-	else {
+	} else {
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Processing bool member ");
-		if(cJSON_IsBool(member)){
+		if (cJSON_IsBool(member)) {
 			bool*value = (bool*)((char*) cur_config + offset);
 			*value = cJSON_IsTrue(member);
-		}
-		else {
+		} else {
 			ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Member %s is not a boolean", member->string?member->string:"unknown");
 			err = ESP_FAIL;
 		}
@@ -255,22 +250,14 @@ static esp_err_t actrls_process_action (const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *c
 		if(value[0].action == ACTRLS_REMAP){
 			value[0].name = strdup(button_action->valuestring);
 		}
-	}
-	else{
-		ESP_LOGW(TAG,"Action pressed not found in json structure");
-		err = ESP_FAIL;
-	}
+	} 
 	button_action = cJSON_GetObjectItemCaseSensitive(member, "released");
 	if (button_action != NULL) {
 		value[1].action = actrls_parse_action_json( button_action->valuestring);
-		if(value[1].action == ACTRLS_REMAP){
+		if (value[1].action == ACTRLS_REMAP){
 			value[1].name = strdup(button_action->valuestring);
 		}
 	}
-	else{
-		ESP_LOGW(TAG,"Action released not found in json structure");
-		err = ESP_FAIL;
-	}
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -293,7 +280,7 @@ static esp_err_t actrls_process_member(const cJSON * member, actrls_config_t *cu
 		ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Unknown json structure member : %s", str?str:"");
 	}
 
-	if(str) free(str);
+	if (str) free(str);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -327,25 +314,20 @@ static actrls_config_t * actrls_init_alloc_structure(const cJSON *buttons, const
 		control_profiles = cJSON_CreateObject();
 	}
 
-
 	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Counting the number of buttons definition");
 	cJSON_ArrayForEach(button, buttons)	{
 		member_count++;
 	}
 
-	ESP_LOGD(TAG, "config contains %u button definitions",
-			member_count);
+	ESP_LOGD(TAG, "config contains %u button definitions",	member_count);
 	if (member_count != 0) {
-		json_config = malloc(sizeof(actrls_config_t) * member_count+1);
-		if(json_config){
-			memset(json_config, 0x00, sizeof(actrls_config_t) * member_count+1);
-		}
-		else {
+		json_config = calloc(sizeof(actrls_config_t) * (member_count + 1), 1);
+		if (json_config){
+			json_config[member_count].gpio = -1;
+		} else {	
 			ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Unable to allocate memory to hold configuration for %u buttons ",member_count);
 		}
-
-	}
-	else {
+	} else {
 		ESP_LOGE(TAG,"No button found in configuration structure");
 	}
 
@@ -355,21 +337,34 @@ static actrls_config_t * actrls_init_alloc_structure(const cJSON *buttons, const
 	cJSON * new_profile = cJSON_CreateStringReference((const char *)json_config);
 	cJSON_AddItemToObject(control_profiles, name, new_profile);
 
-
 	return json_config;
 }
 
+/****************************************************************************************
+ * 
+ */
+static void actrls_defaults(actrls_config_t *config) {
+	config->type = BUTTON_LOW;
+	config->pull = false;
+	config->debounce = 0;
+	config->long_press = 0;
+	config->shifter_gpio = -1;
+	config->normal[0].action = config->normal[1].action = ACTRLS_NONE;
+	config->longpress[0].action = config->longpress[1].action = ACTRLS_NONE;
+	config->shifted[0].action = config->shifted[1].action = ACTRLS_NONE;
+	config->longshifted[0].action = config->longshifted[1].action = ACTRLS_NONE;
+}
+
 
 /****************************************************************************************
  * 
  */
-esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name) {
+esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name, bool create) {
 	esp_err_t err = ESP_OK;
 	actrls_config_t *cur_config = NULL;
 	actrls_config_t *config_root = NULL;
 	const cJSON *button;
 
-
 	char *config = config_alloc_get_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, profile_name, NULL, 0);
 	if(!config) return ESP_FAIL;
 
@@ -378,8 +373,7 @@ esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name) {
 	if (buttons == NULL) {
 		ESP_LOGE(TAG,"JSON Parsing failed for %s", config);
 		err = ESP_FAIL;
-	}
-	else {
+	} else {
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Json parsing completed");
 		if (cJSON_IsArray(buttons)) {
 			ESP_LOGD(TAG,"configuration is an array as expected");
@@ -396,20 +390,19 @@ esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name) {
 				if(str){
 					free(str);
 				}
+				actrls_defaults(cur_config);
 				esp_err_t loc_err = actrls_process_button(button, cur_config);
 				err = (err == ESP_OK) ? loc_err : err;
 				if (loc_err == ESP_OK) {
-					button_create((void*) cur_config, cur_config->gpio,cur_config->type, cur_config->pull,cur_config->debounce,
+					if (create) button_create((void*) cur_config, cur_config->gpio,cur_config->type, cur_config->pull,cur_config->debounce,
 									control_handler, cur_config->long_press, cur_config->shifter_gpio);
-				}
-				else{
+				} else {
 					ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Error parsing button structure.  Button will not be registered.");
 				}
 
 				cur_config++;
 			}
-		}
-		else {
+		} else {
 			ESP_LOGE(TAG,"Invalid configuration; array is expected and none received in %s ", config);
 		}
 		cJSON_Delete(buttons);
@@ -424,16 +417,18 @@ esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name) {
 /****************************************************************************************
  *
  */
-void actrls_set_default(const actrls_t controls) {
+void actrls_set_default(const actrls_t controls, actrls_hook_t *hook) {
 	memcpy(default_controls, controls, sizeof(actrls_t));
 	memcpy(current_controls, default_controls, sizeof(actrls_t));
+	default_hook = current_hook = hook;
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************************
  * 
  */
-void actrls_set(const actrls_t controls) {
+void actrls_set(const actrls_t controls, actrls_hook_t *hook) {
 	memcpy(current_controls, controls, sizeof(actrls_t));
+	current_hook = hook;
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************************
@@ -441,4 +436,5 @@ void actrls_set(const actrls_t controls) {
  */
 void actrls_unset(void) {
 	memcpy(current_controls, default_controls, sizeof(actrls_t));
+	current_hook = default_hook;
 }
diff --git a/components/services/audio_controls.h b/components/services/audio_controls.h
index c73c96f9..82da6620 100644
--- a/components/services/audio_controls.h
+++ b/components/services/audio_controls.h
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@
 // BEWARE: this is the index of the array of action below (change actrls_action_s as well!)
 typedef enum { 	ACTRLS_NONE = -1, ACTRLS_VOLUP, ACTRLS_VOLDOWN, ACTRLS_TOGGLE, ACTRLS_PLAY, 
 				ACTRLS_PAUSE, ACTRLS_STOP, ACTRLS_REW, ACTRLS_FWD, ACTRLS_PREV, ACTRLS_NEXT, 
-				BCTRLS_PUSH, BCTRLS_UP, BCTRLS_DOWN, BCTRLS_LEFT, BCTRLS_RIGHT,ACTRLS_REMAP,
+				BCTRLS_PUSH, BCTRLS_UP, BCTRLS_DOWN, BCTRLS_LEFT, BCTRLS_RIGHT, ACTRLS_REMAP,
 				ACTRLS_MAX 
 		} actrls_action_e;
 
 typedef void (*actrls_handler)(void);
 typedef actrls_handler actrls_t[ACTRLS_MAX - ACTRLS_NONE - 1];
+typedef bool actrls_hook_t(int gpio, actrls_action_e action, button_event_e event, button_press_e press, bool long_press);
 
 // BEWARE any change to struct below must be mapped to actrls_config_map
 typedef struct {
@@ -46,7 +47,13 @@ typedef struct actrl_config_s {
 } actrls_config_t;
 
 esp_err_t actrls_init(int n, const actrls_config_t *config);
-esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name);
-void actrls_set_default(const actrls_t controls);
-void actrls_set(const actrls_t controls);
+esp_err_t actrls_init_json(const char *profile_name, bool create);
+
+/* 
+Set hook function to non-null to be set your own direct managemet function, 
+which should return true if it managed the control request, false if the
+normal handling should be done
+*/
+void actrls_set_default(const actrls_t controls, actrls_hook_t *hook);
+void actrls_set(const actrls_t controls, actrls_hook_t *hook);
 void actrls_unset(void);
diff --git a/components/squeezelite/controls.c b/components/squeezelite/controls.c
index 1f04a165..069c7c59 100644
--- a/components/squeezelite/controls.c
+++ b/components/squeezelite/controls.c
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ static void notify(in_addr_t ip, u16_t hport, u16_t cport) {
 void cli_controls_init(void) {
 	LOG_INFO("initializing CLI controls");
 	get_mac(mac);
-	actrls_set_default(LMS_controls);
+	actrls_set_default(LMS_controls, NULL);
 	chained_notify = server_notify;
 	server_notify = notify;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main/esp_app_main.c b/main/esp_app_main.c
index 623fa03a..782cec7a 100644
--- a/main/esp_app_main.c
+++ b/main/esp_app_main.c
@@ -48,10 +48,6 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "audio_controls.h"
 
-// todo:  this should be moved to the build scripts definitions
-static const char * actrls_brd1 = "[{\"gpio\":4,\"type\":\"BUTTON_LOW\",\"pull\":true,\"long_press\":1000, \"debounce\":0,\"shifter_gpio\":-1,\"normal\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_VOLUP\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longpress\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_PREV\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"shifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longshifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"}},{\"gpio\":5,\"type\":\"BUTTON_LOW\",\"pull\":true,\"long_press\":1000, \"debounce\":0,\"shifter_gpio\":4,\"normal\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_VOLDOWN\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longpress\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NEXT\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"shifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_TOGGLE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longshifted\":{\"pressed\":\"BCTRLS_DOWN\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"}}]";
-static const char * actrls_brd2 ="[{\"gpio\":21,\"type\":\"BUTTON_LOW\",\"pull\":true,\"long_press\":1000, \"debounce\":0,\"shifter_gpio\":-1,\"normal\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_TOGGLE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longpress\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_STOP\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"shifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longshifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"}},{\"gpio\":18,\"type\":\"BUTTON_LOW\",\"pull\":true,\"long_press\":1000, \"debounce\":0,\"shifter_gpio\":21,\"normal\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_VOLUP\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longpress\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"shifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NEXT\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longshifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_FWD\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_PLAY\"}},{\"gpio\":19,\"type\":\"BUTTON_LOW\",\"pull\":true,\"long_press\":1000, \"debounce\":0,\"shifter_gpio\":21,\"normal\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_VOLDOWN\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longpress\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"shifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_PREV\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_NONE\"},\"longshifted\":{\"pressed\":\"ACTRLS_REW\",\"released\":\"ACTRLS_PLAY\"}}]";
-
 static const char certs_namespace[] = "certificates";
 static const char certs_key[] = "blob";
 static const char certs_version[] = "version";
@@ -282,14 +278,8 @@ void register_default_nvs(){
 	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Registering default value for key %s, value %s", "bypass_wm", "0");
 	config_set_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "bypass_wm", "0", 0);
 
-	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Registering Audio control board type %s, value %s","actrls_brd1",actrls_brd1);
-	config_set_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_brd1",(void *) actrls_brd1, 0);
-
-	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Registering Audio control board type %s, value %s","actrls_brd2", actrls_brd1);
-	config_set_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_brd2",(void *) actrls_brd2, 0);
-
-	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Registering default Audio control board type %s, value ","actrls_brd");
-	config_set_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_brd", "", 0);
+	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Registering default Audio control board type %s, value ","actrls_config");
+	config_set_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_config", "", 0);
 
 	char number_buffer[101] = {};
 	snprintf(number_buffer,sizeof(number_buffer)-1,"%u",OTA_FLASH_ERASE_BLOCK);
@@ -363,13 +353,13 @@ void app_main()
 	}
 
 	ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Getting audio control mapping ");
-	char *actrls_brd = config_alloc_get_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_brd", NULL, 0);
-	if (actrls_brd) {
-		if(actrls_brd[0] !='\0'){
-			ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Initializing audio control buttons type %s", actrls_brd);
-			actrls_init_json(actrls_brd);
+	char *actrls_config = config_alloc_get_default(NVS_TYPE_STR, "actrls_config", NULL, 0);
+	if (actrls_config) {
+		if(actrls_config[0] !='\0'){
+			ESP_LOGD(TAG,"Initializing audio control buttons type %s", actrls_config);
+			actrls_init_json(actrls_config, true);
 		}
-		free(actrls_brd);
+		free(actrls_config);
 	} else {
 		ESP_LOGD(TAG,"No audio control buttons");
 	}
diff --git a/plugin/SqueezeESP32/strings.txt b/plugin/SqueezeESP32/strings.txt
index b2c86fb6..ae441532 100644
--- a/plugin/SqueezeESP32/strings.txt
+++ b/plugin/SqueezeESP32/strings.txt
@@ -9,4 +9,3 @@ PLUGIN_SQUEEZEESP32_DESC
 	
 PLUGIN_SQUEEZEESP32_WIDTH
 	EN	Screen width
-	
\ No newline at end of file