diff --git a/packages/web/src/core/stores/messageStore/index.ts b/packages/web/src/core/stores/messageStore/index.ts
index accd6696..1c1edf14 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/core/stores/messageStore/index.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/core/stores/messageStore/index.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import type { Types } from "@meshtastic/core";
 import { produce } from "immer";
 import { create as createStore, type StateCreator } from "zustand";
 import { type PersistOptions, persist } from "zustand/middleware";
+import { evictOldestEntries } from "../utils/evictOldestEntries";
 
 const CURRENT_STORE_VERSION = 0;
 const MESSAGESTORE_RETENTION_NUM = 10;
@@ -182,11 +183,9 @@ function messageStoreFactory(
             log?.set(message.messageId, message);
           }
 
-          while (log && log.size > MESSAGELOG_RETENTION_NUM) {
-            const firstKey = log.keys().next().value; // maps keep insertion order, so this is oldest
-            if (firstKey !== undefined) {
-              log.delete(firstKey);
-            }
+          if (log) {
+            // Enforce retention limit
+            evictOldestEntries(log, MESSAGELOG_RETENTION_NUM);
           }
         }),
       );
@@ -372,13 +371,8 @@ export const messageStoreInitializer: StateCreator<PrivateMessageStoreState> = (
       produce<PrivateMessageStoreState>((draft) => {
         draft.messageStores.set(id, nodeStore);
 
-        // If over limit, remove oldest inserted. FIFO
-        if (draft.messageStores.size > MESSAGESTORE_RETENTION_NUM) {
-          const firstKey = draft.messageStores.keys().next().value;
-          if (firstKey !== undefined) {
-            draft.messageStores.delete(firstKey);
-          }
-        }
+        // Enforce retention limit
+        evictOldestEntries(draft.messageStores, MESSAGESTORE_RETENTION_NUM);
       }),
     );
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/index.ts b/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/index.ts
index a5d633fe..f1f2362b 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/index.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Protobuf, type Types } from "@meshtastic/core";
 import { produce } from "immer";
 import { create as createStore, type StateCreator } from "zustand";
 import { type PersistOptions, persist } from "zustand/middleware";
+import { evictOldestEntries } from "../utils/evictOldestEntries";
 import type { NodeError, NodeErrorType, ProcessPacketParams } from "./types";
 
 const CURRENT_STORE_VERSION = 0;
@@ -393,13 +394,8 @@ export const nodeDBInitializer: StateCreator<PrivateNodeDBState> = (
       produce<PrivateNodeDBState>((draft) => {
         draft.nodeDBs.set(id, nodeDB);
 
-        // If over limit, remove oldest inserted. FIFO
-        while (draft.nodeDBs.size > NODEDB_RETENTION_NUM) {
-          const firstKey = draft.nodeDBs.keys().next().value; // maps keep insertion order, so this is oldest
-          if (firstKey !== undefined) {
-            draft.nodeDBs.delete(firstKey);
-          }
-        }
+        // Enforce retention limit
+        evictOldestEntries(draft.nodeDBs, NODEDB_RETENTION_NUM);
       }),
     );
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/nodeValidation.ts b/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/nodeValidation.ts
index 1e6d1f66..52975660 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/nodeValidation.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/core/stores/nodeDBStore/nodeValidation.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ export function validateIncomingNode(
     // No existing node with this node number.
     // Check if the new node's public key (if present and not empty)
     // is already claimed by another existing node.
-    if (newNode.user?.publicKey !== undefined) {
+    if (
+      newNode.user?.publicKey !== undefined &&
+      newNode.user?.publicKey.length > 0
+    ) {
       const nodesWithSameKey = getNodes(
         (node) => node.user?.publicKey === newNode.user?.publicKey,
       );
diff --git a/packages/web/src/core/stores/utils/evictOldestEntries.ts b/packages/web/src/core/stores/utils/evictOldestEntries.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..500726de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/web/src/core/stores/utils/evictOldestEntries.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+export function evictOldestEntries<K, V>(
+  map: Map<K, V>,
+  maxSize: number,
+): void {
+  // while loop in case maxSize is ever changed to be lower, to trim all the way down
+  while (map.size > maxSize) {
+    const firstKey = map.keys().next().value; // maps keep insertion order, so this is oldest
+    if (firstKey !== undefined) {
+      map.delete(firstKey);
+    } else {
+      break; // should not happen, but just in case
+    }
+  }
+}