diff --git a/src/mesh/Router.cpp b/src/mesh/Router.cpp
index db0509aca..b3aee4e7d 100644
--- a/src/mesh/Router.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/Router.cpp
@@ -173,9 +173,10 @@ ErrorCode Router::sendLocal(meshtastic_MeshPacket *p, RxSource src)
             handleReceived(p, src);
         }
 
-        if (p->channel) // don't override if a channel was requested
+        if (!p->channel) { // don't override if a channel was requested
             p->channel = nodeDB.getNodeChannel(p->to);
-        LOG_DEBUG("localSend to channel %d\n", p->channel);
+            LOG_DEBUG("localSend to channel %d\n", p->channel);
+        }
 
         return send(p);
     }