diff --git a/examples/neopattern/NeoPatternService.cpp b/examples/neopattern/NeoPatternService.cpp
index 378177a..eb7cc85 100644
--- a/examples/neopattern/NeoPatternService.cpp
+++ b/examples/neopattern/NeoPatternService.cpp
@@ -126,87 +126,43 @@ void NeoPatternService::handleControlRequest(AsyncWebServerRequest* request) {
     bool updated = false;
     bool broadcast = false;
 
-    if (request->hasParam("pattern", true)) {
-        String name = request->getParam("pattern", true)->value();
-        if (isValidPattern(name)) {
-            setPatternByName(name);
-            updated = true;
-        } else {
-            // Invalid pattern name - could add error handling here
-            LOG_WARN("NeoPattern", "Invalid pattern name: " + name);
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("color", true)) {
-        String colorStr = request->getParam("color", true)->value();
-        uint32_t color = parseColor(colorStr);
-        setColor(color);
-        updated = true;
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("color2", true)) {
-        String colorStr = request->getParam("color2", true)->value();
-        uint32_t color = parseColor(colorStr);
-        setColor2(color);
-        updated = true;
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("brightness", true)) {
-        int b = request->getParam("brightness", true)->value().toInt();
-        if (b < 0) b = 0;
-        if (b > 255) b = 255;
-        setBrightness(static_cast<uint8_t>(b));
-        updated = true;
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("total_steps", true)) {
-        int steps = request->getParam("total_steps", true)->value().toInt();
-        if (steps > 0) {
-            setTotalSteps(static_cast<uint16_t>(steps));
-            updated = true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("direction", true)) {
-        String dirStr = request->getParam("direction", true)->value();
-        NeoDirection dir = (dirStr.equalsIgnoreCase("reverse")) ? NeoDirection::REVERSE : NeoDirection::FORWARD;
-        setDirection(dir);
-        updated = true;
-    }
-
-    if (request->hasParam("interval", true)) {
-        unsigned long interval = request->getParam("interval", true)->value().toInt();
-        if (interval > 0) {
-            setUpdateInterval(interval);
-            updated = true;
-        }
-    }
-
     if (request->hasParam("broadcast", true)) {
         String b = request->getParam("broadcast", true)->value();
         broadcast = b.equalsIgnoreCase("true") || b == "1";
     }
 
-    if (broadcast) {
-        // Build JSON payload from provided params
-        JsonDocument payload;
-        if (request->hasParam("pattern", true)) payload["pattern"] = request->getParam("pattern", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("color", true)) payload["color"] = request->getParam("color", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("color2", true)) payload["color2"] = request->getParam("color2", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("brightness", true)) payload["brightness"] = request->getParam("brightness", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("total_steps", true)) payload["total_steps"] = request->getParam("total_steps", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("direction", true)) payload["direction"] = request->getParam("direction", true)->value();
-        if (request->hasParam("interval", true)) payload["interval"] = request->getParam("interval", true)->value();
+    // Build JSON payload from provided params (single source of truth)
+    JsonDocument payload;
+    bool any = false;
+    if (request->hasParam("pattern", true)) { payload["pattern"] = request->getParam("pattern", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("color", true)) { payload["color"] = request->getParam("color", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("color2", true)) { payload["color2"] = request->getParam("color2", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("brightness", true)) { payload["brightness"] = request->getParam("brightness", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("total_steps", true)) { payload["total_steps"] = request->getParam("total_steps", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("direction", true)) { payload["direction"] = request->getParam("direction", true)->value(); any = true; }
+    if (request->hasParam("interval", true)) { payload["interval"] = request->getParam("interval", true)->value(); any = true; }
 
-        String payloadStr;
-        serializeJson(payload, payloadStr);
+    String payloadStr;
+    serializeJson(payload, payloadStr);
 
+    // Always apply locally via event so we have a single codepath for updates
+    if (any) {
+        std::string ev = "api/neopattern";
+        String localData = payloadStr;
+        LOG_INFO("NeoPattern", String("Applying local api/neopattern via event payloadLen=") + String(payloadStr.length()));
+        ctx.fire(ev, &localData);
+        updated = true;
+    }
+
+    // Broadcast to peers if requested
+    if (broadcast && any) {
         JsonDocument eventDoc;
         eventDoc["event"] = "api/neopattern";
-        eventDoc["data"] = payloadStr; // data is arbitrary JSON string
+        eventDoc["data"] = payloadStr; // data is JSON string
 
         String eventJson;
         serializeJson(eventDoc, eventJson);
+
         // Compute subnet-directed broadcast to improve delivery on some networks
         IPAddress ip = WiFi.localIP();
         IPAddress mask = WiFi.subnetMask();
@@ -216,12 +172,6 @@ void NeoPatternService::handleControlRequest(AsyncWebServerRequest* request) {
         String msg = String(ClusterProtocol::CLUSTER_EVENT_MSG) + ":" + eventJson;
         ctx.udp->write(msg.c_str());
         ctx.udp->endPacket();
-
-        // Fire locally as well so the sender applies the change
-        std::string ev = "api/neopattern";
-        String localData = payloadStr;
-        LOG_INFO("NeoPattern", "Firing local api/neopattern event after broadcast");
-        ctx.fire(ev, &localData);
     }
 
     // Return current state