diff --git a/cmd/m17-bridge/bridge.go b/cmd/m17-bridge/bridge.go
index 5d1ce10..179908e 100644
--- a/cmd/m17-bridge/bridge.go
+++ b/cmd/m17-bridge/bridge.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func setupLogging(c *config) {
 	logWriter := os.Stderr
 
 	if c.logRoot != "" {
-		logWriter, err = os.OpenFile(c.logPath+"/"+c.logRoot+".log", os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_SYNC, 0644)
+		logWriter, err = os.OpenFile(c.logPath+"/"+c.logRoot+".log", os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("Error opening server output, exiting: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/m17-gateway/gateway.go b/cmd/m17-gateway/gateway.go
index 1b68538..b8889c3 100644
--- a/cmd/m17-gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/cmd/m17-gateway/gateway.go
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ func setupLogging(c config) {
 	logWriter := os.Stderr
 
 	if c.logRoot != "" {
-		logWriter, err = os.OpenFile(c.logPath+"/"+c.logRoot+".log", os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_SYNC, 0644)
+		logWriter, err = os.OpenFile(c.logPath+"/"+c.logRoot+".log", os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("Error opening server output, exiting: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ func (g *Gateway) transmitNetPacket(p m17.Packet) error {
 	}
 	// log.Printf("[DEBUG] received packet from server: %#v", p)
 	if p.Type == m17.PacketTypeSMS && len(p.Payload) > 0 {
-		msg := string(p.Payload[0 : len(p.Payload)-1])
+		msg := p.SMSText()
 		g.dashLog.LogFrame(&lsf, "Internet", "Packet", "packetType", p.Type, "smsMessage", msg)
 	} else {
 		g.dashLog.LogFrame(&lsf, "Internet", "Packet", "packetType", p.Type)
@@ -639,10 +639,14 @@ func (g *Gateway) receivedRFStreamEOT(lsf m17.LSF, sid, fn uint16, ber float64)
 func (g *Gateway) receivedRFPacket(lsf m17.LSF, payload []byte, ber float64) error {
 	g.rxHeard()
 	var err error
-	p := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(append(lsf.ToBytes(), payload...))
+	p, err := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(append(lsf.ToBytes(), payload...))
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[INFO] Dropping bad RF packet: %v", err)
+		return nil
+	}
 	g.dashLog.LogGNSS(&lsf, "RF")
 	if p.Type == m17.PacketTypeSMS && len(p.Payload) > 0 {
-		msg := string(p.Payload[0 : len(p.Payload)-1])
+		msg := p.SMSText()
 		g.dashLog.LogFrame(&lsf, "RF", "Packet", "mer", json.Number(fmt.Sprintf("%f", ber)), "packetType", p.Type, "smsMessage", msg)
 	} else {
 		g.dashLog.LogFrame(&lsf, "RF", "Packet", "mer", json.Number(fmt.Sprintf("%f", ber)), "packetType", p.Type)
diff --git a/dashboard/logger.go b/dashboard/logger.go
index 564f47e..f245a1e 100644
--- a/dashboard/logger.go
+++ b/dashboard/logger.go
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ type Logger struct {
 func New(l *slog.Logger) *Logger {
 	return &Logger{l, time.Now()}
 }
+
+// Log writes one dashboard event. The Logger may wrap a nil *slog.Logger
+// when no DashboardLog is configured; then nothing is written.
 func (l *Logger) Log(logType string, logSubtype string, addlArgs ...any) {
-	if l == nil {
+	if l == nil || l.Logger == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	args := []any{"type", logType, "subtype", logSubtype}
@@ -27,11 +30,17 @@ func (l *Logger) Log(logType string, logSubtype string, addlArgs ...any) {
 	l.Info("", args...)
 }
 func (l *Logger) LogFrame(lsf *m17.LSF, logType string, logSubtype string, addlArgs ...any) {
+	if l == nil || l.Logger == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	args := []any{"src", lsf.Src.Callsign(), "dst", lsf.Dst.Callsign(), "can", lsf.CAN()}
 	args = append(args, addlArgs...)
 	l.Log(logType, logSubtype, args...)
 }
 func (l *Logger) LogGNSS(lsf *m17.LSF, logType string) {
+	if l == nil || l.Logger == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	if lsf.GNSS() != nil && lsf.GNSS().ValidLatLon && time.Since(l.lastLogTime) > 15*time.Second {
 		log.Printf("[DEBUG] Writing GNSS data to dashboard.log: %s", lsf.GNSS().String())
 		l.lastLogTime = time.Now()
diff --git a/dashboard/logger_test.go b/dashboard/logger_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acbcf77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/logger_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package dashboard
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jancona/m17"
+)
+
+// With no DashboardLog configured the gateway passes a nil *slog.Logger;
+// logging must then do nothing rather than panic.
+func TestNilLoggerIsNoop(t *testing.T) {
+	lsf, err := m17.NewLSF("@ALL", "N0CALL", m17.LSFTypePacket, m17.LSFDataTypeData, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	for _, l := range []*Logger{New(nil), nil} {
+		l.Log("Reflector", "Connect", "name", "M17-M17")
+		l.LogFrame(&lsf, "RF", "Packet")
+		l.LogGNSS(&lsf, "RF")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/inet/client.go b/inet/client.go
index 6971616..8c63515 100644
--- a/inet/client.go
+++ b/inet/client.go
@@ -243,7 +243,11 @@ func (r *Client) handle() {
 			}
 		case m17.MagicM17Packet: // M17 packet
 			if r.packetHandler != nil {
-				p := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(buffer[4:])
+				p, err := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(buffer[4:])
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Printf("[INFO] Dropping bad packet from reflector: %v", err)
+					continue
+				}
 				// log.Printf("[DEBUG] Received packet from reflector. buffer: % 02x, buffer len: %d, p: %v", buffer[4:], len(buffer[4:]), p)
 				r.packetHandler(p)
 			}
diff --git a/inet/server.go b/inet/server.go
index 105c568..851312e 100644
--- a/inet/server.go
+++ b/inet/server.go
@@ -137,7 +137,11 @@ func (s *Server) handle() {
 				}
 			}
 		case m17.MagicM17Packet:
-			p := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(buf[4:])
+			p, err := m17.NewPacketFromBytes(buf[4:])
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Printf("[INFO] Dropping bad packet from %s: %v", addr, err)
+				continue
+			}
 			log.Printf("[DEBUG] Server received packet: %s", p.String())
 			c := s.lookupClient(addr)
 			if c != nil {
diff --git a/inet/server_test.go b/inet/server_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..337e75b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inet/server_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package inet
+
+import (
+	"net"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/jancona/m17"
+)
+
+// A short M17P datagram from anyone on the internet must be dropped, not
+// panic the server.
+func TestServerSurvivesShortPacket(t *testing.T) {
+	// Find a free port
+	l, err := net.ListenPacket("udp", "127.0.0.1:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	addr := l.LocalAddr().String()
+	l.Close()
+
+	s := NewServer("TEST", addr, nil)
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		s.Start()
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	conn, err := net.Dial("udp", addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+	for _, n := range []int{0, 1, 10, m17.LSFLen, m17.LSFLen + 2} {
+		if _, err := conn.Write(append([]byte(m17.MagicM17Packet), make([]byte, n)...)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+	// A panic in the server goroutine would have ended the test binary by now
+	time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	s.Close()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(3 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("server did not stop")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lsf_test.go b/lsf_test.go
index c78fe34..e3e7fea 100644
--- a/lsf_test.go
+++ b/lsf_test.go
@@ -253,9 +253,45 @@ func TestNewPacketFromBytes(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			if got := NewPacketFromBytes(tt.args.buf); !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+			got, err := NewPacketFromBytes(tt.args.buf)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("NewPacketFromBytes() error = %v", err)
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
 				t.Errorf("NewPacketFromBytes() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
 			}
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNewPacketFromBytesShort(t *testing.T) {
+	// Anything shorter than LSF + type + CRC must be rejected, not panic
+	for n := 0; n < LSFLen+1+CRCLen; n++ {
+		if _, err := NewPacketFromBytes(make([]byte, n)); err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("NewPacketFromBytes(%d bytes) returned no error", n)
+		}
+	}
+	// A two-byte UTF-8 packet type needs one more byte
+	buf := make([]byte, LSFLen+3)
+	copy(buf[LSFLen:], []byte{0xc2, 0x80, 0})
+	if _, err := NewPacketFromBytes(buf); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("NewPacketFromBytes() accepted a packet with a truncated CRC")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSMSText(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		payload []byte
+		want    string
+	}{
+		{[]byte("Hello\x00"), "Hello"},
+		{[]byte("Hello"), "Hello"},
+		{[]byte("\x00"), ""},
+		{[]byte{}, ""},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		if got := (Packet{Payload: tt.payload}).SMSText(); got != tt.want {
+			t.Errorf("SMSText(%q) = %q, want %q", tt.payload, got, tt.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packet.go b/packet.go
index 8077c6f..52d9e79 100644
--- a/packet.go
+++ b/packet.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"strings"
 	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
@@ -27,18 +28,32 @@ type Packet struct {
 	CRC     uint16
 }
 
-func NewPacketFromBytes(buf []byte) Packet {
+// NewPacketFromBytes parses an LSF followed by a packet type, payload and CRC.
+// The input comes from RF or the network, so its length is checked before
+// slicing: a short buffer would otherwise panic and take the process down.
+func NewPacketFromBytes(buf []byte) (Packet, error) {
 	var p Packet
-	p.LSF = NewLSFFromBytes(buf[:LSFLen])
+	if len(buf) < LSFLen+1+CRCLen {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("packet too short: %d bytes", len(buf))
+	}
 	t, size := utf8.DecodeRune(buf[LSFLen:])
+	if len(buf) < LSFLen+size+CRCLen {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("packet too short for its %d byte type: %d bytes", size, len(buf))
+	}
+	p.LSF = NewLSFFromBytes(buf[:LSFLen])
 	p.Type = PacketType(t)
-	p.Payload = buf[LSFLen+size : len(buf)-2]
+	p.Payload = buf[LSFLen+size : len(buf)-CRCLen]
 	_, err := binary.Decode(buf[len(buf)-2:], binary.BigEndian, &p.CRC)
 	if err != nil {
 		// should never happen
 		log.Printf("[ERROR] Error decoding CRC: %v", err)
 	}
-	return p
+	return p, nil
+}
+
+// SMSText returns the text of an SMS packet without its NUL terminator.
+func (p Packet) SMSText() string {
+	return strings.TrimRight(string(p.Payload), "\x00")
 }
 
 func NewPacket(dst, src string, t PacketType, data []byte) (*Packet, error) {