diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 89148c22b..f2681bc19 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -394,6 +394,19 @@ void setup()
 
     // radio init MUST BE AFTER service.init, so we have our radio config settings (from nodedb init)
 
+#if !HAS_RADIO && defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO)
+    if (!rIf) {
+        rIf = new SimRadio;
+        if (!rIf->init()) {
+            LOG_WARN("Failed to find simulated radio\n");
+            delete rIf;
+            rIf = NULL;
+        } else {
+            LOG_INFO("Using SIMULATED radio!\n");
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
 #if defined(RF95_IRQ)
     if (!rIf) {
         rIf = new RF95Interface(RF95_NSS, RF95_IRQ, RF95_RESET, SPI);
@@ -459,19 +472,6 @@ void setup()
     }
 #endif
 
-#ifdef ARCH_PORTDUINO
-    if (!rIf) {
-        rIf = new SimRadio;
-        if (!rIf->init()) {
-            LOG_WARN("Failed to find simulated radio\n");
-            delete rIf;
-            rIf = NULL;
-        } else {
-            LOG_INFO("Using SIMULATED radio!\n");
-        }
-    }
-#endif
-
     // check if the radio chip matches the selected region
 
     if ((config.lora.region == meshtastic_Config_LoRaConfig_RegionCode_LORA_24) && (!rIf->wideLora())) {
diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
index 85a6390c9..a4d4114b6 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshService.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ void MeshService::reloadOwner(bool shouldSave)
  */
 void MeshService::handleToRadio(meshtastic_MeshPacket &p)
 {
-#ifdef ARCH_PORTDUINO
+#if defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO) && !HAS_RADIO
     // Simulates device is receiving a packet via the LoRa chip
     if (p.decoded.portnum == meshtastic_PortNum_SIMULATOR_APP) {
         // Simulator packet (=Compressed packet) is encapsulated in a MeshPacket, so need to unwrap first
diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshService.h b/src/mesh/MeshService.h
index b8abac80d..4314ea362 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshService.h
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshService.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "MeshTypes.h"
 #include "Observer.h"
 #include "PointerQueue.h"
-#ifdef ARCH_PORTDUINO
+#if defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO) && !HAS_RADIO
 #include "../platform/portduino/SimRadio.h"
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/platform/portduino/architecture.h b/src/platform/portduino/architecture.h
index 54df672d8..c54895703 100644
--- a/src/platform/portduino/architecture.h
+++ b/src/platform/portduino/architecture.h
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 
 #define ARCH_PORTDUINO
 
-//
-// defaults for NRF52 architecture
-//
-
 //
 // set HW_VENDOR
 //