diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
index d5dc3e92..22e283fc 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothMeshService.kt
@@ -487,9 +487,6 @@ class BluetoothMeshService(private val context: Context) {
         
         message.toBinaryPayload()?.let { messageData ->
             try {
-                // Pad the message data
-                val blockSize = MessagePadding.optimalBlockSize(messageData.size)
-                val paddedData = MessagePadding.pad(messageData, blockSize)
                 
                 // Create inner packet with the padded message data
                 val innerPacket = BitchatPacket(
@@ -497,7 +494,7 @@ class BluetoothMeshService(private val context: Context) {
                     senderID = hexStringToByteArray(myPeerID),
                     recipientID = hexStringToByteArray(recipientPeerID),
                     timestamp = System.currentTimeMillis().toULong(),
-                    payload = paddedData,
+                    payload = messageData,
                     signature = null,
                     ttl = MAX_TTL
                 )
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothPacketBroadcaster.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothPacketBroadcaster.kt
index 272fbdf2..ab7e4660 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothPacketBroadcaster.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/BluetoothPacketBroadcaster.kt
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ class BluetoothPacketBroadcaster(
         characteristic: BluetoothGattCharacteristic?
     ) {
         val packet = routed.packet
-        val data = packet.toBinaryData() ?: return
         // Check if we need to fragment
         if (fragmentManager != null) {
             val fragments = fragmentManager.createFragments(packet)