diff --git a/usermods/pov_display/bmpimage.cpp b/usermods/pov_display/bmpimage.cpp
index 2aea5c8d6e..7e56cf4944 100644
--- a/usermods/pov_display/bmpimage.cpp
+++ b/usermods/pov_display/bmpimage.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ bool BMPimage::init(const char * fn) {
       return false;
     }
 
+    // Past this point image metadata is re-parsed, so any previously loaded
+    // image must be treated as unloaded: its pixel buffer no longer matches
+    // the new metadata, and load() may free the buffer even when it fails.
+    _loaded = false;
+
     //read and ingnore file size
     read32(bmpFile);
     (void)read32(bmpFile); // Read & ignore creator bytes
@@ -46,6 +51,13 @@ bool BMPimage::init(const char * fn) {
     read32(bmpFile);
     _width  = read32(bmpFile);
     _height = read32(bmpFile);
+    // Reject non-positive widths: callers use width() as a divisor, so a
+    // zero width would cause a division by zero in the POV effect
+    if(_width <= 0) {
+        _valid=false;
+        bmpFile.close();
+        return false;
+    }
     if(read16(bmpFile) != 1) { // # planes -- must be '1'
         _valid=false;
         bmpFile.close();
diff --git a/usermods/pov_display/pov.cpp b/usermods/pov_display/pov.cpp
index ea5a43ed68..0e54fe4a7a 100644
--- a/usermods/pov_display/pov.cpp
+++ b/usermods/pov_display/pov.cpp
@@ -2,46 +2,42 @@
 
 POV::POV() {}
 
-void POV::showLine(const byte * line, uint16_t size){
-    uint16_t i, pos;
-    uint8_t r, g, b;
-    if (!line) {
-        // All-black frame on null input
-        for (i = 0; i < SEGLEN; i++) {
-            SEGMENT.setPixelColor(i, CRGB::Black);
-        }
-        strip.show();
-        lastLineUpdate = micros();
-        return;
-    }
-    for (i = 0; i < SEGLEN; i++) {
-        if (i < size) {
-            pos = 3 * i;
-            // using bgr order
-            b = line[pos++];
-            g = line[pos++];
-            r = line[pos];
-            SEGMENT.setPixelColor(i, CRGB(r, g, b));
-        } else {
-            SEGMENT.setPixelColor(i, CRGB::Black);
-        }
-    }
-    strip.show();
-    lastLineUpdate = micros();
-}
-
 bool POV::loadImage(const char * filename){
   if(!image.init(filename)) return false;
   if(!image.load()) return false;
-  currentLine=0;
   return true;
 }
 
-int16_t POV::showNextLine(){
-    if (!image.isLoaded()) return 0;
-    //move to next line
-    showLine(image.line(currentLine), image.width());
-    currentLine++;
-    if (currentLine == image.height()) {currentLine=0;}
-    return currentLine;
+// Display a column directly from image memory
+// For each pixel in the column (from row 0 to row height-1),
+// compute its position in the BMP buffer and read the BGR values
+void POV::showColumn(uint16_t colIndex) {
+    // Ignore out-of-range columns: for widths == 2 (mod 4) the row-size check
+    // below would still read one byte past the buffer when colIndex == width
+    if (colIndex >= image.width()) return;
+    uint16_t imgHeight = image.height();
+    int rowSize = image.rowSize();
+    
+    // AI: below section was generated by an AI
+    for (uint16_t i = 0; i < SEGLEN; i++) {
+        if (i < imgHeight) {
+            // Get pointer to this row in the image
+            byte *rowStart = image.line(i);
+            if (rowStart) {
+                // Compute offset to the desired column (3 bytes per pixel: BGR)
+                uint16_t pixelOffset = colIndex * 3;
+                if (pixelOffset + 2 <= rowSize) {
+                    // Read BGR values directly from image buffer
+                    uint8_t b = rowStart[pixelOffset];
+                    uint8_t g = rowStart[pixelOffset + 1];
+                    uint8_t r = rowStart[pixelOffset + 2];
+                    SEGMENT.setPixelColor(i, CRGB(r, g, b));
+                    continue;
+                }
+	    }
+	}
+        // No valid pixel for this row/column: write black
+        SEGMENT.setPixelColor(i, CRGB::Black);
+    }
+    // AI: end
 }
diff --git a/usermods/pov_display/pov.h b/usermods/pov_display/pov.h
index cb543d2ea7..93bc40f843 100644
--- a/usermods/pov_display/pov.h
+++ b/usermods/pov_display/pov.h
@@ -6,35 +6,21 @@
 class POV {
     public:
         POV();
-
-        /* Shows one line. line should be pointer to array which holds  pixel colors
-         * (3 bytes per pixel, in BGR order). Note: 3, not 4!!!
-         *  size should be size of array (number of pixels, not number of bytes)
+        
+        /* Shows a column directly from image memory (for horizontal POV)
+         * Uses image width/height/rowSize to compute pixel positions
          */
-        void showLine(const byte * line, uint16_t size);
+        void showColumn(uint16_t colIndex);
 
         /* Reads from file an image and making it current image */
         bool loadImage(const char * filename);
-
-        /* Show next line of active image
-           Retunrs the index of next line to be shown (not yet shown!)
-           If it retunrs 0, it means we have completed showing the image and
-            next call will start again
-        */
-        int16_t showNextLine();
-
-        //time since strip was last updated, in micro sec
-        uint32_t timeSinceUpdate() {return (micros()-lastLineUpdate);}
-
-
+        
         BMPimage * currentImage() {return &image;}
 
         char * getFilename() {return image.getFilename();}
 
     private:
         BMPimage image;
-        int16_t  currentLine=0;     //next line to be shown
-        uint32_t lastLineUpdate=0; //time in microseconds
 };
 
 
diff --git a/usermods/pov_display/pov_display.cpp b/usermods/pov_display/pov_display.cpp
index c57f3d8d59..481364e9aa 100644
--- a/usermods/pov_display/pov_display.cpp
+++ b/usermods/pov_display/pov_display.cpp
@@ -5,45 +5,71 @@ static const char _data_FX_MODE_POV_IMAGE[] PROGMEM = "POV Image@!;;;;";
 
 static POV s_pov;
 
+// AI: below section was generated by an AI
 void mode_pov_image(void) {
-  Segment& mainseg = strip.getMainSegment();
-  const char* segName = mainseg.name;
+  // This effect displays columns from a BMP image for horizontal POV
+  // All logic is handled here to ensure it only runs when this effect is selected
+  // The image name is read from the segment actually running this effect (SEGMENT),
+  // not from the main segment, so a secondary segment can display its image even
+  // when the main segment has no name. The playback position is kept per segment
+  // (aux0), so multiple segments running this effect advance their own column.
+  // Note: BMPimage has a single shared pixel buffer, so only one image can be
+  // loaded at a time; segments naming different images take turns (re)loading it.
+  Segment& seg = SEGMENT;
+  const char* segName = seg.name;
   if (!segName) {
-     return;
-   }
+    return;
+  }
+  
   // Only proceed for files ending with .bmp (case-insensitive)
   size_t segLen = strlen(segName);
   if (segLen < 4) return;
   const char* ext = segName + (segLen - 4);
-  // compare case-insensitive to ".bmp"
-  if (!((ext[0]=='.') &&
-        (ext[1]=='b' || ext[1]=='B') &&
-        (ext[2]=='m' || ext[2]=='M') &&
-        (ext[3]=='p' || ext[3]=='P'))) {
-    return;
+  
+  if ((ext[0] == '.') &&
+      (ext[1] == 'b' || ext[1] == 'B') &&
+      (ext[2] == 'm' || ext[2] == 'M') &&
+      (ext[3] == 'p' || ext[3] == 'P')) {
+    
+    const char* current = s_pov.getFilename();
+    BMPimage* img = s_pov.currentImage();
+    
+    // If image is already loaded and matches, show next column
+    if (current && strcmp(segName, current) == 0) {
+      s_pov.showColumn(seg.aux0);
+      seg.aux0 = (seg.aux0 + 1) % img->width();
+      return;
+    }
+    
+    // Image is loaded but doesn't match, or not loaded yet
+    // If we have a different image loaded, keep displaying it while trying the new one
+    if (img->isLoaded()) {
+      s_pov.showColumn(seg.aux0);
+      seg.aux0 = (seg.aux0 + 1) % img->width();
+    }
+    
+    // Try to load the new image (rate limited)
+    static unsigned long s_lastLoadAttemptMs = 0;
+    unsigned long nowMs = millis();
+    // Try to load at most twice per second
+    if (nowMs - s_lastLoadAttemptMs >= 500) {
+      s_lastLoadAttemptMs = nowMs;
+      if (s_pov.loadImage(segName)) {
+        // Successfully loaded, show first column
+        seg.aux0 = 0;
+        s_pov.showColumn(seg.aux0);
+        seg.aux0 = (seg.aux0 + 1) % img->width();
+      }
+      // If load fails, we'll keep displaying old image and retry on next call
+    }
   }
-
-  const char* current = s_pov.getFilename();
-  if (current && strcmp(segName, current) == 0) {
-     s_pov.showNextLine();
-     return;
-   }
-
-  static unsigned long s_lastLoadAttemptMs = 0;
-  unsigned long nowMs = millis();
-  // Retry at most twice per second if the image is not yet loaded.
-  if (nowMs - s_lastLoadAttemptMs < 500) return;
-  s_lastLoadAttemptMs = nowMs;
-  s_pov.loadImage(segName);
-  return;
 }
+// AI: end
 
 class PovDisplayUsermod : public Usermod {
 protected:
   bool enabled = false; //WLEDMM
   const char *_name; //WLEDMM
-  bool initDone = false; //WLEDMM
-  unsigned long lastTime = 0; //WLEDMM
 public:
 
   PovDisplayUsermod(const char *name, bool enabled)
@@ -51,19 +77,9 @@ class PovDisplayUsermod : public Usermod {
   
   void setup() override {
     strip.addEffect(255, &mode_pov_image, _data_FX_MODE_POV_IMAGE);
-    //initDone removed (unused)
   }
 
-
   void loop() override {
-    // if usermod is disabled or called during strip updating just exit
-    // NOTE: on very long strips strip.isUpdating() may always return true so update accordingly
-    if (!enabled || strip.isUpdating()) return;
-
-    // do your magic here
-    if (millis() - lastTime > 1000) {
-      lastTime = millis();
-    }
   }
 
   uint16_t getId() override {