diff --git a/src/etcp_connections.c b/src/etcp_connections.c
index b03fb0c..ea38a65 100644
--- a/src/etcp_connections.c
+++ b/src/etcp_connections.c
@@ -572,7 +572,9 @@ static void etcp_connections_read_callback_socket(socket_t sock, void* arg) {
 
     struct ETCP_LINK* link=etcp_link_find_by_addr(e_sock, &addr);
 //    printf("[ETCP DEBUG] Received packet, link=%p, recv_len=%zd\n", link, recv_len);
-    if (link==NULL) {// пробуем расшифровать, возможно это init
+    // If no link found OR found link is a client link (not server), treat as potential INIT
+    // Client links shouldn't receive incoming INIT packets - only server links should
+    if (link==NULL || link->is_server==0) {// пробуем расшифровать, возможно это init
 //        printf("[ETCP DEBUG] No existing link found, trying to decrypt as INIT packet\n");
         struct secure_channel sc;
         if (recv_len<=SC_PUBKEY_SIZE) { errorcode=1; DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_ETCP, "etcp_connections_read_callback: packet too small for init, size=%zd", recv_len); goto ec_fr; }