diff --git a/encoder/image_processing.c b/encoder/image_processing.c
index 78288d5..4864bb0 100644
--- a/encoder/image_processing.c
+++ b/encoder/image_processing.c
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 ****************************************************************************
 *  NHW Image Codec 													       *
 *  file: image_processing.c  										       *
-*  version: 0.3.0-rc20 						     		     			   *
-*  last update: $ 09082024 nhw exp $							           *
+*  version: 0.3.0-rc21 						     		     			   *
+*  last update: $ 09132024 nhw exp $							           *
 *																		   *
 ****************************************************************************
 ****************************************************************************
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ void im_recons_wavelet_band(image_buffer *im)
 
 void pre_processing(image_buffer *im)
 {
-    int i,j,scan,res,res2,res3,res4,count,e=0,f=0,a=0,sharpness=0,sharpn2=0,n1,t,t1,t2,t3,t4,t5,t6,t7;
+    int i,j,scan,res,res2,res3,res4,count,e=0,f=0,a=0,sharpness=0,sharpn2=0,n1,t,t1,t2,t3,t4,t5,t6,t7,t8;
     int nps,w1,w2,w3,w4,w5,w6,w7,w8;
 	short *nhw_process, *nhw_kernel;
 	char lower_quality_setting_on, *nhw_sharp_on;
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ void pre_processing(image_buffer *im)
 	
 	if (im->setup->quality_setting<=LOW4) nhw_sharp_on=(char*)calloc(4*IM_SIZE,sizeof(char));
 						
-	for (i=(2*IM_DIM),t1=0,t2=0,t3=0,t4=0,t5=0,t6=8,t7=0;i<((4*IM_SIZE)-(2*IM_DIM));i+=(2*IM_DIM))
+	for (i=(2*IM_DIM),t1=0,t2=0,t3=0,t4=0,t5=0,t6=8,t7=0,t8=0;i<((4*IM_SIZE)-(2*IM_DIM));i+=(2*IM_DIM))
 	{
 		for (scan=i+1,j=1;j<((2*IM_DIM)-2);j++,scan++)
 		{   
@@ -930,12 +930,30 @@ void pre_processing(image_buffer *im)
 						}
 						
 						t4 = 0;
+						
+						t8 = 0;
 					}
+                    else if (t1>=15)
+                    {
+                        if (!t4) t8++;
+                        else t8 = 0;
+                        
+                        t1++;
+                    }
                     else t1++;
 					
-					if (t1>15) 
+					if (t8>6 && !t4 && t1>1 && t1<15)
+					{
+						t1 = 0;
+						
+						//t8 = 0;
+					}
+					
+					if (t1>15)
                     {
-                        t1 = 0;t4 = 0;
+                        t1 = 0;
+                        
+                        t4 = 0;
                     }
 				}
 				
diff --git a/encoder/nhw_encoder_cli.c b/encoder/nhw_encoder_cli.c
index d998085..1d5fbb2 100644
--- a/encoder/nhw_encoder_cli.c
+++ b/encoder/nhw_encoder_cli.c
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 ****************************************************************************
 *  NHW Image Codec                                                         *
 *  file: nhw_encoder_cli.c                                                 *
-*  version: 0.3.0-rc20                                                      *
-*  last update: $ 09082024 nhw exp $                                       *
+*  version: 0.3.0-rc21                                                      *
+*  last update: $ 09132024 nhw exp $                                       *
 *                                                                          *
 ****************************************************************************
 ****************************************************************************
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 #include "codec.h"
 
 #define PROGRAM "nhw-enc"
-#define VERSION "0.3.0-rc20"
+#define VERSION "0.3.0-rc21"
 
 #define NHW_QUALITY_MIN LOW20
 #define NHW_QUALITY_MAX HIGH3