diff --git a/scada-common/comms.lua b/scada-common/comms.lua
index 1e3373f..07abdb8 100644
--- a/scada-common/comms.lua
+++ b/scada-common/comms.lua
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ function comms.authd_packet()
         self.valid = false
         self.raw = self.modem_msg_in.msg
 
-        if (type(max_distance) == "number") and (type(distance) == "number") and (distance > max_distance) then
+        if (type(max_distance) == "number") and ((type(distance) ~= "number") or (distance > max_distance)) then
             -- outside of maximum allowable transmission distance
             -- log.debug("comms.authd_packet.receive(): discarding packet with distance " .. distance .. " (outside trusted range)")
         else
diff --git a/scada-common/util.lua b/scada-common/util.lua
index 11dc2a8..eb3fdab 100644
--- a/scada-common/util.lua
+++ b/scada-common/util.lua
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ local type = type
 local util = {}
 
 -- scada-common version
-util.version = "1.1.4"
+util.version = "1.1.5"
 
 util.TICK_TIME_S = 0.05
 util.TICK_TIME_MS = 50