diff --git a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.cpp b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.cpp
index fa5c684a..53f1eb7c 100644
--- a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,15 @@ RFM95::RFM95(Module* mod) : SX1278(mod) {
 
 int16_t RFM95::begin(float freq, float bw, uint8_t sf, uint8_t cr, uint8_t syncWord, int8_t power, uint8_t currentLimit, uint16_t preambleLength, uint8_t gain) {
   // execute common part
-  int16_t state = SX127x::begin(RFM95_CHIP_VERSION, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
-  RADIOLIB_ASSERT(state);
+  int16_t state = SX127x::begin(RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_OFFICIAL, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
+  if(state == ERR_CHIP_NOT_FOUND) {
+    // SX127X_REG_VERSION might be set 0x12
+    state = SX127x::begin(RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_UNOFFICIAL, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
+    RADIOLIB_ASSERT(state);
+  } else if(state != ERR_NONE) {
+    // some other error
+    return(state);
+  }
 
   // configure settings not accessible by API
   state = config();
diff --git a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.h b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.h
index 78758971..fcbcf67d 100644
--- a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.h
+++ b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM95.h
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 #include "../SX127x/SX1278.h"
 
 // SX127X_REG_VERSION
-#define RFM95_CHIP_VERSION                            0x11
+#define RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_OFFICIAL                   0x11
+#define RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_UNOFFICIAL                 0x12  // according to datasheet, only 0x11 should be possible, but some modules seem to have 0x12
 
 /*!
   \class RFM95
diff --git a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.cpp b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.cpp
index 1d5cdc74..159c4995 100644
--- a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,15 @@ RFM96::RFM96(Module* mod) : SX1278(mod) {
 
 int16_t RFM96::begin(float freq, float bw, uint8_t sf, uint8_t cr, uint8_t syncWord, int8_t power, uint8_t currentLimit, uint16_t preambleLength, uint8_t gain) {
   // execute common part
-  int16_t state = SX127x::begin(RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
-  RADIOLIB_ASSERT(state);
+  int16_t state = SX127x::begin(RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_OFFICIAL, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
+  if(state == ERR_CHIP_NOT_FOUND) {
+    // SX127X_REG_VERSION might be set 0x12
+    state = SX127x::begin(RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_UNOFFICIAL, syncWord, currentLimit, preambleLength);
+    RADIOLIB_ASSERT(state);
+  } else if(state != ERR_NONE) {
+    // some other error
+    return(state);
+  }
 
   // configure settings not accessible by API
   state = config();
diff --git a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.h b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.h
index 1288c797..74b6d382 100644
--- a/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.h
+++ b/src/modules/RFM9x/RFM96.h
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 #include "../SX127x/SX1278.h"
 
 // SX127X_REG_VERSION
-#define RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION                            0x12  // according to datasheet, this should be 0x11, but all modules seem to have 0x12
+#define RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_OFFICIAL                   0x11
+#define RFM9X_CHIP_VERSION_UNOFFICIAL                 0x12  // according to datasheet, only 0x11 should be possible, but some modules seem to have 0x12
 
 /*!
   \class RFM96