diff --git a/src/meshcore/serial_cx.py b/src/meshcore/serial_cx.py
index 3f4150c..61163bd 100644
--- a/src/meshcore/serial_cx.py
+++ b/src/meshcore/serial_cx.py
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ class SerialConnection:
             idx = data.find(b"\x3e")
             if idx < 0: # no start of frame
                 return
+            # Discard any leading junk bytes before the actual frame marker.
+            # Some radios interleave console/debug text on the same UART, so
+            # valid companion frames may begin at an offset inside the chunk.
+            data = data[idx:]
             self.header = data[0:1]
             data = data[1:]
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_serial_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_serial_connection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0db7f1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_serial_connection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+from meshcore.serial_cx import SerialConnection
+
+
+class RecordingReader:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.frames = []
+
+    async def handle_rx(self, data):
+        self.frames.append(bytes(data))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_handle_rx_discards_leading_junk_before_frame_start():
+    conn = SerialConnection("/dev/null", 115200)
+    reader = RecordingReader()
+    conn.set_reader(reader)
+
+    payload = b"\x00\x01\x02\x53"
+    frame = b"\x3e" + len(payload).to_bytes(2, "little") + payload
+
+    conn.handle_rx(b"junk bytes\r\n" + frame)
+    await asyncio.sleep(0)
+
+    assert reader.frames == [payload]
+    assert conn.header == b""
+    assert conn.inframe == b""
+    assert conn.frame_expected_size == 0