diff --git a/src/CMRI.cpp b/src/CMRI.cpp
index e359b1e..c899907 100644
--- a/src/CMRI.cpp
+++ b/src/CMRI.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,9 @@ uint8_t CMRI::_decode(uint8_t c)
 		else if (c == INIT)
 			_mode = DECODE_DATA;
 		else if (c == POLL)
-			goto POSTAMBLE_POLL;
+			// Consume poll body via IGNORE_DATA until ETX (DLE-aware),
+			// then reply from POSTAMBLE_IGNORE.
+			_mode = IGNORE_DATA;
 		else
 			_mode = POSTAMBLE_OTHER;
 		break;
@@ -261,5 +263,9 @@ uint8_t CMRI::_decode(uint8_t c)
 
 POSTAMBLE_IGNORE:
 	_mode = PREAMBLE_1;
+	// POLL frames consume body to ETX above; reply after ETX
+	// to avoid RS-485 bus contention (host still transmitting).
+	if (_rx_packet_type == POLL)
+		return POLL;
 	return NOOP;
 }
diff --git a/test/test_cmri/test_main.cpp b/test/test_cmri/test_main.cpp
index e4b60aa..5ca2f5b 100644
--- a/test/test_cmri/test_main.cpp
+++ b/test/test_cmri/test_main.cpp
@@ -176,6 +176,53 @@ void test_transmit_escapes_control_bytes(void)
 	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT8(CMRI::ETX, s.tx[10]);
 }
 
+// A well-formed POLL waits for ETX before replying.
+void test_poll_waits_for_etx(void)
+{
+	Stream s;
+	CMRI cmri(0, 24, 48, s);
+
+	cmri.set_byte(0, 0x55);
+
+	feed_packet(s, 0, CMRI::POLL, nullptr, 0);
+	TEST_ASSERT_TRUE(cmri.process());
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT8(CMRI::GET, s.tx[4]);
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT8(0x55, s.tx[5]);
+}
+
+// A POLL without ETX produces no reply.
+void test_poll_truncated_no_reply(void)
+{
+	Stream s;
+	CMRI cmri(0, 24, 48, s);
+
+	cmri.set_byte(0, 0x55);
+
+	s.feed(0xFF);
+	s.feed(0xFF);
+	s.feed(CMRI::STX);
+	s.feed('A' + 0);
+	s.feed(CMRI::POLL);
+
+	TEST_ASSERT_FALSE(cmri.process());
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(0u, s.tx.size());
+}
+
+// A POLL with body bytes waits for ETX before replying.
+void test_poll_with_body_waits_for_etx(void)
+{
+	Stream s;
+	CMRI cmri(0, 24, 48, s);
+
+	cmri.set_byte(0, 0x77);
+
+	uint8_t body[2] = {0x01, 0x02};
+	feed_packet(s, 0, CMRI::POLL, body, 2);
+	TEST_ASSERT_TRUE(cmri.process());
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT8(CMRI::GET, s.tx[4]);
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT8(0x77, s.tx[5]);
+}
+
 // Garbage before a valid packet is resynced away by the preamble state machine.
 void test_preamble_resync_after_garbage(void)
 {
@@ -205,6 +252,9 @@ int main(int, char **)
 	RUN_TEST(test_set_packet_updates_outputs);
 	RUN_TEST(test_address_filtering);
 	RUN_TEST(test_transmit_escapes_control_bytes);
+	RUN_TEST(test_poll_waits_for_etx);
+	RUN_TEST(test_poll_truncated_no_reply);
+	RUN_TEST(test_poll_with_body_waits_for_etx);
 	RUN_TEST(test_preamble_resync_after_garbage);
 	return UNITY_END();
 }