diff --git a/Controllers/HyperXKeyboardController/HyperXAlloyOriginsController.cpp b/Controllers/HyperXKeyboardController/HyperXAlloyOriginsController.cpp
index 80c0c2f76..ab3fcfaef 100644
--- a/Controllers/HyperXKeyboardController/HyperXAlloyOriginsController.cpp
+++ b/Controllers/HyperXKeyboardController/HyperXAlloyOriginsController.cpp
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ HyperXAlloyOriginsController::~HyperXAlloyOriginsController()
 
 void HyperXAlloyOriginsController::SetLEDsDirect(std::vector<RGBColor> colors)
 {
-    int colors_to_send = colors.size();
-    int colors_sent    = 0;
-
     /*-----------------------------------------------------*\
     | Insert color data for unused positions                |
     \*-----------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -37,6 +34,13 @@ void HyperXAlloyOriginsController::SetLEDsDirect(std::vector<RGBColor> colors)
         colors.insert(colors.begin() + skip_idx[skip_cnt], 0x00000000);
     }
 
+    /*-----------------------------------------------------*\
+    | Set up variables to track progress of color transmit  |
+    | Do this after inserting blanks                        |
+    \*-----------------------------------------------------*/
+    int colors_to_send = colors.size();
+    int colors_sent    = 0;
+
     SendDirectInitialization();
 
     for(int pkt_idx = 0; pkt_idx < 9; pkt_idx++)