diff --git a/code/entity_decode.js b/code/entity_decode.js
index c6d6dd70..edf2b5d5 100644
--- a/code/entity_decode.js
+++ b/code/entity_decode.js
@@ -37,10 +37,9 @@
   }
 
 
-  var summaryArrayLength = 14;
-
 //there's also a 'placeholder' portal - generated from the data in links/fields. only has team/lat/lng
 
+  var CORE_PORTA_DATA_LENGTH = 4;
   function corePortalData(a) {
     return {
       // a[0] == type (always 'p')
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@
     }
   };
 
+  var SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH = 14;
   function summaryPortalData(a) {
     return {
       level:         a[4],
@@ -65,16 +65,21 @@
     };
   };
 
+  var DETAILED_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH = SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH+4;
+
+
   window.decodeArray.portalSummary = function(a) {
     if (!a) return undefined;
 
     if (a[0] != 'p') throw 'Error: decodeArray.portalSUmmary - not a portal';
 
-    if (a.length == 4) {
+    if (a.length == CORE_PORTA_DATA_LENGTH) {
       return corePortalData(a);
     }
 
-    if (a.length != summaryArrayLength) {
+    // NOTE: allow for either summary or detailed portal data to be passed in here, as details are sometimes
+    // passed into code only expecting summaries
+    if (a.length != SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH && a.length != DETAILED_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH) {
       console.warn('Portal summary length changed - portal details likely broken!');
       debugger;
     }
@@ -87,18 +92,22 @@
 
     if (a[0] != 'p') throw 'Error: decodeArray.portalDetail - not a portal';
 
+    if (a.length != DETAILED_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH) {
+      console.warn('Portal detail length changed - portal details may be wrong');
+      debugger;
+    }
 
-    //TODO look at the array values, make a better guess as to which index the mods start at, rather than using the hard-coded summaryArrayLength constant
+    //TODO look at the array values, make a better guess as to which index the mods start at, rather than using the hard-coded SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH constant
 
 
     // the portal details array is just an extension of the portal summary array
     // to allow for niantic adding new items into the array before the extended details start,
     // use the length of the summary array
     return $.extend(corePortalData(a), summaryPortalData(a),{
-      mods:      a[summaryArrayLength+0].map(parseMod),
-      resonators:a[summaryArrayLength+1].map(parseResonator),
-      owner:     a[summaryArrayLength+2],
-      artifact:  parseArtifact(a[summaryArrayLength+3]),
+      mods:      a[SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH+0].map(parseMod),
+      resonators:a[SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH+1].map(parseResonator),
+      owner:     a[SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH+2],
+      artifact:  parseArtifact(a[SUMMARY_PORTAL_DATA_LENGTH+3]),
     });
     
   }