diff --git a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
index 3e203f9ba..6481a29ad 100644
--- a/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
+++ b/interface/src/project/EMSESPSettingsController.tsx
@@ -76,6 +76,16 @@ function EMSESPSettingsControllerForm(props: EMSESPSettingsControllerFormProps)
                 <MenuItem value={0x0F}>Time Module (0x0F)</MenuItem>
                 <MenuItem value={0x12}>Alarm Module (0x12)</MenuItem>
             </SelectValidator>
+            <BlockFormControlLabel
+                control={
+                    <Checkbox
+                        checked={data.hide_led}
+                        onChange={handleValueChange('hide_led')}
+                        value="hide_led"
+                    />
+                }
+                label="Hide LED"
+            />
             <BlockFormControlLabel
                 control={
                     <Checkbox
diff --git a/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h b/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
index 6621670c2..c6b08c3bf 100644
--- a/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
+++ b/lib_standalone/ESP8266React.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class DummySettings {
     uint8_t  master_thermostat    = 0;
     bool     shower_timer         = false;
     bool     shower_alert         = false;
+    bool     hide_led             = false;
     uint16_t publish_time         = 10; // seconds
     uint8_t  mqtt_format          = 1;  // 1=single, 2=nested, 3=ha, 4=custom
     uint8_t  mqtt_qos             = 0;
diff --git a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
index 18cf19eaa..15b606ab1 100644
--- a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ void EMSESPSettings::read(EMSESPSettings & settings, JsonObject & root) {
     root["master_thermostat"]    = settings.master_thermostat;
     root["shower_timer"]         = settings.shower_timer;
     root["shower_alert"]         = settings.shower_alert;
+    root["hide_led"]             = settings.hide_led;
 }
 
 StateUpdateResult EMSESPSettings::update(JsonObject & root, EMSESPSettings & settings) {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ StateUpdateResult EMSESPSettings::update(JsonObject & root, EMSESPSettings & set
     settings.master_thermostat    = root["master_thermostat"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT;
     settings.shower_timer         = root["shower_timer"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_TIMER;
     settings.shower_alert         = root["shower_alert"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_ALERT;
+    settings.hide_led             = root["hide_led"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_HIDE_LED;
 
     return StateUpdateResult::CHANGED;
 }
@@ -56,7 +58,8 @@ StateUpdateResult EMSESPSettings::update(JsonObject & root, EMSESPSettings & set
 void EMSESPSettingsService::onUpdate() {
     EMSESP::shower_.start();
     // EMSESP::system_.syslog_init(); // changing SysLog will require a restart
-    EMSESP::reset_tx();
+    EMSESP::init_tx();
+    System::set_led();
 }
 
 void EMSESPSettingsService::begin() {
diff --git a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
index 4bbd22f4c..fb4de9c21 100644
--- a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
+++ b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
@@ -27,14 +27,13 @@
 
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE 1       // EMS1.0
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID 0x0B // service key
-
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL -1 // OFF
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL 0
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST ""
-
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT 0 // not set
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_TIMER false
 #define EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_ALERT false
+#define EMSESP_DEFAULT_HIDE_LED false
 
 namespace emsesp {
 
@@ -42,13 +41,12 @@ enum MQTT_format : uint8_t { SINGLE = 1, NESTED, HA, CUSTOM };
 
 class EMSESPSettings {
   public:
-    uint8_t tx_mode;
-    uint8_t ems_bus_id;
-    uint8_t master_thermostat;
-    bool    shower_timer;
-    bool    shower_alert;
-
-    // syslog
+    uint8_t  tx_mode;
+    uint8_t  ems_bus_id;
+    uint8_t  master_thermostat;
+    bool     shower_timer;
+    bool     shower_alert;
+    bool     hide_led;
     int8_t   syslog_level; // uuid::log::Level
     uint32_t syslog_mark_interval;
     String   syslog_host;
diff --git a/src/system.cpp b/src/system.cpp
index e0d22706c..f11540b5c 100644
--- a/src/system.cpp
+++ b/src/system.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ uuid::syslog::SyslogService System::syslog_;
 uint32_t System::heap_start_    = 0;
 int      System::reset_counter_ = 0;
 bool     System::upload_status_ = false;
+bool     System::hide_led_      = false;
 
 // send on/off to a gpio pin
 // value: true = HIGH, false = LOW
@@ -145,16 +146,20 @@ void System::start() {
     EMSESP::esp8266React.getWiFiSettingsService()->read(
         [&](WiFiSettings & wifiSettings) { LOG_INFO(F("System %s booted (EMS-ESP version %s)"), wifiSettings.hostname.c_str(), EMSESP_APP_VERSION); });
 
-    syslog_init(); // init SysLog
+    syslog_init();     // init SysLog
+    set_led();         // init LED
+    EMSESP::init_tx(); // start UART
+}
 
-    if (LED_GPIO) {
-        pinMode(LED_GPIO, OUTPUT); // LED pin, 0 means disabled
-    }
-
-    EMSESP::emsespSettingsService.read([&](EMSESPSettings & settings) { tx_mode_ = settings.tx_mode; });
-#ifndef EMSESP_FORCE_SERIAL
-    EMSuart::start(tx_mode_); // start UART
-#endif
+// set the LED to on or off when in normal operating mode
+void System::set_led() {
+    EMSESP::emsespSettingsService.read([&](EMSESPSettings & settings) {
+        hide_led_ = settings.hide_led;
+        if (LED_GPIO) {
+            pinMode(LED_GPIO, OUTPUT);                            // LED_GPIO 0 means disabled
+            digitalWrite(LED_GPIO, hide_led_ ? !LED_ON : LED_ON); // LED on, for ever
+        }
+    });
 }
 
 // returns true if OTA is uploading
@@ -261,7 +266,7 @@ void System::system_check() {
             if (!system_healthy_) {
                 system_healthy_ = true;
                 if (LED_GPIO) {
-                    digitalWrite(LED_GPIO, LED_ON); // LED on, for ever
+                    digitalWrite(LED_GPIO, hide_led_ ? !LED_ON : LED_ON); // LED on, for ever
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -555,7 +560,7 @@ void System::console_commands(Shell & shell, unsigned int context) {
                                                shell.printfln(F_(wifi_password_fmt), wifiSettings.ssid.isEmpty() ? F_(unset) : F_(asterisks));
                                            });
                                        });
-/*
+    /*
     EMSESPShell::commands->add_command(ShellContext::SYSTEM,
                                        CommandFlags::USER,
                                        flash_string_vector{F_(show), F_(mqtt)},
diff --git a/src/system.h b/src/system.h
index 9cb62f9ab..6ecb63ba7 100644
--- a/src/system.h
+++ b/src/system.h
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ class System {
 
     static void show_mem(const char * note);
 
+    static void set_led();
+
     void check_upgrade();
 
   private:
@@ -115,11 +117,11 @@ class System {
     static bool upload_status_; // true if we're in the middle of a OTA firmware upload
 
     // settings
-    uint8_t  tx_mode_;
-    bool     system_heartbeat_;
-    uint8_t  syslog_level_;
-    uint32_t syslog_mark_interval_;
-    String   syslog_host_;
+    bool        system_heartbeat_;
+    static bool hide_led_;
+    uint8_t     syslog_level_;
+    uint32_t    syslog_mark_interval_;
+    String      syslog_host_;
 };
 
 } // namespace emsesp