diff --git a/lib/MyESP/MyESP.cpp b/lib/MyESP/MyESP.cpp
index 8e68bd862..853b4b381 100644
--- a/lib/MyESP/MyESP.cpp
+++ b/lib/MyESP/MyESP.cpp
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ MyESP::MyESP() {
 
     _web_callback = NULL;
 
-    _serial         = false;
-    _serial_default = false;
+    _serial = false;
 
     _heartbeat                 = false;
     _mqtt_host                 = NULL;
@@ -560,13 +559,6 @@ void MyESP::_telnet_setup() {
     SerialAndTelnet.setDebugOutput(false);
     SerialAndTelnet.begin(TELNET_SERIAL_BAUD); // default baud is 115200
 
-// serial is only on when booting
-#ifdef DEFAULT_NO_SERIAL
-    _serial_default = false;
-#else
-    _serial_default = true;
-#endif
-
     // init command buffer for console commands
     memset(_command, 0, TELNET_MAX_COMMAND_LENGTH);
 }
@@ -790,7 +782,7 @@ bool MyESP::_changeSetting(uint8_t wc, const char * setting, const char * value)
 
 // force the serial on/off
 void MyESP::setUseSerial(bool b) {
-    _serial_default = _serial = b;
+    _serial = b;
     SerialAndTelnet.setSerial(b ? &Serial : NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1549,10 +1541,14 @@ bool MyESP::_fs_loadConfig() {
     value          = json["mqtt_password"];
     _mqtt_password = (value) ? strdup(value) : NULL;
 
-    _serial = json["serial"] | _serial_default;
-
     _heartbeat = (bool)json["heartbeat"]; // defaults to off
 
+// serial is only on when booting
+#ifdef FORCE_SERIAL
+    _serial_ = true;
+#else
+    _serial = json["serial"];
+#endif
 
     // callback for loading custom settings
     // ok is false if there's a problem loading a custom setting (e.g. does not exist)
diff --git a/lib/MyESP/MyESP.h b/lib/MyESP/MyESP.h
index d6eedb803..d4d5f4573 100644
--- a/lib/MyESP/MyESP.h
+++ b/lib/MyESP/MyESP.h
@@ -379,7 +379,6 @@ class MyESP {
     char *        _boottime;
     bool          _suspendOutput;
     bool          _serial;
-    bool          _serial_default;
     bool          _heartbeat;
     unsigned long _getUptime();
     String        _buildTime();
diff --git a/platformio.ini-example b/platformio.ini-example
index c99ece822..3293cefdb 100644
--- a/platformio.ini-example
+++ b/platformio.ini-example
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 default_envs = debug
 
 [common]
-; -DMYESP_TIMESTAMP -DTESTS -DCRASH -DNO_SERIAL -DNO_GLOBAL_EEPROM -DLOGICANALYZER
+; -DMYESP_TIMESTAMP -DTESTS -DCRASH -DFORCE_SERIAL -DNO_GLOBAL_EEPROM -DLOGICANALYZER
 extra_flags = -DNO_GLOBAL_EEPROM
 
 [env]
diff --git a/src/ems.cpp b/src/ems.cpp
index 45d723786..a217ddb25 100644
--- a/src/ems.cpp
+++ b/src/ems.cpp
@@ -2747,6 +2747,6 @@ void ems_testTelegram(uint8_t test_num) {
     // go an parse it
     ems_parseTelegram(telegram, length + 1); // include CRC in length
 #else
-    myDebug_P(PSTR("Firmware not compiled with test data set"));
+    myDebug_P(PSTR("Firmware not compiled with test data. Use -DTESTS"));
 #endif
 }