diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
index e50440f9e..56731fa28 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
@@ -929,12 +929,9 @@ class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity(), Logging,
     val handler: Handler by lazy {
         Handler(mainLooper)
     }
-    // Keeps track of pings status so we update the menu properly.
-    var pingRunning: Boolean = false
 
     override fun onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu: Menu): Boolean {
-        menu.findItem(R.id.start_ping).setVisible(!pingRunning)
-        menu.findItem(R.id.stop_ping).setVisible(pingRunning)
+        menu.findItem(R.id.stress_test).isVisible = BuildConfig.DEBUG // only show stress test for debug builds (for now)
         return super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu)
     }
 
@@ -960,7 +957,7 @@ class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity(), Logging,
                 fragmentTransaction.commit()
                 return true
             }
-            R.id.start_ping -> {
+            R.id.stress_test -> {
                 fun postPing() {
                     // Send ping message and arrange delayed recursion.
                     debug("Sending ping")
@@ -975,14 +972,11 @@ class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity(), Logging,
                     )
                 }
                 postPing()
-                pingRunning = true
-                invalidateOptionsMenu()
-                return true
-            }
-            R.id.stop_ping -> {
-                handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-                pingRunning = false
-                invalidateOptionsMenu()
+                item.isChecked = !item.isChecked // toggle ping test
+                if(item.isChecked)
+                    postPing()
+                else
+                    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
                 return true
             }
             else -> super.onOptionsItemSelected(item)
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml b/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
index 61e43ace0..a68555fad 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
         android:id="@+id/debug"
         android:title="@string/debug_panel"
         app:showAsAction="withText" />
+    <item
+        android:id="@+id/stress_test"
+        android:checkable="true"
+        android:checked="false"
+        android:title="Protocol stress test" />
     <item
         android:id="@+id/about"
         android:title="@string/about"